UPND secretary general Stephen Katuka says police’s actions against Chishimba Kambwili’s wife and daughter is an assault on women’s rights to participate in politics.
And Katuka says President Edgar Lungu is determined to destroy Zambia’s democracy at all costs just to maintain power.
In a statement, Katuka questioned the logic behind the blocking of Carol Kambwili from attending her husband’s case in an open court, Tuesday.
“The police tried to stop UPND president Hakainde Hichilema from entering the court premises to attend Chishimba Kambwili’s court case. Why? The matter was being heard in open court and the public have the right to attend open court sessions. Where is the logic of blocking the wife of Dr Kambwili from attending her husband’s court case? Where is the logic of refusing to allow Dr Kambwili’s daughter to attend her father’s court case? Further, the conduct by police is also an assault on women’s rights to participate in politics. Many women, who may want to join politics, will be deterred from joining upon seeing such barbaric behaviour! In view of the above, we demand for the immediate release of Dr Chishimba Kambwili’s wife, daughter and UPND official Mrs Patricia Situmbeko,” he stated.
He noted that ideally, the police were not supposed to be at court brandishing guns as judges and magistrates need to be given their space to dispense justice.
“In an ideal situation, police are not supposed to be at the Court to conduct such kind of operation. The Judiciary is supposed to be given space as they dispense justice. The judges and magistrates should not be in an environment of police brandishing guns, while they dispense justice. The behaviour by Edgar Lungu’s administration is a serious indictment on the justice system as such an assault on the freedoms of citizens, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Katuka stated.
And Katuka said President Lungu was determined to destroy Zambia’s democracy at all costs just to maintain power.
“We also want to warn Edgar Lungu not to push his luck too far by arbitrarily arresting citizens. What Edgar Lungu ought to realise is that this country belongs to all Zambians and not to him. We urge Mr Lungu to immediately keep his hands off the police and Judiciary and respect the rule of law. We cannot have unlawful arrests, even when it is Lungu himself who is provoking citizens. We shall not just watch Edgar Lungu destroying the country’s democracy. We also wish to call upon other international and regional bodies to immediately take serious interest in this country. Our view is that Edgar Lungu is determined to destroy this country’s democracy at all costs and we shall not sit back and watch. We wish to call upon our people to be alert at all times given this barbaric behaviour by Mr Lungu’s administration,” stated Katuka.
