Copperbelt Police Commissioner Charity Katanga says it is illogical that whenever politicians see police on their way to church, they accuse the officers of trying to block them when cops also attend services at the same churches.
Katanga said this in an interview, following a number of police officers who followed Democratic Party president Harry Kalaba at Ibenga Union Baptist church in Mpongwe, Sunday.
“Let me make it clear, there is no policy from my command to stop anyone from attending church. We did not know that Mr Kalaba is in Luanshya and even attending Church. So when you see officers, they claim, they want to be blocked no. Remember, even police officers go to church. We worship also. The same Churches, they come to, officers also go to Church and they are members,” said Katanga.
“Let us not be spreading lies that police want to block people. How can we block people who come to worship. Let us not be a people of lies.”
Earlier in the morning, plan-clothed police officers surrounded the church where Kalaba was attending a service.
Kalaba, who has been on the Copperbelt, held a series of meetings in Ndola and Kitwe on Saturday.
While attending Church at Ibenga Union Baptist Church, officers in plan clothes surrounded the church.
After the Church service, officers gethered around the Church, while mini-road blocks along the Mpongwe road were mounted.
But Kalaba managed to elude the police and asked the church to pray for leaders.
“I have been praying and I will continue to pray. We ask God to increase my territory,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kalaba also said it was said that farmers in Mpongwe were still waiting for FRA to pay them.
“It is quite sad that our farmers here are still waiting for their payments for last year. The distribution of inputs is late, farmers are not paid on time. Surely, is this good to our farmers?” asked Kalaba.