HOME Affairs Minister Jack Mwiimbu says he sympathises with Kabushi PF member of parliament Bowman Lusambo but it is gratifying to note that he has continued enjoying his human rights.

And Mwiimbu says the current government is launching and commissioning projects which were initiated by the government of the republic of Zambia, and not PF.

Commenting on Lusambo’s remarks that the Anti-Corruption Commission was hell bent on destroying him in an interview, Mwiimbu said government endeavoured to uphold the rule of law in the country.

“I sympathise with honourable Lusambo for the situation he has found himself in. He has to take note that under the new dawn administration, despite the situations he has found himself in, he has continued to enjoy his human rights. Previously under the previous government of the PF, members of the public were detained for indefinite periods without being brought to court. Under the new dawn administration, we have endeavoured to ensure that there is a rule of law and order in the country. We have ensured that those who have been found wanting by the law are given police bonds and if they are not given police bonds, they are taken to court within the stipulated time, a situation that never used to happen under the PF regime,” Mwiimbu said.

“Members of the PF have been enjoying their human rights in this country, they have enjoyed their freedom of association to the extent that they are able to make all sorts of comments against the government without any retribution. They have been associating without being victimized. They have campaigned freely which never used to happen when the PF were in government and we were in opposition. Members of the public must realise that under the new dawn administration, political parties are able to campaign freely without any fear from the ruling party or the police.”

He said the UPND had lived up to its campaign promise that there would be no discrimination among citizens.

“Of late, we have witnessed unprecedented free campaigns in the by-elections that have occurred in the country, since the elections held in August 2021 which ushered the new dawn administration. Honourable Lusambo has had the privilege of demonstrating at various fora with placards and he has never been harassed by anybody. It just entails that we as a new dawn administration have lived by our word that we shall not discriminate against anybody. Any member of the public shall enjoy their human rights provided they do not go astray,” Mwiimbu said.

And Mwiimbu said the current government was launching and commissioning projects which were initiated by the government of the republic of Zambia, using public resources.

“It has been brought to my attention that a certain section of the public have been indicating that we have been vilifying the PF yet we are opening and celebrating the projects that they have done. Let it be known that the UPND government is not officially opening or launching PF projects. The current government is launching and officially commissioning projects that were commissioned by the government of the republic of Zambia using government resources. It has to be noted that any government that comes into power assumes the responsibilities of the previous government. In the event that the previous government has borrowed money, the new government which assumes power, has the responsibility to pay the debt,” said Mwiimbu.

“Now because the government assumes the responsibility constitutionally to take responsibility for the actions that were undertaken by the previous government, that government has the responsibility of ensuring that those projects that were undertaken by the previous government using private resources are concluded and commissioned. The new dawn government has not been vilifying PF, the new dawn government has been condemning their abuse of the previous government pertaining to the resources of the country. We shall not shy away from condemning those illegal activities that were perpetrated by those who were in government.”