Police in riot gear thwart Socialist Party Kitwe rally

Dozens of police officers were in the early morning of Saturday deployed at Kitwe’s Changa-Namai grounds where the Sociality Party (SP) leader, Fred M’membe, was scheduled to address a political rally.

As early as 06:00 hours, police with riot gear in their numbers were seen keeping vigil at Changa-Namai grounds.

The political party last week notified police of their intentions to hold a rally but the police declined for supposed lack of manpower.

SP officials vowed to hold the rally despite the notification being rejected by the police. However, the police ensured that the political gathering flopped.

SP member of the central committee, Fastone Mwale, during a media briefing alleged the United Party for National Development (UPND) was ‘hell-bent’ on killing democracy in the country.

Mwale narrated how, despite police denying the party permission to go ahead with the planned rally, they still proceeded to evade the whole ground with more than 150 officers.

“They assembled the police so that we don’t go ahead with the rally, and it is in this regard that the rally has failed to take place,” he said.

Mwale accused the ruling UPND of creating a police state to ensure that democracy does not thrive.

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