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Harry Kalaba, leader of the Citizens First Party, has expressed deep concern over the continued detention of political opponents in Zambia without being formally charged, describing the situation as a clear sign of draconian rule under President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday, Kalaba criticized President Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) government for what he described as an abuse of the law.
He specifically cited the case of Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary-General, Raphael Nakacinda, who has been detained for several days without being charged.
“As we speak, we have the PF Secretary General Raphael Nakacinda who has been in detention on frivolous charges that are aimed at breaking him and in the process further disenfranchising the opposition,” Kalaba said.
The Citizens First Party leader warned that Zambia, once regarded as a beacon of hope for democracy in Africa, was now “fast degenerating into a police state under the Hichilema rule.”
Kalaba called on law enforcement agencies to adhere to their constitutional mandate and resist unlawful directives that undermined Zambia’s democratic principles.
“I would like to urge all law enforcement agents to ensure that they uphold the Constitution and desist from taking decisive instructions from people who do not mean well for our country Zambia,” he stated.
He also appealed to other opposition parties to remain united in their efforts to challenge the UPND government, calling for a collective stance against what he referred to as a “repressive” regime.
Kalaba emphasized the importance of standing together to restore democratic governance in Zambia.
“As opposition parties, we must unite to kick out this repressive government and usher in a government of the people, by the people, and for the people of Zambia,” he said.
Kalaba’s statement comes amid increasing concerns from opposition leaders and civil society groups about the government’s treatment of political opponents and the erosion of civil liberties in Zambia.
Nakacinda’s continued detention, in particular, had drawn widespread criticism, with accusations that the government was using law enforcement as a tool to silence dissent.
Meanwhile, the Golden Party of Zambia has also accused Hichilema of using the fight against corruption as a tool for revenge against his perceived political enemies.
Jackson Silavwe, the party leader, stated that the President’s approach to fighting corruption should be based on the rule of law, not personal vendettas.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday, Silavwe called on President Hichilema to genuinely address corruption for the benefit of all Zambian citizens.
“What President Hichilema is doing is not fighting corruption but enacting revenge against his perceived political enemies,” Silavwe said.
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He claimed that for the past three years, the President had ignored corruption within his own government and among senior United Party for National Development (UPND) officials, despite calls from concerned citizens for him to demonstrate political will and eradicate it.
Silavwe pointed to revelations of corruption involving senior UPND officials, referring to it as “stuff hitting the fan” within the New Dawn government.
“Civil service appointments, contract awards, and procurement processes are all smeared with corruption under President Hichilema’s government,” Silavwe said.
He further alleged that incompetence, nepotism, and embezzlement of funds have become rampant among those in power, with individuals and companies aligning themselves with the ruling party to secure government contracts.
“The politicization of state institutions has contributed to high corruption levels under President Hichilema. We need strong, independent institutions with the power to fight corruption,” he said.
Silavwe stated that corruption undermined the trust people had in their government and wastes taxpayers’ money intended for public needs.
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