Tonse Alliance Chairperson Edgar Lungu has called on the visiting United Nations Rapporteur, Irene Khan, to listen to the cries of former Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Secretary General, Mumbi Phiri, who was recently detained in Kawambwa on alleged trumped charges.
Lungu claimed Mumbi was maliciously detained in a rural police cell and later exonerated by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who declined to prosecute her due to lack of evidence.
In a submission, the former president also wants Khan, to take interest in several threats on social media from the violent ruling UPND thugs instructing themselves to physically arrest opposition leaders deemed critics of the ruling party.
Lungu highlighted several cases in which former PF government officials and other members of the opposition were being abused and their rights trumpled upon with impunity due to lack of police professionalism.
“For UPND cadres, they are above the law of “Hate Speech, Defamation or Seditious Practices,” he said
Lungu stated that while UPND cadres freely insult him and everyone in the opposition without regards to the law, there were many opposition politicians and individual activists who were either on warn and cautions detained in police cells.
He said others were appearing before courts or sentenced in prison for similar or lesser offenses of hate speech, seditious practices or Defamation of the President.
“Some of the people who have been locked up or appearing before the police and courts of law include Raphael Nakachinda, opposition PF and Tonse Alliance Secretary-General, before court, and Sean Tembo, opposition Patriotis for Economic Progress (PEP) president and Tonse Alliance Spokesman, before court,” Lungu said.
He named others as Maureen Mabonga, opposition PF sitting lawmaker and Tonse Alliance Member, who was appearing before court, and Emmanuel Mwamba, opposition PF Spokesman and Tonse Alliance Member, who was appearing before court.
On Lungu’s list include Chishimba Kambwili, opposition PF leader, who was sentenced to six months imprisonment, Munir Zulu, Lumezi lawmaker, Apostle Dan Pule, Tonse Alliance Vice Chairman, before court, Edith Nawakwi, Tonse Alliance Member, Dr Fred M’membe, Binwell Mpundu, and Brebner Changala, among others
“Why Me”, Social Media Commentator, detained and before court, Ernest Kaumba, Social Media Commentator, before court, Elijah Kaumba, Social Media Commentator, before court, and Anderson Zulu, a Lusaka based Tax Driver, imprisoned for one year,” he said.
Others he claimed are Chilufya Tayali, Saboi Imboela, Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa, Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba, Hot FM Radio, and KBN TV, officially warned for promoting Hate Speech.
Lungu alleged that the country had seen more UPND cadres like the ones in a social video who were freely insulting everyone and running on the streets in the name of the UPND.
“People like UPND Consultant, Mark Simuwe who writes and presents tribal/regional divisive as well as biased defamatory content have never be questioned or warned anywhere but are praised and made to eat with the President at State House,” he said.
Lungu highlighted to Khan, that there was “No Rule Of Law In Zambia” under President Hakainde Hichilema apart from selective justice and vengeful weaponization of Zambia police and our courts.
“When it comes to human rights and Justice, Zambia is now a ripe banana state of THEM (Special UPND Members) against US (the ordinary masses),” he alleged.
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