…..charges that Zambia is on a dangerous descent into lawlessness
The Patriotic Front has written to the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) over the deteriorating political and security situation in Zambia.
PF Secretary General Raphael Nakachinda says since the assumption of power in August 2021 by the UPND party in Zambia, there has been a steady and now a rapid erosion of civil and political rights of citizens leading to a very precarious political and security situation in the country.
This is in a letter dated 2nd November, 2023 addressed to His Excellency, Joao Lorenzo President of Angola & SADC Chairman.
“Your Excellency, we draw your specific attention to the fact that Zambia is unfortunately descending into chaos at a time when it has the special honor of presiding over the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security (Troika), the very organ that must monitor any developments that may undermine law, order and create any sense of insecurity in any of the regional bloc’s 16 member-countries. Since August 2021, when the Patriotic Front (PF) party lost elections and handed over power in a free and fair manner as per the national statutes and SADC principles open free and fair elections and general observation of democratic principles, Zambia unfortunately seems to be on a regressive path towards the one party tendencies which the regional bloc has individually and severally rejected,” said Hon Nakachinda.
“The increasingly authoritarian regime of President Hakainde Hichilema has now begun a brutal process to outlaw opposition parties by targeting the main opposition party the PF which they want converted into a wing of the ruling party both in and outside Parliament. These undemocratic acts have started with the ruling party, the UPND, organizing the installation of an expelled PF member of parliament for Matero constituency, Hon. Miles Sampa as the purported leader of the PF by way of organizing an illegal convention in breach of the PF Party constitution and Article 60 of the Republican Constitution as evidenced by heavy presence of State Police at the illegal convention.”
He added that the ruling UPND party have since nominated and written to the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Nelly Mutti, another renegade expelled member Mr. Robert Chabinga as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
Hon Nakachinda said although elected under the PF initially, Mr. Chabinga and Mr. Miles Sampa have publicly announced that they have joined the ruling UPND because they believe in the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema and the policies of the UPND party and not the PF.
“These are the two renegade members the government has now installed as purported president and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. The two have on several occasions travelled in the entourage of President Hakainde Hichilema on international trips against the position and policy of the party. These are elected members of Parliament who are renegade but are being used by Mr. Hakainde Hichilema to destroy the Patriotic Front and the constitution of the country,” he submitted.
“The government has blockaded and occupied the PF Party secretariat which they want to hand over to this renegade group as evidenced by the heavy presence of state security. Activities to physically petrol-bomb the premises have began as evidenced by strange explosive-like objects that our party security spotted the night before the police occupation. These terror-activities are designed to frame the PF as the one planting these objects.
The President, Mr. Hichilema led government helped Mr. Miles Sampa to mobilize people from the streets including members of the UPND to organize an illegal convention to install these renegades into the leadership of the PF as a platform to annihilate the PF party which is the largest opposition party in the country thereby creating a one- party state.”
He said President Hichilema wants to wipe out the opposition particularly the PF, in order to Repeal Article 4 to introduce a one-party state.
He further said this will effectively end multi-party politics and confine Zambia into the dark corners of the dictatorships that SADC rejected many decades ago.
“Secondly, the brutal removal of the PF from Zambia’s political dispensation is aimed at amending the presidential term limit from five (5) to seven (7) years, and from two five-year terms to unlimited. The constitutionally elected Leader of the Opposition in the Zambian National Assembly is Hon. Brian Mundubile, MP, who, as per constitutional provisions, is elected by members of the largest opposition in the House which is the Patriotic Front party. For the past 26 months, the UPND has banned all forms of public gatherings and prevented opposition parties from all forms of mobilization, free speech, and any other forms of political activity,” he concluded.