Arbitrary arrests of our members is breakdown in the rule of law, says UPND

By SIMON MUNTEMBA THE decision by the police to continue arresting our members on flimsy grounds is a serious violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, the UPND has charged.

UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma told the Daily Nation yesterday that the arrest and teargassing of 16 of their members in Luwingu was a breakdown in the rule of law.

Mr Kakoma disclosed that 16 UPND members in Luwingu were arrested and teargassed for an undisclosed charges.

“Well, we have not been told of any charges slapped on them, they were just arrested by the Police without any charges and this is why we are saying the police are acting outside the law.

“They cannot just arrest the people without any cause. That’s abusing the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens,” he said. Mr Kakoma said his party learnt wish great shock that their 16 UPND members in Luwingu were arrested for an undisclosed charge.

He said the decision by the police to continue arresting their members on flimsy grounds was what was making his party to complain to the international community against the ruling Patriotic Front injustice.

Mr Kakoma said the ruling party should not be crying foul that UPND was denting the image of the country when the police were acting unprofessionally. “PF is busy on daily basis denting the image of this country by violating human rights with impunity and the whole world now knows that there is a breakdown in the rule of law in Zambia.

“We understand that the Police even teargassed the cell where our members in Luwingu are detained. Isn’t that satanic and a violation of human rights? As a party, we shall tell the world more of the PF atrocities and their breach of the Zambian constitution,” he said.

But the Zambian DNA said it was unpatriotic for any Zambian to use international fora to tarnish the country’s image aboard for selfish reasons.

DNA spokesperson Spuki Mulemwa said Zambians who speak ill of their country abroad were not only unpatriotic, unfit to run for public office, but also a liability to statehood.