KATANGA WARNS NDC
By NATION REPORTER POLICE will have no choice but to deal firmly and decisively with opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials if they go ahead with their illegal protest against AVIC International, Copperbelt police commissioner Charity Katanga has warned.
Ms Katanga said NDC members who will choose to ignore the directive from the police will face the consequences of their action.
NDC National Youth Chairman Charles Kabwita had vowed that the opposition party would go ahead with the protest against AVIC International despite the police advising them not to do so.
Mr Kabwita charged in Kitwe that lack of manpower was not a reasonable excuse for police to prevent his members from staging a protest on August 4, this year.
He said NDC felt that the AVIC International contracts have disadvantaged local entrepreneurs and that its deals were wrapped in corruption.
He said it is unfair that the PF was using AVIC International to perpetuate money laundering activities.
But Ms Katanga said in an interview yesterday that those who want to go ahead with the protest would be doing it at their own peril.
“Let them go ahead. They will be doing it at their own peril. We are law enforcement officers and are there to maintain law and order. We don’t have time to talk to politicians,’’ Ms Katanga said.
In a separate interview, Zambia Markets, Streets and Allied Workers Association (ZAMSAA) Poster Jumbe said people should not raise unsubstantiated corruption allegations against Government.
Mr Jumbe said it was unfair to raise corruption allegations against those in government in order to gain political mileage and antagonize the people against the government.
“It is like people are now using corruption allegations as a way of gaining political mileage. They want to accuse those in government of corruption so that they get the support of the people.
“We would like people to clearly state where corruption is taking place instead of saying there is corruption without substantiating the corruption allegations,’’ Mr Jumbe said.