‘That’s treason’ … inciting uprising is criminal
THE call by Brebner Changala for Zambians to rise against the legitimate elected Government is treasonable, renowned lawyer Hobday Kabwe has said. And Lusaka Province PF media coordinator Edwin Lifwekelo has demanded the arrest of defunct NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili and Governance activist Mr Changala should be arrested for inciting Zambians to rise against the government.
Mr Kabwe said Mr Changala’s remarks were unlawful and tantamount to treason.
He said in an interview yesterday, the suggestion by Mr Changala for President Edgar Lungu to prematurely step down as the Republican President was criminal because he was legitimately elected by the Zambians.
Mr Changala said he prayed that Zambians would rise as quickly as possible and demand early elections.
He was quoted in some sections of the media that the patent disregard of electoral rules in Chilubi by the governing PF, in partnership with the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Zambia Police, was a mere preamble of what they will do in 2021.
But Mr Kabwe said Mr Changala must know that there was a well tabulated programme on how the legitimate elected Republican President can step down.
President Lungu’s mandate was still there and someone could not just wake up and call for him to step down.
Mr Kabwe said President Lungu had not done anything wrong which can warrant him to step down, therefore, those calling for early elections were supposed to be charged with treason.
He said the Constitution clearly stipulates that if Parliament sought the President to step down there was a laid down process.
“When we begin to have lawless calls with no base for the President to exit prematurely, that kind of call is clearly criminal and one risks being charged for treason.
Let me say that such kind of behaviour is treasonable. The process under which a lawfully elected President, how he can step down is very clear and coming out anyhow to demand for his exit before his term ends constitutes treason,” Mr Kabwe said.
He said that such freedom of speech must be an opportunity to remind people abusing it that there were serious consequences.
And in a separate interview, Mr. Lifwekelo said the statements attributed to Mr Kambwili and Mr Changala in one of the daily tabloid were seditious and had potential to cause serious breakdown of the rule of law in the country.
He said the office of the President was a dignified office that deserves and commands respect and therefore the malice, ill will, and ridiculous statement by the two against Government was not only a manifestation of sour grapes on their part but also criminal.
He said the statement attributed to Mr Changala that he prays that Zambians can rise and demand for early election was mischievous and a recipe for political anarchy. Mr Kambwili is also quoted as saying the Zambia Army should emulate the Malawian army by being on the side of the people.
“We have observed with concern a trend of fanatical extremism being perpetuated for political expediency by some opposition and civil society leaders who have a tendency of insulting the head of state and the first family with impunity in the name of freedom of expression,” Mr Lifwekelo said.
Mr Lifwekelo said Police should arrest people like Mr Kambwili and Mr Changala including the messengers who are helping disseminate such statements for spreading hate speech aimed at inciting the general public.