UPND AN IMMORAL REGIME, SAYS PASTOR SIMUCHIMBA

VIOLENCE and abducting opposition candidates in order to stop them from participating in the local government by-elections is a confirmation that President Hakainde Hichilema is presiding over an evil regime which has no regard for the rule of law and democracy,’ Kings Church Pastor Duncan Simuchimba has said

Pastor Simuchimba said the silence by President Hichilema on the abductions, arrests and violence against opposition candidates in the local government by-elections may force one to conclude that perpetrators of such offences have the blessings of the head of State. In an interview after the opposition Socialist Party (SP) candidates was abducted Kabompo , while some PF officials were also beaten, Pastor Simuchimba said the UPND government had continued to lose the popularity and confidence of the Zambians because it had continued to exhibit dictatorial tendencies.

“While in opposition President Hichilema and his UPND had promised to uphold the rule of law, democracy and improve people’s lives, but it is sad that his government had continued to exhibit dictatorial tendencies of beating and abducting opposition candidates.”

“The UPND has lamentably failed to fulfil his campaign promises as he had continued to exhibit dictatorial tendencies while hunger and poverty had continued to ravage homes in various communities,” Pastor Simuchimba

said

Pastor Simuchimba , who was in February this year arrested and detained at Kitwe Central Police Station, for speaking against the demolition of structures at Chisokone market at Chisokone market, said the UPND was using the Police, the Judiciary, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to silence the opposition

“Apart from that, we have seen all sorts of questionable conduct by the Police, the judiciary and the ECZ which were aimed at silencing the opposition. We have seen the PF being barred from contesting the local government by-elections.”

“The recent one was where the Ndola Mayor Jones Kalyati, Itimpi Ward Councillor Simon Kakoma were arrested and detained, while five councillors in Kitwe had to flee their homes to fear being arrested on the day the two councils were having elections for the Deputy Mayor. This is not good,” Pastor Simuchimba said

Pastor Simuchimba said, as a cleric, he was disappointed by the conduct of the Hakainde Hichilema led UPND government which had promised to uphold the rule of law, democracy, human rights and improve people’s lives, but has ended up dividing the country and adding more pain and misery to the majority poverty-stricken Zambian

Pastor Simuchimba said poverty and hunger has worsened under the UPND government, while prices of essential commodities were sky-rocketing every day hence majority Zambians were struggling to make ends meet.