ZAMBIA: Lungu has turned instruments of power into tools of oppression – Bishop Chihana

Zambian president Edgar Lungu has turned instruments of power into instruments of oppression, intimidation, suppression and vindictiveness, says Bishop Simon Chihana.

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In a statement, Bishop Chihana said President Lungu is to blame for the escalating cases of violence in the country.

“This escalating violence can only be blamed on Mr Lungu the President of Zambia, who has turned the instruments of power into instruments of oppression, intimidation, suppression and vindictiveness of the opposition and the innocent Zambian people. He is using the arms of security for misdirected targets,” Bishop Chihana stated.

“I want to personally advise and warn President Lungu that the arms of security are only friends to the system and not to individuals and that whatever he is doing now through whosoever, they shall be the same people to report and testify against him. This violence gate must be closed, locked and the keys thrown away into the ocean of forgetfulness.” He also stated that Zambia was going through its worst trails of political violence in the 50 years of the country’s independence.

“Zambia is facing the biggest trial of its 50 years of independence. Its 25 years of democratic governance is at test under the leadership of Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. The unruly behaviour of the cadres is extremely unbecoming and demands to be stopped without delay and without fail; otherwise it shall turn into a culture of violence. Otherwise, Zambia is reaching a level where the police are becoming irrelevant to the public and the public are now taking the law into their own hands [so] as to defend themselves from both the unruly violent cadres and the misdirected cadre-minded police men and women,” added Bishop Chihana.

“President Lungu has taken advantage of massive jobless young people and is using them as tools of violence and the police in the like manner accept to be used because they fear to be fired…. Zambians can only bring back sanity, peace, unity and tranquility in our nation through the ballot. Let the secret ballot speak, Zambia may maintain its position as one of the most friendly, peaceful and stable states in the world.”

On Sunday, shoppers were choked and forced to seek refuge in boutiques, supermarkets and restaurants while others fled Levy Shopping Mall as police fired tear gas to disperse sympathisers of UPND vice-president Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM).

The UPND supporters yesterday marched from their party secretariat to Lusaka Central Police Station and besieged its entrance to demand the release of GBM who was arrested and detained on Friday.

The protesters temporarily blocked Makishi and Church roads around 12:00 hours as they advanced towards the police station, displaying placards and chanting slogans against President Edgar Lungu. “GBM achoke (free GBM)! Free GBM! Viva HH,” chanted the supporters, most of whom were clad in party regalia. Some motorists who are UPND sympathisers joined in the protest through honking as they drove alongside the protesters through Church Road towards the police station.

After noticing the growing number of people gathering and surging towards the station, police blocked the road in front. But the resilient GBM supporters moved forward, prompting the police to fire tear gas at them. GBM’s relatives and friends, who had arrived at the police station earlier waiting for visiting hour, were caught up in the chaos as some pedestrians sought refuge at nearby Evelyn Hone College and Total service station.

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