With mounting worries about human rights violations, President Edgar Lungu has appealed to the international community to monitor the diminishing democratic conditions in Zambia.
Lusaka, April 24 – Former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu wants the current government of President Hakainde Hichilema to march their words with action regarding the rule of law.
Following his visit to Martin Mbaya who was detained at Kabwata Police Station in Lusaka and later released with only a ‘warn and caution’ statement recorded after spending three nights in filthy police cells, President Edgar Lungu, a lawyer by profession, bemoaned Martin Mbaya’s arrest without formal charges and described it as disgrace to a democratic nation like Zambia.
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“It is a disgrace” President Lungu repeatedly said. “At the moment we are busy saying our leader is among the top five Presidents in Africa, we are being told he is governing according to the rule of law, we are perfect on human rights but what is happening? How can you disrupt church proceedings to pick out a suspect whom you haven’t established the criminality against! Break into his house in the manner we are seeing, shows you that we have lost it completely!”
While expressing deep concern with the way rights of citizens are being suppressed, President Lungu said, “My heart bleeds. We must end this hypocrisy! We must end this hypocrisy of proclaiming one thing while doing the other which is totally opposite!”
President Lungu said Zambians must remain vigilant, “and not remain silent, keep talking… wake up and speak against abuse. Today it’s Martin Mbaya, yesterday it was Hon. Lubinda. Tomorrow, it could be any one of you fellow Zambians. I think it’s important that we see what is happening to others and know that the bell tolls for us next time!”
Martin Mbaya a PF member, known to be an associate of the former President, was forcefully removed from church in Nyumba Yanga area during Sunday service in the presence of his wife, children and other congregants of Lusaka’s Bethel Christian Centre when they could have easily sent a call out to him.
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This incident has sparked widespread concern regarding the state of law enforcement and civil liberties in the country. As concerns of rising abuses rise, President Edgar Lungu also beseeched the international community to watch Zambia’s shrinking democratic space.
The former Head of State believes Mbaya is not the last victim in the current government’s quest to quel voices of perceived dissenting voices.
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