“It is the responsibility of every Zambian citizen to resist and reject the violence and brutality that is being proposed and carried out by the UPND.” – Chishala Kateka.
By Chishala Kateka | NHP president.
Lusaka, June 19 – In the past few weeks, we have had a number of opposition political figures arrested, detained, brutalized and just harassed or intimidated by one wing of the Zambian security forces or another.
Amongst those who have fallen victim to these abhorrent actions of a nascent but fast growing fascist regime by the government agents of the UPND, include, the Sixth President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Mr. Edgar Lungu and his family, President Lungu’s Former Political Aide Dr. Zumani Zimba, President of the Socialist Party Dr. Fred Mmembe, President of the EEP Mr. Tayali, PEP President Mr. Sean Tembo, and most recently Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba Deputy Spokesperson for the PF, who was assaulted, abducted, charged and arrested, and denied medical attention whilst in police detention.
Even the clergy have not been spared, from insults and threats. The recent insults and threats directed at Father Salangeta the Chawama Parish priest, and The Most Reverend Dr. Alick Banda, Arch-Bishop of Lusaka, bear further testimony to the insidiousness of this UPND regime. This list is by no means exhaustive as there are many other Zambian citizens of less prominence politically who have suffered the same fate, and in some cases worse than this.
Also Read: Cadres drafted into State House security intend to abduct me.
The NHP, has been warning this nation about the danger that the UPND party in government poses to the unity and peace and future stability of our country by their violent, intoralance to criticism and the growing dictatorship of their leader President Hichilema. We warned two months ago that “Zambia was sleep walking into a dictatorship” our warning is unfortunately proving true.
What then should be done to put a stop to this anti-democratic trajectory that the UPND party is carelessly taking our country on?
The NHP firmly believe that it is the responsibility of every Zambian citizen to resist and reject the violence and brutality that is being proposed and carried out by the UPND.
We condemn, in the strongest terms, this cowardly and shamefully primitive strategy by the UPND to intimidate the opposition and Zambian citizens in general, into silence and fear so as to have an easy stroll back into power in 2026. We call this strategy cowardly and primitive because it has been used before by other failed governments, and dictators but it has failed, in Italy under Benito Musolini the arch-fascist, in Germany under Nazi Hitler, in Chile dictator Augusto Pinochet and Jean-Beadel Bokasa in The Central African Republic, near home in Congo DR, Joseph Mobutu. The list of shame and failure to cow a determined people by dictators is endless.
Unfortunately, the cost and damage done to individual citizens even after the dictatorship has been removed from power, is usually irreparable especially where there is serious physical injury or worse, loss of life. As for the country, there is the damage to the democratic institutions of governance, and the economy among many. In the worst case scenario, there is the danger of creating a failed state as in some of the countries we have mentioned.
Also Read: Cadres drafted into State House security intend to abduct me.
In the case of Zambia, under this UPND regime, the civil society has either been bought, or intimidated into silence, acquiescence and even tacit corroboration, with some of the civil society voices actually cheering on the brutalizers and even justifying the barbaric injustices.
However, the most damning indictment for dereliction of duty by an institution funded by citizens to protect their inalienable human rights, must be reserved for The Human Rights Commission of Zambia.
This institution and its Commissioners are the most treacherous, incompetent individuals to have ever been given this sacred responsibility. People’s rights are routinely violated in this country and one hardly hears a whimper of protest from these freeloaders. Our recommendation is to immediately shutdown this useless Commission and save the little tax payers’ money for worthier causes.
To our fellow opposition political parties, we want to assure all of you unflinching support whenever you are unjustly treated by the government and it’s agents. Further, we want to assure you of our readiness to be part of a more united front, in advancing the restoration of the full independence rights of our people, including the right to unimpeded land ownership, freedoms of speech, assembly, movement, association and economic freedom to mention but a few of the rights that are slowly but surely being taken away by the UPND.
To the Zambian people, we pledge to be your voice whenever your rights and interests as citizens are threatened in the slightest by any quarter.
To the UPND government, we request you to respect the mandate you were given by the Zambian people. Remember, by the ballot you came, by the ballot you shall definitely go, come 2026!
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