Council of NGOs condemn arrest of Pastor in Ndola
Armed police officers at the opposition rally venue in Kanyama
The Council of NGOs in Zambia says it is concerned with the detention of CTPD Staff and a Pastor in Ndola.
The Police has detained Pastor Chibubu for organising a budget meeting for fellow clergies.
In a press statement below the Council of NGOs has condemned the arrest and directed it’sleadership on the Copperbelt to follow up the matter and ensure that the man of is released.
PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
20th October, 2018
The Council of NGOs in Zambia gravely concerned with the detention of CTPD Staff and a Pastor in Ndola.
The Council of NGOs (CNGOs) in Zambia wishes to express its greatest concern at the disruption, arrest and detention of Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) staff and a pastor in Ndola by police for merely holding a discussion program on the 2019 National Budget at the Baptist Church building in Ndola.
The Council, which is mandate to facilitate and coordinate the work of NGOs operating in Zambia, strongly feels that the action of the police is disturbing, a great set back and an affront to the efficient operations of NGOs in Zambia in complimenting government efforts.
The Council cannot believe that NGOs, who are duly registered and doing their registered noble work have to suffer humiliation, harassment, intimidation, arrest and spent nights in police cells by police officers for merely discussing an issue of public interest such as the 2019 National Budget.
We, therefore, wish to condemn in the strongest term possible police action against the defenceless NGOs staff and call for their immediate and unconditional release from police cells.
We further call on all well meaning Zambians to join hands with the council in condemning this barbaric action which undermines NGOs work in Zambia especially that the CTPD staff and the Pastor were allegedly fished from a church building, considered sacred by any standards.
As the National NGO mother body, we shall not sit idle and watch the NGOs space being stifled and shrunk by overzealous police officers and other government agencies or indeed allow anti democratic tendencies to undermine the work of NGOs and their vibrancy.
In the meantime, the Council has requested its Copperbelt based Council members to follow up the matter with relevant authorities and share their findings with Lusaka for the council’s intended engagement with relevant government ministries over this unwelcome and unbecoming police behavior and action towards the work of NGOs in Zambia.
Finally, we reiterate our call for a quick movement in the repeal and replacement of the NGOs Act No. 16 of 2009 to make it more user friendly to NGOs and ensure respect for the NGOs work in Zambia.
Issued by:
McDonald Chipenzi
Chairperson
Council of NGOs in Zambia.