The Zambian Police has warned that it will deal with opposition UPND if at all it engage on any unlawful actions.
The UPND after failing to go ahead with its planned demonstration despite earlier assurances that with or without Police permit the demonstrations against Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda would go ahead, yesterday made another empty threat that it shall carry demonstrations without notifying the Police.
The Police has responded angrily that it shall not tolerate any unlawful acts by the UPND saying the law was so clear on the procedures for public meetings anywhere in the country.
Deputy Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo sounded the warning in Lusaka today, August 23, 2013.
“ We shall not tolerate such actions but instead follow the right procedure in handling cases of unlawful assembly in the country as required by the law,” said Katongo.
She warned that the Police would make sure that the law visits the people flouting it with impunity in order to break peace that the country has enjoyed for a long time.
At a media briefing on Friday, August 22, 2013, UPND announced that it shall no longer notifying Police for its public meetings and protests in the country.
“As UPND, we will use our internal intelligence communication system to relay information or details of these protests to our members and the media fraternity so that they can be held simultaneously,” said Kushunga Simusamba the Deputy Secretary.
Simusamba explained that the party has taken this position after previous attempts to follow the right procedure of notifying the Police had failed. He said the PF regime has been exerting pressure on the Police not to allow the opposition permission to hold public gatherings.
The Police since PF came into government about two years ago has never allowed the two biggest oppositions – UPND and MMD from holding public meetings.
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