ECZ, police campaign sabotage angers voters
By Ludia Ngwadzai
ANGER and frustration gripped Chipata residents yesterday after heavily armed police officers blocked all roads leading to Mpezeni Park where the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Progress (NRPUP) was expected to hold a scheduled public rally.
The residents, who braved the harsh winter weather were greeted by armed police officers who ordered them to go back home.
The rally dubbed ‘Hakainde-UPND choka, Restoration for a better and just Zambia’ was stopped after officers received instructions not to allow opposition Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu to address the people of Chipata ahead of the August 13 elections.
Out of frustration, the residents began shouting that they wanted to listen to “words of hope” from Mundubile and Zulu.
“Tabwela kunvelela David [we’ve come to listen to David of the Bible]. Brian Mundubile ndiye David of Zambia [Brian Mundubile is the David of Zambia]. He will defeat a cruel government,” some of the irate residents chanted.
Chingaipe Zulu said Zambians had suffered worse than prisoners under the United Party for National Development (UPND), and it was time to redeem themselves.
Zulu said the much-needed redemption would only be achieved by defeating President Hichilema and the UPND in August.
“We were so eager, waiting to see our David, the man who will restore Zambia. Have you seen that even our friends in prisons are much better than us? They eat three free meals a day. They can sleep freely, they can access medical services freely while us outside prisons, people who ordinarily should have been the ones enjoying, but we are the ones who are living as if we are in prison under this regime. Uyu eve ayenda. He has to go,” Zulu said as police officers in riot gear continued ordering people to leave the premises.
Zulu accused the UPND government of neglecting Eastern Province and silencing dissent.
“Hichilema has neglected Eastern Province. This President is the only one who has abandoned the people of Eastern Province. And if we make another mistake to vote him back, we shall be in deep trouble. The people of Chipata wanted to hear what plans and policies Mundubile has for them. Instead, they were met by the police,” he said.
Ackim Banda described Mundubile and Zulu as God-sent.
“Tavutika ngako, Mulungu wa kululu siwokufwa iyayi, atutumila bana bake bayakine kuti aticose mu mavuto aya [we have suffered, God is not dead, he is a living one. He sent His children to liberate us from poverty. They mean well for Zambia],” Banda said.
As numbers were building up with residents outnumbering the police officers, tensions escalated, forcing the command in Chipata to increase the deployment of officers.
“It is annoying that ECZ [Electoral Commission of Zambia] is being used by UPND to bring chaos here in Chipata. The way we shall vote out Hakainde Hichilema is the way we shall hold those making these decisions, creating anarchy accountable after the August 13th elections,” Tonse-Pamodzi alliance senior official Japhen Mwakalombe said as police officers ordered him to accompany them to the police.
“What benefit will ECZ get from interfering with opposition rallies? Every day, they just talk about the opposition. They used to say there’s no opposition. So why are they blocking us?” Mwakalombe said as he walked away.
Best Mphanza said Eastern Province was not scared of Hichilema, but would teach him a lesson through the ballot.
Mphanza said Hichilema was abusing his power by blocking the opposition from mobilising.
“We saw the crowds in Petauke and we wanted to come in numbers more than Petauke rally to show our love to our leaders. We shall teach him a bitter lesson he will never forget in his political life. Hichilema has gone too far. He thinks this is his village. This is Chipata, where we allow and welcome visitors and he has no authority to block people who are coming, especially our children,” the elderly Mphanza said.
He said UPND had taken Zambians for granted for over four years.
The blocking of opposition campaigns by the police would not block citizens from exercising their vote on August 13.
“But one thing we want to remind the UPND is that they are losing this election. We may be blocked from seeing our president, but we will see him on the ballot,” a visibly upset Mphanza said.
And police in Chinsali have cancelled a rally which was supposed to take place on Tuesday.
