ARRESTS NOT POLITICAL – MILUPI
…but Changala argues citizens living in post-poll fear
By Adrian Mwanza and Thandizo Banda
THE arrest and detention of leading opposition figure Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu is not politically motivated, former infrastructure minister Charles Milupi has said.
But civil rights activist Brebner Changala says Zambia is in post-election trauma following the disputed August 13 general elections, warning that currently no one is safe in Zambia.
In an interview with The Mast yesterday, Milupi said there was a need for people to let the law enforcement agencies conclude their job so that the Judiciary could conclude the matter.
“As far as I’m concerned there is nothing political about the detention of these politicians. What I can say is we should let the law enforcement agencies do their job,” he said.
Milupi said the charges the opposition politicians and their supporters were facing were very serious.
It was therefore prudent for law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate and ensure that the law was not broken.
Milupi said even the current head of state Hakainde Hichilema was once arrested over treason, but the law took its course and he was later released from Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison.
Zambians needed to have confidence in the Judiciary and law enforcement agencies.
“We should have confidence in the Judiciary and I must say that if the group charged with treason are actually innocent, then they would be exonerated,” he said.
Milupi, however, said it was unfortunate that some politicians were now trying to break the law by virtue of their positions.
He said some of the weapons found with the people charged were very dangerous, which were unheard of in Zambia.
Milupi said if this culture continued, a number of people would become warlords because they could be commanding militias.
“Can you imagine a situation where whoever has the resources can mobilise weapons and people, in a bid to jostle power, this country will turn into something else,” he said.
But Changala says Zambia is in post-election trauma following the disputed August 13 general elections, warning that currently no one is safe in Zambia.
He said the trauma stemmed from the arrest of several opposition leaders, the killing of former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya and memories of military personnel deployed during the elections.
“We are living in a country where you don’t know whether tomorrow you will be with your family or your family will be searching for you,” Changala said in an interview with The Mast.
He said civil society and the media had been targeted by state agents, turning them into endangered species.
The media, particularly the private media, was finding it difficult to source news from dissenting voice because they were afraid to speak.
“Citizens that endeavour to do politics or comment on national issues have become endangered species and will be doing so at their own risk. Zambians in general have been pushed into a corner of fear,” Changala said
He said politicians, influencers, civil society and academia had all gone into hiding and pretending they did not exist.
Changala described the current situation as a delicate period in the history of the nation, with the country becoming more polarised and divided since the poll.
He accused elected leaders of benefiting from the divisions.
“Elected leaders will dispute this fact because they benefit from the divisions. When confronted with reality and truth, they criminalise it,” Changala said.
He said citizens longed for the country to revert to normalcy.
“Zambian citizens are waiting for when the situation will revert to normalcy and are not sure who will do that,” he said.
