By Isaac Zulu
Economic and Equity Party leader Chilufya Tayali has said that President Hakainde Hichilema is using law enforcement agencies to victimise and persecute political opponents.
Tayali says that, on the many times that he has been arrested during the UPND reign, senior Police officers that have been interrogating him have indicated that they are just following orders and are not convinced about the charges being leveled against him.
“I will speak as a person who has been arrested many times from the time the UPND formed government. Each time the Zambia Police officers have been engaging me, I insist, when senior Police officers are interrogating me they have been telling me that they are just following orders,” Tayali said in an interview. “And in this country the only person above the rank and file the Zambia Police who can give orders is the President. In his case, it is President Hakainde Hichilema. He is the one using law enforcement agencies to victimise and persecute political opponents.”
Tayali said that he has on many occasions criticised Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu and other Ministers without facing an arrest, but each time he says something against President Hakainde Hichilema the State Police is unleashed on him spontaneously.
“I have criticised Jack Mwiimbu on many times and I have not been arrested, yet he is the Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister. I have spoken out on many other Ministers without facing an arrest. But the moment I speak against President Hakainde Hichilema it’s like you have touched a live wire. Police officers will come gun blazing. And it will be spontaneously,” Tayali explained. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you could be a journalist, bwana they will pick you. Even that Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo is on record of having said that you can say anything about us, but not President Hakainde Hichilema. That speaks volumes about the issue of the Zambia Police receiving orders from the Head of State. And if you look at the people that are being arrested, you will realise that they are those who have a strong voice on the President… those who are critical of President Hichilema.”
He said that the tendency to arrest political opponents on trumped up charges is embarrassing police officers, saying they are failing to testify when such cases are taken to court.
“And because the charges being leveled against us are trumped up charges and not convincing to the police officers, the police officers are suffering some embarrassment when testifying in court,” Tayali said.
He insisted that President Hakainde Hichilema is not being sincere when he says that he does not interfere in the operations of law enforcement agencies.
“I personally believe that the Head of State is behind these arrests meant to silence leaders of opposition political parties. He can say that he does not interfere in the operations of law enforcement agencies. But I see his fingerprints everywhere,” said Tayali.
