By Isaac Zulu
National Democratic Congress leader Saboi Imboela has has charged that the international community has started losing confidence in the UPND administration because of its brutal approach to opposition political party leaders.
Imboela, in an interview, said that the UPND government has embarked on a crusade aimed at brutalising leaders of opposition political parties in the country, which she said should not be entertained, adding that the UPND administration is denting and losing its governance credibility on the international scene.
She charged that President Hakainde Hichilema is using the Zambia Police and other law enforcement agencies to silence leaders of opposition political parties, saying this is against international human rights standards.
Imboela said that the current regime, while in opposition, advocated good governance in the country, and yet what is currently obtaining on the ground “is not in the interest of the nation.”
“We have noticed that in the recent past, the UPND administration, working in collaboration with the Zambia Police and other law enforcement agencies; have embarked on a crusade to silence leaders of opposition political party leaders with an ultimate of view of silencing the opposition political parties in the land,” Saboi explained. “The continued brutal of handling and arbitrary arrests of opposition political party leaders are just an indication that the UPND administration is now engaging in arbitrary human rights violations, which are equally against basic human rights standards. This has already been portraying a picture at international community that the UPND administration is deteriorating our governance of the country.”
She said that the current Inspector of Police, Graphael Musamba, should stop persecuting opposition political party leaders, so that there is a level political playing field in the country.
“My advice, and my humble to those in authorities; particularly in the Zambia Police and in the office office of the Head of State, is that the IG office will not be there forever. Likewise, the office of the Head of State will not be held in perpertuaty,” said Imboela. “Equally, it should be noted that the current IG has has taken these issues of arbitrary arrests of opposition political party leaders with impunity. However, we feel that these acts should be conducted within the confines of the law,” said Imboela.
