SAVE ZAMBIA CONDEMNS UPND GRAND SCHEME TO DECIMATE OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES

Lusaka, Thursday 14th December, 2023

Save Zambia, a consortium of opposition Political Parties in Zambia strongly condemns the continued grand scheme of the UPND government to decimate the democratic and civil space in the country. Save Zambia has noted with deep concern the UPND’s relentless onslaught strategy to diminish opposition political parties ahead of the 2026 general election.

The grand scheme of the UPND’s political murder on opposition parties should immediately be
stopped because Zambia is a constitutional multi-party democratic country.

In this light, Save Zambia wishes to condemn the failed overthrow of National Democratic Congress (NDC) President Saboi Imboela which was clearly orchestrated by state agents where an illegal convention was convened with heavy police protection in Kabwe.

The nation is aware that prior to 2021 general elections, the UPND’s intention right from the beginning even before they formed government was to kill its alliance partners.

The UPND became so selfish to an extent that they wanted all alliance partners to stand on their ticket
and named the alliance as UPND.

Now in government, it has pleased them to usurp and destabilize the former ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and the Democratic Party which was led by Harry Kalaba and have now attempted to weaken the NDC by their foiled convention in Kabwe.

Save Zambia further condemns the continued selective application of the Public Order Act and sustained assault on Freedoms of Assembly of opposition political parties.

Since the UPND’s 2021 election, police have blocked all public rallies called by opposition parties outside by-elections, always citing unspecified security concerns or inadequate manpower to allow public rallies.

This indirect push for a one-party state by President Hakainde Hichilema’s regime must be stopped and condemned by all well-meaning Zambians.

The denied permit of the Socialist Party to hold its mass rally in Mandevu Constituency by the
Zambia Police is worrisome.

It is shocking that the Police have consistently refused political parties from holding rallies citing lack of manpower or security concerns and yet a huge presence of police is deployed to stop rallies.

Issued by
Mr Chanda Kasolo
Save Zambia Secretariat
Chairperson Mobilization