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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader, Saboi Imboela, has accused the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) of stifling democracy in the country.
Imboela claimed that the UPND government was intolerant to divergent views and was using the security agencies such as the Police to stifle the much cherished democracy in the country.
The NDC leader told Zambia Monitor that the democratic space had shrunk under the over two years rule of the UPND, as could be seen from arbitrary arrests of political opponents and ban on gatherings.
“The democratic space continues to shrink in this country. For the UPND, they do not care whether its a man or woman, they are violating the rights of every Zambian in this country,” she lamented.
Imboela claimed that people were now scared to either talk about politics, or join because the UPND government was reportedly using the police to brutalise them.
She also alleged that the social media space had not been left alone by UPND cadres who are constantly attacking anyone deemed to be anti-government or having divergent views.
“They say there is freedom of speech but they have unleashed their cadres who are attacking anybody, be it the Catholic Bishops, fathers, mothers, they are busy attacking anybody and the government is not taking any stance against this,” imboela said.
The NDC leader claimed that the arrests being made were intended to intimidate the opposition leaders and their political opponents.
Meanwhile, Forum for Democracy and Development leader, Edith Nawakwi also claimed that President Hakainde Hichilema was ready to arrest all his political opponents in order to instill fear and reduce their political participation.
Nawakwi echoed Imboela’s sentiments stating that democracy was dead under Hichilema’s administration.
“We can’t live like this as country, where anyone who offers criticism to government are arrested and put behind bars and people are scared to discuss issues affecting them,” she stated.
Nawakwi said no opposition leader had been spared from arbitrary arrests, citing Patriots for Economic Progress leader Sean Tembo, Citizens First’s Harry Kalaba, herself, Patriotic Front Member of the Central Committee Chishimba Kambwili, among others.
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