BARELY a week after daring authorities to arrest him, former president Edgar Lungu took to Facebook last evening wondering why
police were mobilising to ambush him at night.
According to the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) boss and his supporters, police had hatched a plan to abduct, embarrass, and forcefully detain him like a hardcore criminal.
Last Sunday, Christians For Lungu were rounded up and taken to Lusaka’s Dunamis Christian Centre Church owned by PF supporter and UKA member Dan Pule where Lungu and his henchmen campaigned for change of government.
Addressing the gathering, Lungu declared that if anyone tried to arrest him, his friends would come to his rescue.
At the same rally, Lungu suggested that his push for the change of government and return to State House could happen earlier than 2026.
Government reacted sharply to Lungu’s utterances saying his statement was being analysed while ruling UPND supporters reported him to the police.
But for Lungu and his supporters, they have taken to Facebook claiming they had information of his possible arrest.
“Yesterday, I received disturbing information, indicating that the Zambia Police Service has opened 25 dockets against me based on formal complaints from UPND members in Lusaka,” Lungu wrote on his Facebook page.
“To that effect, the police are under instructions to arrest me in the dark of the night any day by surprise,” he added.
“My question is, why is President Hakainde Hichilema and the Zambia Police Inspector General planning and mobilising to ambush me at night, abduct, embarrass, and forcefully detain me like a hardcore criminal?,” Lungu wrote further.
Lungu wondered; where is the respect for the office of the former President in Zambia today if a sitting president can endorse a malicious ambush and barbaric arrest of a former head of state in the fashion l hear?”
He asked if issuing a police call-out wouldn’t suffice as per legal procedure wondering what the motivation and goal behind this night ambush at his residence is.
“Why this disrespect of the law and the office of former president?,” he wrote.
Lungu said, after leaving presidency, he had been subjected to numerous unconstitutional actions by the state, from being barred from morning workouts to being denied the right to travel, and now to being prevented from moving and making courtesy calls to anyone.
“I am practically under “house arrest” for no reason,” he complained.
“My appeal is straightforward! “Call me, and I will make myself available any day, any time during daylight hours,” he begged.
“As far as I am aware, I have not committed any crime that would warrant the government, through the police, to start scheming against me in this manner,” he stated.
Lungu said he was deeply concerned about President Hichilema’s “disregard for the “Rule of Law” and “Constitutional Democratic Values” by weaponising law enforcement agencies against law-abiding citizens who criticize his leadership and governance”.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba May 23, 2024
