Africa-Press – Zambia. Socialist Party president Fred M’membe has been arrested by police in Serenje District on charges of Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm and Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (OABH). Two other suspected Socialist Party members have also been charged with the same offences. The charges relate to an incident in which nine suspected members of the United Party for National Development were allegedly assaulted by the suspects during a clash between the two parties while campaigning in Serenje District on April 8, 2023.
The police have also reported that two suspected Socialist Party members sustained injuries during the violence. All suspects are currently in police custody, waiting to be formally charged, while a manhunt has been launched for the suspected UPND members who fled the scene after assaulting the other two victims.
In response to the incident, the police have called on all political parties participating in the by-election in Serenje to exercise maximum restraint in order for the election to be peaceful. The police have also beefed up security in Serenje District to restore and maintain law and order.
Below is the full statement April 9, 2023 – Police in Serenje District have arrested Socialist Party president Fred Mmembe for the offence of Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm.
Dr. Mmembe aged 64 of Rhodes Park in Lusaka has also been charged with the offence of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodly Harm (OABH) together with two other suspected Socialist Party members. They are all alleged to have assaulted nine suspected members of the United Party for National Development members.
Two suspected Socialist Party members also sustained injuries during the violence which occurred when the two political parties clashed while conducting their campaigns at four ways in Mwalilima and Kamalamba area of Serenje District in Central Province on April 8, 2023 between 14:00 hours and 16:30 hours.
All the suspects are detained in Police custody waiting to be formally charged while a manhunt has been launched for the suspected UPND members who fled the scene after assaulting the other two victims.
We call upon all political parties participating in the by-election in Serenje to exercise maximum restraint in order for the election to be peaceful. We have since beefed up security in Serenje District in order to restore and maintain law and order.
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