Africa-Press – Zambia. Patriotic Front (PF) Member of the Central Committee and Deputy Chairperson of Information and Publicity, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba has expressed concern that former PF Deputy Secretary-General, Mumbi Phiri has not been presented before the High Court, 133 days after she was arrested.
Speaking at the Supreme Court Grounds earlier today, Mr Mwamba wondered why Mumbi Phiri has not been brought before the court. He said this was contrary to frequent assertions by President Hakainde Hichilema who says police must avoid arrests until thorough investigations were completed or that matters must be brought before court promptly.
Mr Mwamba said the law should not be used to oppress political opponents or be used for retribution or vengeance. And Amb. Mwamba has also expressed concern about the arrest of a lawyer hired by the Patriotic Front to disburse campaign funds to pay media houses and other service providers during the run-up to the August 12th Elections.
He said there is no law in Zambia obliging a political party to disclose campaign funds or to be regulated on the use of electoral campaign funds. He said the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) was abusing the laws on anti-money laundering and proceeds of crime and were abusing it to tackle the issue of electoral campaign funds.
On Monday, the DEC arrested Lusaka Lawyer, Anna Mwitwa of Anna Mwitwa Legal Practitioners on charges of being in possession of property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.
But Mr Mwamba said all these actions by the DEC were designed to cripple the Patriotic Front and punish whoever was associated with the former ruling party.
He said it is for this reason that the DEC had also seized campaign vehicles of the party across the country in a clear move meant to paralyze the operations of the Patriotic Front.
He urged the DEC not to be an active tool of oppression of the UPND and its desire to destroy the Patriotic Front which is an active participant in the democratic process in Zambia.
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