Zambian Opposition Demands Release Of Arrested Leader

The Zambian opposition UPND party called
Thursday for the immediate release of its leader
Hakainde Hichilema, who is due to appear in court
next week on treason charges. Hakainde Hichilema The treason charges relate to Hichilema’s convoy
allegedly refusing to give way to President Lungu’s
motorcade on a main road in the west of the
country at the weekend. Hichilema’s arrest has fanned political tensions in
Zambia, where the United Party for National
Development (UPND) refuses to accept last year’s
election result when President Edgar Lungu
retained power. Hichilema, known as “HH”, has been denied access
to lawyers, his party said, calling for supporters to
protest outside court at the hearing due on
Tuesday. “We are demanding the immediate and
unconditional release of HH as he has not
committed any offence,” UPND deputy Geoffrey
Mwamba told a news briefing in Lusaka. Police accuse Hichilema of putting the president’s
life in danger and “unreasonable, reckless and
criminal” conduct in not pulling off a narrow road
to make way for him. Video footage showed vehicles travelling at high
speed and nearly colliding as the presidential
motorcade edged past Hichilema’s convoy. “Hakainde Hichilema has now been denied access
to see his lawyers, which is a basic human right,”
party spokesman Charles Kakoma said in a
statement. – Disputed election – Treason is a non-bailable offence in Zambia, with a
minimum jail term of 15 years and a maximum
sentence of the death penalty. Hichilema and five party aides have also been
charged with breaking the highway code and use
of insulting language. Hichilema was arrested after more than 100 armed
police raided his house outside Lusaka early on
Tuesday. The UPND criticised the raid as “barbaric” after
Hichilema’s wife and children were trapped inside
and choked by tear gas. Hichilema has launched several legal attempts to
challenge the result of the August election, which
he lost narrowly. He says that the vote was rigged and accuses
Lungu of political repression in Zambia, which has
been known for its relative stability. The election campaign was marked by clashes
between supporters of Lungu’s Patriotic Front
(PF) party and the UPND. Hichilema, a wealthy self-made businessman, has
run unsuccessfully for president five times. The UPND called on supporters not to protest on
Thursday as it said the government was seeking a
chance to impose a state of emergency. Some supporters at the press conference carried
placards reading “Release HH before Zambia goes
into flames”.