Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has finally added its voice in deploring the manner in which incarcerated opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema was recently arrested.
In a pastoral Statement released to QTV News today the ZCCB has observed that massive and disproportionate force was used by the Police in apprehending Mr. Hichilema on a charge of treason.
ZCCB president Tresphore Mpundu has wondered whether it would have not been much civilized for the Police to deliver a summons to him containing a charge and ordering him to appear before it.
Bishop Mpundu says much as the ZCCB does not in any way condone illegality, it holds the view that the brutal way in which the Police acted has heighten the tension between UPND and PF supporters.
unduHe states that the continuous tension between the UPND and PF has affected the lives of many other citizens in Zambia who are living in fear and are not going about their business of life freely.
Bishop Mpundu says the ZCCB is deeply saddened by the incidents of unprofessional and brutal conduct of the Police Service and the damage to the innocent citizens’ property by suspected cadres.
He notes that this is besides being saddened by the arbitrary arrests of and horrific torture of suspects and careless, inflammatory and divisive statements by political leaders in the Country.
Bishop Mpundu says the ZCCB thinks that these are however indications that Zambia’s democratic culture is yet to be firmly nurtured and promoted to enhance the respect for human dignity and rights.
He says the conference holds the view that the Country’s democratic credentials which have not been much to go by at best of times have all but vanished in Zambia.
Bishop Mpundu says it is the ZCCB’s considered that Zambians as a nation have lamentably failed to robustly address a number of recurrent snags including those that stem from the 2016 general elections.
He says the current political predicament directly flows from deep-rooted problems which the Country failed to fix or resolve, not withstanding its four constitutional commissions of inquiry.