NDC Rallies Cancelled by Police

The cancellation of opposition rallies has become somewhat of a familiar scene in Zambia. Most recently the NDC have fallen victim to the PF Governments paranoia over opposition political parties.

The NDC were meant to hold a rally in Mpatamatu and Roan townships yesterday and today, ahead of Thursday’s by-election. However, the Police under instruction from Kaizer Zulu and Charity Katanga have cancelled both rallies, despite the ECZ promoting the same campaign rights for all political parties.

As a result of this crackdown the only party now campaigning in Roan is the PF – leaving many concerned that this election will be far from democratic.

“The continued abrogation of the electoral code of conduct by the PF has made Zambia’s budding democracy a sham and a thing of the past,” the party said.

“Our country has become a police state and is fast sliding into a brutal, despotic and highly intolerant regime. The PF has to be ashamed of the kind of politics that they are bringing to this country. Stopping a party from campaigning for 4 days is unheard of and their fear of losing these elections is making them behave like scared little beings,” said Menyani Zulu the Campaign Manager for the NDC Roan By electrons.

The NDC has since written to the ECZ and police to report the matter.