PF has continued a systematic clampdown on freedoms

MMD President Dr. Nevers Mumba has said the PF Government has continued its systematic clumpdown on fundamental democratic freedoms of Zambians which the MMD introduced in 1991 to free the country from the one-party dictatorship.

He said the ZRA saga with the Post Newspaper is a mere smoke-screen to hide a wider strategy of political oppression.Which he said the PF unleashed on Zambians upon coming into power in 2011 and manifested through indiscriminate harrassment and detentions of members of the opposition, land grabbing, harrassment of journalists which has continued unabated to this day. He urged Zambians not to allow the situation to continue, because it has potential to spill into uncontrollable political violence and general unrest.

He said all Zambians are aware that the Post newspaper played a key role in the victory of the PF in 2011 and therefore Government could have found a more responsible and civilized way of engaging them than what is happening, particularly in an election year.

Speaking on arrival at Mongu airport in the company of UPND Chairman for Elections Ackson Sejani, welcomed by the entire MMD Western Province leadership and a crowd of local MMD and UPND officials and cadres, Dr. Mumba told the crowd that he had come to flag-off the joint UPND/MMD campaigns for the forth-coming August 2016 elections. He went on to say the people of Western Province were justified in taking issue with the PF Government on the whereabouts of the Roger Chongwe Commission of Enquiry Report on the Barotseland Agreement, which gobbled colossal sums of money but is now just gathering dust at State House.

President Mumba had been on a marathon tour of five provinces, Copperbelt, Luapula, Northern, Western and Southern Provinces by air in part accompanied by UPND Party Spokesperson Charles Kadoma Chairman for Elections , to flag-off the joint UPND/MMD joint campaigns ahead of the 11 August, 2016 elections following the momentous signing of the UPND/MMD Memorandum of Understanding of the two partes’ strategic partnership on 26th May, 2016.

He also took advantage of the provincial visits to hold consultative Provincial Conferences with the full compliment of MMD structures in all those centres.

The resolutions passed by the Provincial Committees were summarised as follows:
i) All MMD structures had resolved to fully embrace the MMD/UPND Alliance as approved by the MMD NEC on 16 June 2016 at Ibis Gardens and involve all members to get vigorously involved in the joint campaigns on the ground,
ii) All structures resolved to reject and condemn the illegal conference held in Kabwe as no bonafide MMD officials or approved electoral college of the party attended that gathering.
iii) All provinces to immediately embark on organizing provincial elections for new office bearers which will culminate in readiness for the National Convention to be held on a date to be announced by the MMD NEC.
iv) All provincial structures pledged solidarity behind the leadership of President Nevers Mumba, for practically demonstrating strong and dedication leadership for the party during very harsh times that the party has been through recently and roundly condemned the Mutati group for attempting sell the party to Rupiah Banda.