The Zambia Police service says it is concerned with the statement issued by the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions-ZCTU-that they are going to hold country-wide demonstrations.
Police Public Relations Officer Charity Chanda said the police are only in receipt of a notification from ZCTU tendered in by the Secretary General Roy Mwaba to hold a consultative meeting on Wednesday, 30th October 2013 at Nakatindi Hall in Lusaka following an earlier meeting which took place on 25th October, 2013, which was equally reported to the police.
Mrs. Chanda said the go ahead was given based on their intention to hold the consultative meeting only, but they have ended up misrepresenting the contents of the notification.
She said in a statement that due to the misrepresentation of facts and security issues arising out of this, the police have advised the ZCTU to reschedule their meeting to a date which will be agreed upon.
Mrs. Chanda has since warned those planning to hold or attend the country-wide demonstrations that they will be breaching the law as they will have not adhered to the provisions of the Public Order Act.
And Mrs. Chanda said police in all the provinces will be on high alert to deal with those breaching the law.
This is oppression of the worst kind. Are the workers going to fail to exercise their God given rights to demonstrate against this selfish government? The workers hold the power and can cripple the government within seconds. The police have been instructed to cancel the meeting for fear of being engulfed in a mass demonstration that has the potential of swallowing everyone in government, including the PF sniffing dogs (police). This is only the beginning. When all of us decide to rise you will not talk because anyone who will stand in our way will be crashed. Just wait and see. Solomon Jere and Stella Libongani are busy oppressing us. Their time for answering for their deeds is coming. And from the look of things, that time is not far. It is coming soon. The real revolution is coming.
jst show them the right procedure to obtain permits , let institutions express dissatisfaction through demos, remember 49 yrs zed u shld have civilised and evolve be now.
Sata must be removed and removed fast.