Zambian police on Wednesday barred supporters of former president Frederick Chiluba from holding a protest against his successor, President Levy Mwanawasa, whom they accuse of bias in his fight against corruption.
Chiluba and several of his former ministers and officials have been arrested and charged with corruption, theft and abuse of office by Mwanawasa’s government, which has made the fight against corruption a priority.
Police representative Brenda Muntemba said on Wednesday the organisers of the protest had not met the conditions required by police to hold a demonstration.
”The planned demonstration is, therefore, unlawful and it will not go ahead,” said Muntemba.
But Alfred Zulu, head of a non-governmental organisation that has openly supported Chiluba, vowed that the protest would go ahead. ”We will go ahead with the demonstration even if the police refuse to grant us a permit to march,” he said.
According to newspaper advertisements by the organisers, the demonstration was to have been against the alleged bias by Mwanawasa’s government in prosecuting people accused of corruption, theft and abuse of office during Chiluba’s 10-year reign.
Information Minister Newstead Zimba has told state television that the organisers of the protest planned to cause disturbances in the country with the intention of bringing down Mwanawasa’s government. – Sapa-AFP