UPND Calls For Arrest of HH Attacker

UPND Secretary General Stephen Katuka has called for the immediate arrest of PF vice youth chairman for Serenje district Esau Jere after he attacked opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema’s entourage in full view of the police. 

Speaking to reporters in Lusaka on Sunday morning, Mr Katuka said it was appalling that the police had failed to act when Mr Jere can clearly be seen in video footage throwing stones at Mr Hichilema’s convoy.

Mr Katuka went on to say that his party will not present Mr Hichilema to the police in Muchinga as he was the victim of PF aggression, not a suspect. 

“We are aware that there is a police call out somewhere for President Hichilema. On the Serenje incident, the UPND convoy was on a public road so there is no way we could just stop our vehicles to start attacking anyone. We demand for the arrest of one Esau Jere, the PF Youth Chairman for Serenje who was the mastermind of the trail of destruction in that area. We demand for the arrest of those who caused the fracas before they could demand for HH’s arrest,” he said.

UPND Chairman for Agriculture, Levy Ngoma, added: “We are the victims. President Hichilema was the victim of the PF attack and we find it absurd that the police has decided to the victim and not the aggressors for interviews.”

The police have since amended their statement saying that they are not calling for HH to be brought into any Muchinga office. However, they continue to advise UPND supporters against joining the party’s rallies in Muchinga Province, saying that such processions are unlawful.