Zambia Police Denies UPND, NDC Permit To Protest ECZ

Police in Lusaka have denied youths from the UPND and NDC permission to hold a rally to protest against the Electoral Commission of Zambia this weekend. 

Young people from both parties wrote to the Lusaka Province Police Commissioner last week to notify authorities of their intention to demonstrate at the Freedom Statue.

On Monday, NDC national youth chairman Charles Kabwita and and UPND deputy youth chairman Gilbert Liswaniso wrote again to Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja, advising him that the Lusaka protests would be “peaceful and in line with the Public Order Act”

However, in a response dated 6th October 2020, the commanding officer for Lusaka urban said that the rally could not go ahead because of a lack of available manpower to police the protest.

“You are therefore, advised not to proceed with your intended rally due to security concerns,” the letter read.

This is despite the fact that last week police were able to facilitate swathes of PF CSOs as they marched on State House to demand an inquiry into alleged corruption during the privatisation of state assets.

The rally scheduled for this weekend was intended to protest against the ECZ’s decision to implement online voter registration, effectively scrapping the 2016 voter roll. 

UPND and NDC youth groups have already called for ECZ chair Esau Chilu to resign, along with chief electoral officer Patrick Nshindano and commissioner Emily Skiazawe.