Kampyongo Labels Planned Protests Illegal

Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo has labelled protests planned for today as illegal, denying that his office had granted permission.

He also warned youths against such activities yesterday stating, “To those youths who want to dare the police by going ahead with an illegal protest, you will only have yourselves to blame, you have been warned, and don’t say you were not warned when the wide police dragnet catches up with you.”

However, according to popular musician and social activist Pilato the protest is scheduled to go ahead. Writing on social media the artist said that while the police have already occupied the original venues, a new venue had been identified and is still safe.

“Please do not go to the earlier announced venues for your own safety. We will share the new venue shortly,” Pilato writes.

Pilato earlier shared a program of activities for the protest, starting with a gathering call to order, national anthem and opening prayer. Songs, speeches and poems have been scheduled. 

Yesterday the group met with the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretary General Fr. Cleophas Lungu to share their concerns. 

“Through him we assured the church that we hold no weapons intend to be peaceful in our protest. We come not with pangas, guns or machetes, we come only with one thing, a solid hope that better is possible in Zambia. We have noted the threats and the more they come the more determined we are getting to stand for what we believe is right. The time is now.” 

This weekend the group also consulted with former Attorney General of Zambia, Musa Mwenye SC.