UPND Complains To Human Rights Commission About Illegally Detained Members

The United Party for National Development (UPND) has written to the Human Rights Commission, as well as the Law Association of Zambia and the Church Mother Bodies, asking them to intervene in the illegal detention of four of its party officials

UPND spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa identified the detainees yesterday as local government minister Ackson Sejani, Choma Mayor Javan Similoka, Mazabuka Mayor Vincent Lilanda and Choma businessman Fines Malambo.

The four men have been detained by police for more than 48 hours without being presented with a formal charge. 

The UPND has now called on civil society groups to intervene in the matter, which they say constitutes “arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial detention”. 

Under the Zambian constitution, any person take into custody must be brought before a court within 24 hours of their detention. 

Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has voiced his support for his fellow party members, writing on Facebook that “Our preoccupation when we are in Government will be to arrest the deteriorating economic situation, and not arresting innocent political opponents. Priorities. Priorities. Priorities.”