Lusaka - Zambia has threatened opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) vice president, Geoffrey Mwamba with arrest after he asked the international community to intervene in the treason case against opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema.
UPND leader, Hichilema was charged with treason following his arrest on his way to a ceremony in the Western province of Zambia recently. Zambian authorities initially said his crime was attempting to block President Edgar Lungu’s motorcade.
State prosecutors however later amended the charge, and alleged that Hichilema and 60 others had conspired to declare Hichilema President of Zambia, an arrest that has stoked political tensions in that country and beyond.
Treason is a non-bailable offence sentence in Zambia, with a minimum jail term of 15 years, and a maximum sentence of death penalty.
The UNDP’s Mwamba called on the international community to intervene, but government spokesperson Kampamba Mulenga is quoted by that country’s media saying such calls are anarchical and attracted an arrest.
“Even if Mwamba lobbies the international community, there is nothing any of these countries can do.
“Mwamba is trying to bring anarchy in the country and he must be aware that the long arm of the law can follow him,” Mulenga is quoted saying.
Mulenga argued Zambia is a sovereign State and “it is wrong for Mwamba to start asking the international community to intervene in the arrest of opposition, Hichilema.”
South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Mmusi Maimane recently called on the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to press Zambian authorities to release Hichilema.
Maimane was barred from entering Zambia to attend the treason trial of Hichilema.
