By JOHN SAKALA
National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the Copperbelt is disappointed with the arrest and detention of the 62 job seekers of Chingola.
NDC Copperbelt Chairperson Chipoka Mulenga said the arrest and detention was lamentable and very unfortunate development.
Speaking in a media statement, Mr Mulenga said the 62 job seekers had chosen to air their grievance to their government and area member of parliament through the media in a peaceful manner.
He however, the police were unleashed on them with maximum force.
“Unfortunately, even a journalist on duty capturing events within the media house premises was physically abused and detained for 24 hours for merely doing his job. These same excited police officers must understand that job seekers are fighting a just cause that will improve not only their live and country but that of police officer too and their families.
“As NDC in Chingola, we demand that the area MP, Mathew Nkhuwa take ownership of this situation, to refund the poor people’s admission of guilt fines and apologize to them and their families. We also demand that he takes time to personally come and investigate why the opening of the Mimbula mine is taking long while people languish in abject poverty. He has been in Lusaka for too long, it’s high time he addressed real issues in his constituency,” he said.
Mr Mulenga said it is the responsibility of the MP to create employment opportunities for his electorates, a situation he said has gone without attention in Chingola.
He asked the police and PF to respect media houses and allow them to operate freely without interference.
“Free press and media operations is oxygen to democracy. We further ask MISA Zambia to engage and strongly condemn the police brutality on the 62 job seekers along with a media practitioner within the media house. If this situation goes unattended to, there will be no media freedom left in Zambia,” he said.
