NUMSA condemns the Zambian government for arresting Dr. Fred M’membe on trumped up charges
9 August 2023
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) condemns the Zambian government and its leadership under President Hakainde Hichilema, for arresting Dr. Fred M’membe, the leader of the Socialist Party (SP) of Zambia. Yesterday, 8 August 2023, Dr M’membe was arrested and detained by the Zambian Police for over 12 hours. He has since been released from jail.
In June, NUMSA issued a statement warning that the Zambian government, was planning to arrest comrade Fred and jail him on trumped up charges. It is our view that this action by the Zambian government is a form of intimidation, and is designed to silence Dr. M’membe and stop his political activities.
The Zambian Police had initially charged Dr M’membe with the offence of libel, contrary to Section 191 of Zambia’s infamous colonial Penal Code Act Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia. Further, the police have administered a warn and caution statement to Dr. M’membe on an alleged offence, centred on communication of certain information, contrary to Section 4, Subsection 3 of the State Security Act Chapter 111 of the laws of Zambia. They claim that Dr. M’membe received and had in his possession, classified state information which he later publicly communicated. It is clear that the Zambian Police are building up to charging Dr M’membe with more serious, but fake unbailable crimes, in order to take him and the Socialist Party of Zambia out of the Zambian political arena, where the Socialist Party and Fred M’membe are currently enjoying a surge in popularity. It is clear that the Zambian government of President Hichilema, is fast waking up to the democratic threat to their power that the Socialist Party of Zambia and Dr M’membe now pose.
To confirm our deeply held fears, in a strange, unprofessional and thoroughly politically partisan move, the Inspector General of the Zambian Police, Mr Graphael Musambay, has issued a statement on the arrest and detention of Dr M’membe. He has accused Dr. M’membe of instigating a rebellion using the Socialist Party of Zambia.
“The Zambia Police Service is mandated with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country and detection of crime among others. As such we cannot sit and watch while an individual whose utterances are hell-bent on causing anarchy in the country (sic).
Him referring to military juntas in West Africa, only means one thing, to destabilise the peace in the country being enjoyed. Is this the socialism he is preaching about? Bringing military coups? Now we know where he stands and what he is made of. As Zambia Police Service, we want to put it on record that we will not allow such schemes which everyone else equally abhors. If he knows what is good for him, better he quits forthwith while he can.”
It is clear that the Zambian Police, obeying the instructions of their Zambian political masters, want to neuter and destroy both Dr M’membe and the Socialist Party he leads.
Recently Dr M’membe exposed the scheme by which the Hakainde Hichilema government, clearly in preparation for the possible social unrests because of the extremely high cost of living the majority and poverty that most Zambians are experiencing, has changed the Chairpersonship of the Central Joint Operations Committee (CJOC), by appointing a civilian from the state security apparatus and replacing the Commander of the Zambia Army who traditionally holds this post. The Army Commander has been relegated to the position of Vice Chairperson. The Hichilema-led administration has explained that they have done this because of their assessment that Zambia currently faces internal threats to its peace and therefore needs civil leadership of the CJOC. Dr M’membe is accused of publishing this information on his Facebook page. Zambians of course are entitled to know about these changes to the CJOC, and the Zambian government has no right to conceal this important information from the Zambian people.
It is absolutely clear that Dr. Fred is being targeted by the corrupt, right wing, Zambian government led by President Hichilema. Hichilema is a man who is widely celebrated in the U.S. and the West, even though he mercilessly punishes the majority of Zambians with the harshest IMF austerity and debt restructuring conditionalities, ever meted out to a poor country.
It is also common knowledge that the Zambian government of President Hichilema has been cracking down on opposition parties, and Dr. Fred is fast becoming a threat he must deal with, before it is too late.
There has been a spate of abductions in Zambia where leading members of opposition parties are kidnapped, beaten by the police, arrested and detained in unknown places. Mr Emmanuel Mwamba, who is the former Zambian Ambassador to South Africa and also a senior leader in the Zambia opposition party, the Patriotic Front, was abducted, arrested, physically assaulted by police, and detained for days, before being released.
NUMSA stands in solidarity with comrade Fred and the Socialist Party of Zambia. We demand an end to police harassment of Dr Fred M’membe and his immediate family and the withdrawal of the fake charges he is facing. We demand that President Hichilema must stop his senseless and ruthless attacks and harassment of members of opposition parties.
The Zambian government, is showing the world that it is vicious, violent, undemocratic, and authoritarian and is willing to deal ruthlessly with its political opposition. As a Socialist red revolutionary trade union, we hate and oppose injustices everywhere in the world, including in South Africa itself!
Aluta continua!
The struggle continues!
Issued by Irvin Jim, NUMSA General Secretary, 9 August 2023
