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UDF Secretary General Kennedy Makwangwala said on Thursday recent arrests of top UDF officials have created fear within the top ranks of the party as it is not known who will next nabbed and for what crime.
But Makwangwala, who is out on bail after being arrested for alleged pre-election violence, said yesterday although top members of the party are living in fear, the arrests have made the UDF a strong party.
Apart from the secretary general, other top officials who have since been arrested include party spokesman Humphrey Mvula who is facing murder, Friday Jumbe who is facing a corruption case, National Organising Secretary Salim Bagus and Deputy National Director of Youth Rodson Jangiya.
“These arrests are making us strong because we have realised that we have to fight as one in order to remain a strong party and so we’re becoming more united,” said Makwangwala.
He said the fear is compounded “because people are being arrested before their alleged crimes are clearly known”.
Makwangwala, who was initially reluctant to comment on the issue “for fear of being arrested” also indicated that there was fear that country might be reverting to the times of former president Kamuzu Banda when people were being arrested for alleged crimes “with no evidence at all”.
He said this is happening because the country has three different types of people namely those who were facing atrocities in the Banda era, those who left the country running away from the atrocities and those who fought the atrocities.
“It is those that were out and did not face the atrocities that are trying to bring this back,” said Makwangwala.
On Monday, UDF executive member Dumbo Lemani, who indicated that his agents within government have tipped him of a warrant of arrest which the Director of Public Prosecutions has issued against him, also said the UDF is getting stronger following the arrests of its top officials.
Asked to comment on this, government spokesman Ken Lipenga said government would prefer not to be involved in any exchange of words with the party in the media.
“We know as government that mistakes have been made with regard to the excessive use of the media on intended arrests,” said Lipenga.
He said the government is a UDF government as such he would prefer if mechanisms were to be established for the good flow of information between the two entities and not through the media.
Lipenga also said people should not mix-up between UDF, as a party and individuals who are UDF senior members saying the arrest of executive members of the ruling party is “sheer coincidence”.
“It’s not the UDF party that is being arrested. Those that are suspected of crimes should not say it is the party that is being suspected of any crimes because the UDF has an overwhelming majority of people who are not being suspected of any crime,” said Lipenga.
He said the government which is there is a UDF government but that it has a duty to uphold the laws of the land.
“The DPP is not going to consider positions which people hold when making arrests. There won’t be any double standards. The law is merely taking its course and this is democracy at work without fear or favour,” said Lipenga.
He said as a “loyal UDF member, and just like any member who loves UDF”, he would like to see “zero tolerance” on corruption.
“UDF fought for freedom and as such fought for justice. Even in the previous government people were being dropped from cabinet due to wrong doings,” said Lipenga.
He said if people are arrested wrongly, the law provides remedies for that as well whereby they can sue government.
“After-all an arrest is not proof of guilt. Not every prosecution ends up in a conviction,” said Lipenga.
Political scientist Boniface Dulani said the comparison with the Banda’s days is wrong because now people are being charged while then an arrest meant a conviction.
“Of course there should be fear among the top officials but it is no doubt among those individuals who have something to hide. The fear is not shared among everybody in the party,” said Dulani.
He however said Makwangwala has a point in regard to arresting people on mere suspicions.
“The DPP should ensure that he should do thorough and complete investigations before arresting anyone otherwise we would look at all these as if they are merely for show and people might start losing confidence in the government,” said Dulani.
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