Hichilema warns of arrests over alleged plans to disrupt Zambia elections

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema warned that anyone involved in plans to disrupt Thursday’s general election will be arrested, saying he has information that some opposition leaders sent people abroad for military training. Speaking during a Special Interview in Lusaka with ZNBC, Hichilema said he was monitoring the situation and described himself as "Chief Shushushu," a local

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PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema warned that anyone involved in plans to disrupt Thursday’s general election will be arrested, saying he has information that some opposition leaders sent people abroad for military training.

Speaking during a Special Interview in Lusaka with ZNBC, Hichilema said he was monitoring the situation and described himself as “Chief Shushushu,” a local term for chief spy.

“I’m the Chief, Shushushu. I know what is happening,” Hichilema said. “My friend, you cannot send people to a foreign country to receive military training and expect them to return and disrupt elections in this country without being arrested.

“You will be arrested. If you commit a crime, you must be prepared to face the consequences. Why would you send people to train somewhere so that they can return and plan to kill?”

Hichilema condemned remarks attributed to an opposition leader that he was prepared to kill or be killed.

“An opposition leader has said that he is prepared to kill or be killed. Nobody wants to kill him,” Hichilema said. “If he says he is prepared to kill, then who is he prepared to kill? Fellow citizens. And for what? Political competition?”

The President also criticized the Patriotic Front, which was in government for 10 years, for not introducing free education. He questioned why the party did not increase the Constituency Development Fund from 1.6 million kwacha, which he said was only enough to build a 1×3 classroom block, to 40 million kwacha.

“A few people were sleeping on cash, using it as mattresses and pillows,” Hichilema said. “Where was that money coming from? It was coming from loans, including Eurobonds, which they failed to repay. The result was a debt-service burden of about $2.3 billion.

“That was money they accessed through questionable contracts, including contracts for projects that were never completed. Some contractors received 50 percent down payments and never built the roads. They used that money as if it were their personal wealth. Is that how you run a country? No.”

Hichilema dismissed claims that Zambia will return to load-shedding after the elections. He said the government is expanding electricity generation to meet growing demand and is targeting 10,000 megawatts of capacity from solar and other non-hydro sources.

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