2017 State of emergency

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Zambia is under a state of emergency, which was announced by President Lungu on 5 July by invoking Article 31 of the Zambian constitution.[1] This proclamation was the then taken before parliament in order to seek parliament's approval to impose a state of emergency after a fire gutted Zambia's biggest market which was said to have been politically motivated arson. Parliament voted for the proclamation and was approved the state of emergency for one week. Then again Parliament adopted the motion which was tabled by Vice President Inonge Wina to confirm and extend the declaration of a state of threatened public emergency by President Lungu form one week to 90days. Out of 118 Members of Parliament eligible to vote, 85 voted in favor of the motion, while non of them voted against the motion, non of them voted in abstentia, and 34 did not take part.[2] While all PF MPs supported the motion, 47 UPND MPs where serving a one month suspension for boycotting President Lungu’s address to the house. Amos Chanda stated that the state of national emergency was deemed necessary to restore public order and that civil liberties such as free movement had not been suspended.[3] The last time Zambia had a state of emergency was after the failed coup d'état attempt of 1997 20 years ago.

Timeline of events leading up to the proclamation

Political tensions in Zambia has since been rising since the arrest on treason charges of main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema when police raided his home accused of trying to overthrow the government after a column of opposition vehicles failed to make way for the president's motorcade.

On June 25, 2017 two of the 330KV Zambia Electricity Supply (ZESCO) pylons were vandalized by unknown people in Kafue’s Mungu area. The provincial minister Japhen Mwakalombe stated out that the perpetrators of the vandalism act that the law will visit them as the police and other security wings are investigating on the matter. ZESCO, Director of Transmission, Webster Musonda said that the damage has affected the distribution of power to Kafue , Lusaka and surrounding areas and attracted emergence load shedding to Kafue District.

Lifting of the proclamation

Reactions

Also See

References

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