Thousands of Zambians are using social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook to condemn the arrest of the country’s main opposition political leaders by police.
United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema, two of his lawmakers and several other party officials were arrested on Monday.
They have been detained in connection with the case of a ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party member who was hacked to death by unknown assailants during campaigns for tomorrow’s by-election in the border town of Livingstone.
The Zambian government and police suspect that the PF member was murdered by UPND officials. The member was allegedly found dead near to a UPND command post.
Subsequently, Hichilema has been charged with an office of proposing violence and remains in detention together with his officials.
But some Zambians are expressing their displeasure over Hichilema’s arrest via Twitter and Facebook, claiming the UPND leader is a subject of political persecution because of his popularity.
People are also using social media to coordinate a planned countrywide demonstration over the arrest of the opposition leaders.
Former first lady Maureen Mwanawasa tweeted, “Politics of intolerance at the expense of development are a recipe for dictatorship and police state”.
She added, “Elections thuggery and violence, where to mother Zambia Livingstone and Mpongwe?”
Meanwhile, the Zambian government is alleged to have forced three radio stations in the country not to broadcast a show from Crossfire Blog radio, a UK Zambian internet station, which had a South African journalist Louise Redvers due on the programme as a guest.
The radio stations that include Zambezi Fm in Livingstone were forced to cancel the much hyped programme.
Redvers recently published an article in the South African Mail & Guardian newspaper which was critical about the alleged decline of democracy in Zambia under President Michael Sata.
The following tweet was yesterday send to people who wanted to listen to the programme, “Tonight’s @ThisIsCrossFire radio show cancelled due to ongoing political tension in #Zambia & pressures on partner FM stations in#Zambia”.
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