Police has denied the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) permission to hold their planned rally on Sunday to protest against the removal of fuel and maize subsidies.
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema confirmed the development at a media briefing saying police were citing security reasons.
Hichilema said his party was disappointed but was now used to the PF’s anti-democracy stance.
The public has yet to reclaim their right to assembly since the PF took office 18 months ago.
The only rally the PF aligned police force allowed was held in Kabwata but disrupted by PF cadres. UNPD and MMD have in total applied for more than 10 rallies that the PF police has rejected on security grounds.
In June last year, police brutalised UPND youths that attempted to demonstrate against the suspension of the three judges and were demanding the resignation of Director of Public Prosecution Mutembo Nchito for professional misconduct.
Opposition leaders Hichilema, Dr Nevers Mumba of MMD and Narep’s Elais Chipimo Jr have all suffered arrests on charges of unlawful assembly on separate occasion giving rise to criticism of the PF government’s human rights record.
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