Leaders blocked from visiting Raphael Nakacinda and others at Chimbokaila correctional facility

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]We came to visit our our colleagues who are in prison.

[00:00:05]Like Honorable Munir Kachinda, Honorable Milanje.

[00:00:08]It's surprising that on a day such as this, where we are supposed to be celebrating Africa Freedom Day, our friends in prison cannot even be allowed access to their lawyers.

[00:00:23]We didn't come We didn't come here as a politician.

[00:00:27]Myself and the vice president are practicing lawyers.

[00:00:30]We came to see a client.

[00:00:32]Honorable Munir Kachinda deserves, you know, to to be visited by his lawyer so that we we get instructions from him.

[00:00:40]Unfortunately, the colleagues who are in prison today do not even have that freedom. They do not have access to their lawyers. It's very very sad indeed.

[00:00:49]And if you look at the treatment from the officers, it's really sad. So, we are retreating.

[00:00:56]Uh we've been unable to see Honorable Munir Kachinda. We've been here for the past uh hour and a half.

[00:01:01]And uh they've been giving one excuse uh to the other.

[00:01:05]We wonder where they're getting these rules that we need to call a permanent secretary somewhere before we can see our client.

[00:01:12]He has a right.

[00:01:15]He has to have access to his lawyer.

[00:01:16]That is his right.

[00:01:18]Honorable Munir Kachinda's right to legal representation is his right.

[00:01:22]Unfortunately, our colleagues in government today, President Hakainde Hichilema with his officers, have decided to take away such rights from colleagues that are in prison. It's indeed very unfortunate. So, when we say there is no freedom to celebrate on a day such as this, this is exactly what we mean.

[00:01:42]Even when they could have pretended, on a day such as this, they would they could have pretended to grant some sort of freedom to the people that are incarcerated. And yet what they are showing is that they will not at any point bend, you know, towards doing the right thing.

[00:01:58]So, countrymen and women, it's a very sad turn of events.

[00:02:02]But, like we've said, let's continue on this fight. We are just a few days away.

[00:02:07]We are about 80 days away before we can get that freedom.

[00:02:11]The freedom that you're looking for, the freedom for Nakacinda, for Chilangwa, for Chishimba for Malanji, for Bowman, and everybody else who's behind bars, will only come when governments change.

[00:02:23]So, it's your duty as a Zambian people to change government so that our people can get their freedom. Thank you very much.

[00:02:32]Here we go. Before you go, president, we we needed to buttress this.

[00:02:36]Today is African Freedom Day.

[00:02:40]The UPND came to power on the backbone of the restoration of the rule of law.

[00:02:44]This is lawlessness.

[00:02:46]And Nakacinda and many of his colleagues are prisoners of conscience.

[00:02:52]They are prisoners because of who they are.

[00:02:56]Opponents of this regime, Mr. Hichilema must feel ashamed to run a country that is at war with itself and to preside over lawlessness.

[00:03:10]These prisoners, who are inside, our colleagues, have a right for visitation.

[00:03:16]It doesn't matter who is visiting them, whether it's a lawyer, whether it's Mr. Changala, or whether it's an ordinary citizen. They have a right to be visited because these are correctional uh facilities in which our colleagues, who remain human, are here to reform. If anything, they are supposed to be supported by families, colleagues, friends outside.

[00:03:43]To be treated in the manner that we have been treated is abuse of power. And this must be said straight in the face of Mr. Hakainde Hichilema. You will never win power elected to come and abuse your fellow citizens. You are citizen number one.

[00:04:02]And yet, you must agree that we are all equal. You are just the first among equals. The damage you are doing to this country is unfortunate, but must be corrected. I call on the people of Zambia on the 13th of August to engage themselves as patriots and change government. We reset the button and start afresh. Thank you.