By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –
THE United Party for National Development (UPND) has said it will from now on notify police on all its public engagements to uphold the Public Order Act.
UPND Chairperson for Legal and Constitutional Affairs Jack Mwiimbu said the party would work with the police in ensuring that the Public Order Act was upheld.
“We have made head ways with the police, we have agreed that from now onwards we will be working with the police to ensure that the Public Order Act is operated in accordance with the law of this country,” Mr Mwiimbu said.
He said this shortly after party leader Hakainde Hichilema appeared for questioning at Kabwata Police Station, where he was summoned over commotion between suspected UPND and PF cadres on Thursday last week when Mr Hichilema visited Kabwata market.
Mr Mwiimbu who is also UPND Monze Central Member of Parliament (MP) told journalists after the interview that they had a cordial discussion with the police and had resolved the matter.
He said the police would be informed accordingly on how and when the party would proceed with meetings.

• UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema (left) arrives at Kabwata Police, where he was summoned for questioning yesterday.

Mr Hichilema arrived at Kabwata Police around 10:00 hours amidst heavy police presence, as UPND cadres defied advice from Lusaka Province Police Chief Charity Katanga not to accompany him.
He was also accompanied to the police station by his lawyers, Mr Mwiimbu, Martha Mushipe, Chad Muleza and party officials.
Mr Hichilema was interviewed by police from about 10: 25 to 11:50 hours and was later allowed to go.
Police said later that Mr Hichilema was requested to write a letter of undertaking, admitting the wrong and pledging not to repeat it.
Ms Katanga said in an interview that Mr Hichilema and his lawyers were instructed to make the undertaking that they would abide by the Public Order Act.
“So they have gone back to the office to write the letter of undertaking which would be under the hand of the lawyers, the president and the secretary general of the party and would be submitted here at Kabwata Police by 14:00 today,” Ms Katanga said.
Ms Katanga said there should be a distinction between merely going to the market to buy goods, and interacting with the people in a procession as a political party leader.
“There is no need to notify the police if a political party leader is going to the market to buy goods, but if he is moving in a procession interacting with the people, then there is need to notify the police,” she said.
Earlier on his way into the Kabwata Police station, Mr Hichilema and his party officials caused commotion by accusing a police officer identified as Inspector Joe Ng’uni from operations division of being a Patriotic Front (PF) cadre.
Mr Hichilema and his party officials and some Members of Parliaments demanded that Mr Ng’uni should leave the entrance to the police station to pave way for Mr Hichilema.
Mr Hichilema joined his cadres and MPs in demanding for Mr Ng’uni to vacate the entrance of the police station.
He refused to enter the police station demanding that Mr Ng’uni should leave as he was masquerading as a police officer.
Mazabuka MP Gary Nkombo later confronted Mr Ng’uni and threatening him over his supposed masquerading as a police officer, when he was a mere PF cadre.
It later emerged that Mr Ng’uni had worked for the Police Service for 29 years contrary to the allegations from the UNPD officials.
Meanwhile, Daily Nation reporter Wallen Simwaka was briefly detained for conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
This was after he challenged the police officers who wanted to bar him from entering the Kabwata Police Station premises to cover the interview of Mr Hichilema.
Mr Simwaka was later released after senior police officers intervened.