Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Post-election Tensions Not Over in Zambia

by Anita Powell

   JOHANNESBURG --

   "Everything happened so fast," said Lesa Kasoma. "From nowhere I was
   grabbed in my jeans, somebody held my shirt, and they were advising
   each other, 'Let's pull her inside where there's no one; there's too
   much attention outside here.'"

   Kasoma is owner of a radio station in Zambia's capital, Lusaka. The
   station was suspended for unspecified "unprofessional conduct" in
   April, during the run up to Zambia's tense presidential election. She
   had gone to the station Wednesday after authorities said she had
   permission to reopen.

   There, she ran into two police officers.

   "I screamed for help; they kicked my legs and I fell down, they started
   dragging me by my hair, trying to pull me inside, they started kicking
   me, started beating me up, and they were just doing that in my ribs.
   And these police officers grabbed my bra, to the extent that it even
   cut my breasts, [they] were so painful as they pulled me, and I caught
   his hand and beat him."

   Police have now charged Kasoma with assaulting an officer -- something
   she denies, though she said she defended herself.

   The incident is one of several suggesting that political tension
   continues in Zambia in the aftermath of President Edgar Lungu's
   re-election.

   The same day, police arrested the nation's top opposition leaders and
   charged them with sedition over their claims that August's presidential
   poll was unfair.

   Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema and his deputy, Geoffrey Mwamba,
   were released on bail; dozens of their supporters were also arrested.

   In a statement, Hichilema denied the charges, going further to describe
   them as "laughable -- utter nonsense, stupid."

   Turmoil unusual for Zambia

   Analyst Dimpho Motsamai of the Pretoria-based Institute for Security
   Studies said this sort of turmoil is new for Zambia, a nation that has
   a long history of peaceful transfers of political power and multi-party
   democracy.

   "It's a very important development in Zambia," she said. "And it is
   worrisome in some circles, for the simple reason that it can create an
   impression that there is kind of a political witch-hunting on the part
   of the president in dealing with someone who has challenged his
   legitimacy."

   Zambia's information minister did not answer repeated calls seeking
   comment. Nor has President Edgar Lungu made any statements or public
   calls for dialogue.

   Chilufya Tayali, founder of the new Movement for Economic Development
   and Equity, told VOA he does not think Zambia is in a crisis -- yet --
   but said he is concerned about the implications of recent events.

   "There is no investor who wants to invest in a country that is not
   stable," he said. "There is no investor who is looking to invest in a
   country that does not respect human rights. There is no investor that
   is looking at investing in a country where the opposition is not given
   that freedom of expression, freedom of movement."

   Kasoma said her station will remain closed until she is well enough to
   collect her transmitter, which was confiscated.

   She said the scariest thing about her assault was not its suddenness or
   its brutality. What scared her the most, she said, was that she yelled
   for help and watched the confused faces of the many people around her.
   Kasoma said she thinks they were asking themselves: "who can we call
   for help when the people who would help are the ones doing this?"