Police and anti-corruption protesters clash outside Zambian parliament

Zambia police on Friday clashed with anti-corruption protesters outside parliament, prompting arrests on the same day as the finance minister presented the national budget.

Led by a human right activist, Laura MiTi about hundred people criticized the purchase of vehicles by the authorities for the fire department at a total of $42 million.

“Our demand is that the process should be opened to scrutiny and to a forensic audit. We would like to know exactly how the decision was made and all the processes arrived at because we believe that first of all, it was a very bad choice but also we would like to know if it was clean and that Zambia got the best value for money for that $42 million,” Miti said.

“There is no way you can protect the people that are supposed to be in charge of protecting the country. We are the victims, and we are supposed to be protected. If we can go by what they are doing, they are helping by destroying this country. So the police officers are also accomplices in destroying this country. This is not a political move,” Fumba Chama, a musician said.

Carrying placards that read “Wake up Zambia, it is our money”, they picketed outside parliament over alleged graft by President Edgar Lungu’s government.

President Lungu has been accused of a crackdown on dissent since winning elections last year.

Zambia’s main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema was detained for four months before treason charges against him were dropped.