Zambia’s President Lungu declares state of emergency following spate of arson attacks
Zambian President Edgar Lungu has declared a state of public emergency following a spate of arson attacks which he has described as a security threat, a move likely to trigger fresh accusations of government authoritarianism.
Lungu says the law will prevent chaos and economic sabotage.
Several parts of Zambia have been targeted with fires recently.
“My government has decided to invoke Article 31 (leading) to a state of public emergency,” Lungu said in a nationally-televised address.
Political tensions in Zambia have been rising since the arrest on treason charges of main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema.
Hichilema narrowly lost to Lungu in a bruising election last year.
