The Caprivi Concerned Group (CCG) has called for the immediate release of five United Democratic Party (UDP) members who were arrested for allegedly hosting an illegal meeting on Tuesday at Kaliyangile village.
The five suspects are charged with being in violation of the Public Gathering Proclamation, AG of 23/1989.
It is further alleged that the suspects, Namibians Harris Mushe (41), Kubona Benjamin Kasokonya (68), Ziambo Christopher (56), Kumpoma Ben (53), and Mubonda Mubonda (57), were the organisers of the illegal meeting.
The five members, during their brief first appearance in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, were granted bail of N$10 000 each.
The public prosecutor, Cynthia Matiti, noted that bail conditions are that the suspects refrain from conducting similar offences and that they hand in all their travel documents to the investigating officer.
Their matter was postponed to 18 July.
They appeared before magistrate Davy Kambinda.
However, CCG secretary general Edwin Samati said that the suspects are all unemployed and will not be able to afford the bail set for them, unless they get assistance from the community.
He also claimed that the men were arrested for merely being members of the UDP and for convening as branch committee members of the party in their area.
“The responsible station commander and prosecutor must learn that the proclamation does not apply to a meeting of five persons, as such a meeting does not constitute a public gathering under the said proclamation, and quickly release the men,” he said.
He said the Namibian government should allow the people of Caprivi to democratically and constitutionally decide whether they want to be Namibians or not.
Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah, when approached for comment by The Namibian, said they were not required to inform the police about an ordinary meeting.
“Just imagine how taxing it will be if anyone in this country who wants to hold a meeting has to inform the police. From that perspective, this arrest on the ground of not informing the police is not right, nor does it meet the constitutional requirements. Unless the arrest is due to other grounds and details that we don’t know,” he said.
The UDP is a political party in Namibia, representing mainly people from the then-Caprivi (now Zambezi region) who advocate the secession of the Caprivi Strip.
Exiled Mishake Muyongo formed the party in 1985 as a successor to the Caprivi African National Union. Before 1985, the UDP was affiliated with the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) group of parties.
In 1998, the UDP openly voiced support for the secession of the Caprivi, resulting in Muyongo and other leaders fleeing the country.
The party was, however, effectively banned from having any meetings in 2006
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