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BBC Pidgin of Tuesday, 26 September 2023

Source: BBC

Why Zambia ban dia former President Lungu from jogging

President Edgar Lungu President Edgar Lungu

Police don draw ear give Zambia former President Edgar Lungu make e no dey jog for public, as dem call im weekly workout say e be "political activism".

Dis na as e dey run on Saturday with ordinary citizens and supporters of im Patriotic Front (PF) party, and e dey grab pipo attention.

Oga Lungu don hear say e need to get police approval before im do any future jogging event again.

Dis police order dey come on top rumours say im fit run for presidency for 2026.

Police tok for inside statement say di fact say PF no tell dem of dia "public gatherings or demonstrations .. dey cause breach of law. Na sake of public safety."

Dem add say, "procession of former head of state suppose happun with im security detail and no suppose get political activism".

But di former president, im lawyer Makebu Zulu tell BBC say e go continue to dey jog without say dem tell police.

Oga Zulu tok say e go carry goment go court if dem no allow di 66-year-old former president to work out for Saturday.

E say, "Oga Lungu don dey jog tay tay and im motivation no ever be to go against di law".

Dis don dey look like di latest on restriction on di activities of di former leader wey serve as president from 2015 to 2021.

Some pipo don tok say di goment of President Hakainde Hichilema say im dey use di same gra-gra methods e bin don dey call out for di many years im dey di opposition.

Oga Lungu recently carry goment go court afta dem allegedly block am to travel go South Korea for one conference. E later comot di case.

Di PF also tok say dem stop di former president also from travelling for medical trip even though im ask permission from di cabinet office.

BBC don reach out to di Home Affairs Minister Jacob Mwiimbu make im tok put but neva get ansa.

Even though im say e go retire from politics afta e lose di 2021 election, Lungu don dey ginger im public profile recently.

Di believe na say im go run again for di elections in three years time. And e go use di anger ova rising price of fuel and food to take run.

Oga Hichilema win di 2021 election by large majority with hope say im go fit handle di kontri economic palava.

E bin don fail to enta di office di last five times wey im run.