POLICE in Lusaka have for the second time refused to allow the UPND to hold a rally in Lusaka's Kanyama Township because the venue is a subject of a court case.

In his response to the UPND's notification to hold the rally this weekend, Lusaka Province Police chief Solomon Jere said the party could not go ahead with the gathering because of the court case and security reasons.

Police prevented a UPND rally that had been planned for September 9 after the party had obtained a court injunction against the decision. UPND has since initiated contempt proceedings against the police.

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema also confirmed the development during a Press briefing saying his party had lodged in a fresh application to hold a rally at the same venue.

Mr Hichilema said following the refusal by the police to allow the UPND to hold a rally on Sunday last week, the party leadership submitted a fresh notice that was also turned down.

"As law abiding citizens, on Monday September 10, we made a fresh notice to police on our intentions to hold a rally on September 16, but Solomon Jere replied and refused that we cannot hold the rally," Mr Hichilema said.

Mr Hichilema said Kanyama was not a subject to the court case and accused the police of siding with the PF Government to make the country a one party State.

Last week, police withdrew a notice it had earlier approved for the UPND to hold the rally in Kanyama citing lack of manpower to police the event.

Meanwhile, PF has said the UPND and the MMD are trying to instill an untimely spirit of elections among the people.

PF media and publicity director Chanda Mfula said in a statement yesterday that it had become fashionable for the MMD and UPND to speak to the media even when they had nothing of value to tell the people.

He said that it was also amusing to watch leaders of the two parties try to outdo each other in terms of who got more coverage using unnecessary Press conferences and statements.

Mr Mfula advised the two parties to allow citizens decent space so that they could interact with the Government in a sober environment.

He said it would be in the interest of the opposition leadersn to give President Sata and the PF space to continue with the progress made so far because becoming media wailers would not help them in the 2016 elections.

And the PF youth wing in Lusaka has advised the UPND not to ferry their supporters from outside to attend their planned political rally in Lusaka on Sunday.

PF Provincial Youth Chairperson Kennedy Kamba said UPND had no support in Lusaka and it should not use the Lusaka Province as a point of assembly for their alleged unruly cadres.