Tšitso Cheba

"I received a report over the weekend from three constituencies. Today (Monday) I received a report from two DC MPs, making me aware that they had been informed by their constituency officials of the NSS’s interference in our preparations for the national youth committee’s elective conference."

"The courts would not approve or disapprove that we have numbers, only numbers will prove in the National Assembly, where such matters are handled not the courts."

"Responsibilities of the NSS include keeping tabs on the state of national security, giving tipoffs to the office of the Prime Minister and other departments that they work with on issues that could pose a danger to the country."

"According to the MPs, the constituency officials were seeking advice on dealing with NSS members fishing for information."

"Now, the government agencies are trying to go against our youths fulfilling their party’s constitutional requirements. Why would they be trying to find the names of those who will be going to the conference? We wonder what interest NSS has on this issue."

"Now they have left their responsibility of spying on matters that might pose danger to the country and are focused on the DC. Our party is mandated by its constitution and IEC policies to regularly renew its political structures. DC is doing that by convening elections for the national youth committee."

"What is NSS’s interest In the DC youth’s elective conference?"

"This is pure intimidation to our members. These children are still young, and they have just reached the age of maturity. They don’t have much experience in these things. So, it is a serious threat that the NSS wants their names."

"These are acts of intimidation, so that we don’t go about our business freely. If the NSS is investigating something or has perhaps heard that something untoward is likely to happen there, they must ask us openly."

"We are living in very volatile times of high crime, and it poses a threat when security agencies start asking about the names of people, which vehicles they would be travelling with and the like."

"We contacted one of the NSS officials from one of those regions and he responded curtly. He said he was busy but confirmed that the NSS had that task. He said we would talk later because he had picked the call when he was at an awkward position."

"Those are very private details. It’s sensitive information and very private to us…"