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Priest arrested on air in Zambia Zambian freed after on-air arrest
(about 4 hours later)
A Roman Catholic priest in Zambia has been arrested during a live radio show about recent presidential elections. A Zambian priest arrested during a live radio show has been charged for inciting possible hostility by alleging the recent elections were fraudulent.
Police detained Father Frank Bwalya in Kitwe, where he was broadcasting for the church-owned Radio Icengelo. Police detained Father Frank Bwalya in Kitwe while he was on air for the Roman Catholic church-owned Radio Icengelo.
The BBC's Boyd Chibale reports from Kitwe that Father Bwalya had been running a programme analysing the poll and the pattern of the results. Hundreds of his supporters marched through the town - an opposition stronghold - demanding his release.
The ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, which narrowly won the vote, has accused the priest of bias. After he was freed on a police bond he went on air to appeal for calm, but he said he would continue his campaign.
African regional election observers have said last month's poll was free and fair. The BBC's Boyd Chibale in Kitwe says the priest had been running a programme analysing the conduct of the presidential poll and the pattern of the results. I'm innocent until proven guilty Father Frank Bwalya
But opposition leader Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front has claimed that the election was rigged, and has demanded that the results be verified. President Rupiah Banda of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy narrowly won last month's election, which was declared free and fair by African regional election observers.
Kitwe is a Patriotic Front stronghold and Father Bwalya is an influential figure, our correspondent says. But opposition leader Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front has claimed it was rigged, and has demanded that the results be verified.
Authorities are holding the priest for questioning and have not yet charged him, he reports. Father Bwalya told the crowd that had gathered outside the police headquarters in Kitwe that he had been "charged for allegedly making statements that have the potential to cause hostility between communities or groups in the country".
"I've also been alleged of having said that the elections we just had on 30 October were fraudulent and that current president was illegitimately elected," he said.
"I'm innocent until proven guilty. The matter will go to court... on 27 November."
Our reporter says earlier in the day hundreds of people supporting Father Bwalye - an influential figure in the town - had brought Kitwe to a standstill and many shops were closed for fear of riots.
Taxis and buses were tooting their horns and protesters in the crowd chanted: "We want change".