Cars For The World

Captain Solo dies

Time Posted: August 12, 2012 4:58 pm
Late Captain Solo with late Former Repblican president Chiluba

Late Captain Solo with late Former Repblican president Chiluba

THE MAN who one day, on October 28, 1997 to be exact, shook Zambia with an early morning radio broadcast that he had overthrown the government has died.

Stephen Lungu, 50, code-named ‘Captain Solo’, a former Zambia Army captain who lost his rank after his treasonable act, died at Kanyama Hospital in Lusaka at 13:00 hours after an illness.

Family spokesperson and the deceased’s mother-in-law Josephine Musonda said Mr Lungu had been sick for some time but his condition worsened last Friday prompting family members to take him to Makeni Hospice.

“Unfortunately, the hospice was closed forcing us to take him to Kanyama Hospital where he died a few hours later. His body is lying in the University Teaching Hospital mortuary,” Ms Musonda said.

She said Mr Lungu’s health had been deteriorating since 2010 when he was released from prison on a presidential pardon due to poor health.

Ms Musonda, however, said Mr Lungu died peacefully having asked for forgiveness from Zambians and former President Frederick Chiluba, who was incumbent President at the time.

Capt Lungu and other soldiers raided the Mass Media Complex that houses the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), and announced that President Frederick Chiluba had been overthrown.

In a frightening but drooling voice on radio, Capt Lungu said the former leaders would be paraded and killed, sending fear around the country but it did not take long before a colonel’s voice intercepted the airwaves to announce that the coup had been crushed by loyal soldiers.

About 55 soldiers, including Capt Lungu, were arrested and after several appearances, some were discharged but he was sentenced to death.

President Levy Mwanawasa reduced Mr Lungu’s death sentence to life imprisonment and in 2010, President Rupiah Banda pardoned Mr Lungu, on health grounds, and he paid back by leading a Christian life up to his death yesterday.

Mourners are gathering at plot number 116/99 on Mumbwa Road where Mr Lungu was staying with the mother of his late wife. He is survived by three children.

[Zambia Daily Zambia]

34 Comments

  1. vote
    flag Chengelo Alumni says: Chengelo Alumni
    August 12, 2012 at 5:01 pm |

    RIP

    Reply
  2. vote
    flag avtomat karanshinkov says: avtomat karanshinkov
    August 12, 2012 at 5:13 pm |

    THREE WORDS TO DECRIBE HIM “HE WAS CAOURAGEOUS”

    Reply
    1. vote
      flag avtomat karanshinkov says: avtomat karanshinkov
      August 12, 2012 at 5:16 pm |

      THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE HIM, “HE WAS COURAGEOUS”

    2. vote
      flag budweiser says: budweiser
      August 12, 2012 at 5:44 pm |

      lol

  3. vote
    flag pounds and pence says: pounds and pence
    August 12, 2012 at 5:39 pm |

    Zambia def doesn’t need people like this wannabe dictator. Good riddance

    Reply
  4. vote
    flag Katasha says: Katasha
    August 12, 2012 at 5:45 pm |

    Let him rest in peace.he was brave and courageous.we need more men like him.will miss you captain.

    Reply
  5. vote
    flag Middle Aged Chongololo says: Middle Aged Chongololo
    August 12, 2012 at 6:20 pm |

    What an excellent description of Captain Solo’s voice on the radio by the author of this article. “Frightening but drooling”. I remember hearing the broadcast and being frightened but also feeling the sensation of being drooled on. All this time I thought it just me who felt that combo-emotion of fright with drool .But no- this author felt it too.

    Reply
  6. vote
    flag GUNDIX says: GUNDIX
    August 12, 2012 at 6:56 pm |

    What a great mother-in-law this woman is. She hosted him as her own son. Thank you mama.

    Reply
    1. vote
      flag Njombi John says: Njombi John
      August 13, 2012 at 3:20 pm |

      She is a rare mama in law.Thanks mama may the Good lord bless u abandantly

  7. vote
    flag Nasilele Namakando says: Nasilele Namakando
    August 12, 2012 at 7:02 pm |

    We will miss him-he was really courageous man.It was not easy and its not easy at all

    Reply
  8. vote
    flag Dr_United States of Southern Africa says: Dr_United States of Southern Africa
    August 12, 2012 at 7:08 pm |

    RIP bro. You were a brave captain who wanted to “stop corruption” by overthrowing the corrupt leadership. It is sad you were not support. Until we meet again RIP.

    Reply
  9. vote
    flag Ni-Zee says: Ni-Zee
    August 12, 2012 at 7:09 pm |

    FELLOW COUNTRY MEN/WOMEN, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT MISTAKE CHAMBA SMOKING, INSANITY, DELUSION WITH COURAGE, BRAVENESS AND HEROISM BECAUSE WE DO A LOT OF INJUSTICE TO THOSE WHO ARE ACUTUALLY ARE GALLANT. THOSE WHO REMEMBER THAT DAY WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT WITH NO DOUBT CAPT SOLO HAD SMOKED 20 BALLS OF LUBANGULA (1ST GRADE WEED). THATS NOT COURAGE!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  10. vote
    flag MMD says: MMD
    August 12, 2012 at 7:16 pm |

    he should be awarded a state funeral too.

    Reply
  11. vote
    flag Trigo says: Trigo
    August 12, 2012 at 7:30 pm |

    MHSRIP

    Reply
  12. vote
    flag Nostradamus says: Nostradamus
    August 12, 2012 at 7:56 pm |

    Those 2 looked better as president & vice, all the good ones are dead. Twashala fye ne nkalamo sheka sheka… The other one also stopped his “Zambian shall be saved”.

    Reply
  13. vote
    flag Ba nkupi says: Ba nkupi
    August 12, 2012 at 8:54 pm |

    A bemba can take care of another. I doubt if a tonga mother in law could have done this. 

    Reply
  14. vote
    flag Mwanawakwitu says: Mwanawakwitu
    August 12, 2012 at 8:57 pm |

    The Great Mwamba Luchembe is the real Hero. How soon we forget Zambians. He trully stopped a dictator.

    Reply
  15. vote
    flag MILIMO MWAKA says: MILIMO MWAKA
    August 12, 2012 at 9:47 pm |

    Big Ups to MR LUNGU‘S mother in law. Only God can reward you mama.
    I was touched when I saw Captain Solo at University SDA church in Lusaka attending a church service one saturday after his release from prison. To me, he was a man in need of a Saviour and thats what you and I need today.

    RIP Mr Lungu.

    Reply
  16. vote
    flag Kulekwamyo Kapyololo says: Kulekwamyo Kapyololo
    August 13, 2012 at 2:18 am |

    # 13 – A Tonga mother-in-law would have done better, married him and surely gave him a thunderous happy ending.

    Reply
  17. vote
    flag Kulekwamyo Kapyololo says: Kulekwamyo Kapyololo
    August 13, 2012 at 2:33 am |

    This is what Joyce Banda said & I hope Sata & his Bemba troope of baboons is listening: “You must understand that his brother is still here and he is waiting for the job, and the brother has also sympathisers. In the course of the eight years that (Mutharika) was in power the one thing that got worse was nepotism,” she said.

    “I have to be extremely careful … to clean up is the greatest challenge. I have to tell the international community that this is not witch-hunting, it is cleaning up, because nobody will be removed without evidence of theft or corruption.”

    Reply
  18. vote
    flag Chindakwanda-Galileo Galilei says: Chindakwanda-Galileo Galilei
    August 13, 2012 at 4:40 am |

    @MIDDLE AGED CHONGOLOLO, The article is so well written. It can’t be by LT. Check again, it’s by ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL. Copied and pasted.

    Reply
  19. vote
    flag Chindakwanda-Galileo Galilei says: Chindakwanda-Galileo Galilei
    August 13, 2012 at 4:41 am |

    @MIDDLE AGED CHONGOLOLO, The article is so well written. It can’t be by LT. Check again, it’s by ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL. Copied and pasted. Anyway, RIP BA LUNGU.

    Reply
  20. vote
    flag Nubian Princess says: Nubian Princess
    August 13, 2012 at 5:33 am |

    Well dude pretty much sealed his fate on October 28, 1997.

    He had me seeing visions of Rwanda and I basically wet my knickers that day in front of my boyfriend and he broke up with me the next day.

    Reply
  21. vote
    flag Chindakwanda-Galileo Galilei says: Chindakwanda-Galileo Galilei
    August 13, 2012 at 6:55 am |

    @Nubian princess, funny, but you smoke substance tefyo?

    Reply
  22. vote
    flag Mwanamfumu says: Mwanamfumu
    August 13, 2012 at 10:13 am |

    Boma ni Boma!! The man was killed a long time ago!! Foolish man he was!! That was not courage but foolishness at it’s best!

    Reply
  23. vote
    flag Mwanamfumu says: Mwanamfumu
    August 13, 2012 at 10:30 am |

    Nubian Princess, walipena!

    Reply
  24. vote
    flag mesericorde says: mesericorde
    August 13, 2012 at 12:45 pm |

    :(( may his soul rest in peace

    Reply
  25. vote
    flag Umotokofyompo says: Umotokofyompo
    August 13, 2012 at 3:40 pm |

    Lol mwali shupa guys on a serious note tho respect the dead… RIP 

    Reply
  26. vote
    flag Tonga girl says: Tonga girl
    August 13, 2012 at 5:15 pm |

    Zambian Hero – Really hero…! His family will miss him and Zambia will forever remember him. Kick chiluba in the groin when you see him.

    Reply
  27. vote
    flag Tonga girl says: Tonga girl
    August 13, 2012 at 5:16 pm |

    Zambia is NOT a christian nation – but a SICK nation. People have no say in the sick nation

    Reply
  28. vote
    flag Umuntu Mutwe says: Umuntu Mutwe
    August 13, 2012 at 8:13 pm |

    He was a gallant soldier !!!  HSRIP !!

    Reply
  29. vote
    flag sell vps, share vps, vps khung, vps pro, vps gia re, vps uy tin says: sell vps, share vps, vps khung, vps pro, vps gia re, vps uy tin
    August 19, 2012 at 6:05 am |

    Hello There. I discovered your weblog the use of msn. This is an extremely well written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful information. Thank you for the post. I will certainly comeback.

    Reply
  30. vote
    flag Mwana CB says: Mwana CB
    March 6, 2013 at 3:27 am |

    Tondolo! Tondolo!

    Reply
  31. vote

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