POLICE in Kasama have arrested three people following a clash between supporters of former Defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba and civil rights activist Kelvin Sampa that left some with minor injuries.
Mr Mwamba’s supporters in more than 20 vehicles went round the central business district honking and said they would issue a statement to voice their apparent displeasure over Mr Sampa’s charity work in Kasama.
The group claimed the donations were not in good faith and were actually an undercover campaign for the Kasama Central parliamentary seat an accusation Mr Sampa vehemently denied.
Mr Sampa who has for some time now been working with the underprivileged in Kasama and making monetary and material donations to various causes denied campaigning for political office.
“My coming here to work has nothing political attached to it. I have worked in other areas of the country and have never experienced what I have gone through here today,” he said shortly after leaving the police station.
The confrontation between the two groups came to a head after Mr Mwamba’s supporters allegedly blocked Mr Sampa’s motorcade which was on its way to Chilubula Mission.
Occupants of a grey Toyota Prado that was part of Mr Sampa’s entourage where slapped by a growing mob as police officers forcibly directed the driver of the car to go to the police station.
A spokesperson of the pro-Mwamba group Jack Simutenda, however, gave a different version of events alleging Mr Sampa’s group attacked his first.
“We wanted to go to the police so they could allow us to ask what Mr Sampa is doing going round Kasama donating staff with his branded cars. Is he campaigning? We want to know,” Mr Mwamba’s supporters screamed at the police station.
Police clad in full riot gear rushed in to prevent the situation from deteriorating into a full scale riot as members of the public scampered for safety away from the commotion.
In the aftermath of the confusion, Mr Sampa said in an interview that he met Mr Mwamba, whom he referred to as his elder brother, at a funeral in Lusaka where the latter encouraged him to continue with his spirit of helping the underprivileged.
“Am surprised that today, people claiming to be supporters of Mr Mwamba could block my motorcade and cause such havoc as witnessed today. I have come to help the needy in an area I hail from. This is my home. For him (Mr Mwamba) to encourage me to continue with my work then just see his supporters do what they did today is like someone eating their own vomit,” Mr Sampa said.
He also denied challenging Mr Mwamba for his parliamentary seat. “I can contest for public office if the people want me but I want to make it clear that I have challenged my brother GBM politically
.
“How can I contest a seat which is not vacant?” he added.
He however, vowed to continue with his work with the community and no form of intimidation would prevent him from working with the vulnerable. “If helping the needy is wrong then I am 110 per cent in the wrong.”
Deputy police chief Milner Muyambango said he would issue a comprehensive statement when his officers had wrapped up the report.
Unip break dancer, truck thief, now campaigning for bu mp. No schooling and less brains. Zambia has gone past the dogs if this is our best.
PF fighting every single day.
Stella & yo Riot Police guys u need to be serious! safety should be first when ypu send yo guys out. How do you allow some1 to be on the scene in snikers (or is it canivas)? proper attire is needed to avoid injuries & death. Ati riot gear just icimpompo
PP is reducing the standards of policing to unprecedented levels, look at the canvas one of the anti riot police. This is what happens once leadership is in the wrong hands in an institution.
The penthouse Mahtani is living in since 1991 and offices he occupies on 5th floor of Finance House have never been paid for. He has evaded millions of kwacha tax on these benefits. ZRA was written to many times but they are in his pockets. BOZ governor Michael Gondwe is in his pockets. He sanctioned multi million dollars loan to Zambezi Portland Cement based on fake letter from Barkat Ali that Mahtani had deposited $5,000,000 as shareholders margin money. Michael Gondwe was paid 1% of the loan amount. How can Mr. Sata appoint a crook to BOZ who had sanctioned a line of credit for Money launderer’s bank knowing very well that money is used for dubious transactions and for ripping government off. Gondwe was appointed BOZ governor on the recommendations of Mahtani.
@BTZM
Mr, why don’t you start your own thread or write a new article pointing out your concerns, rather than polluting a blog that has nothing to do with your bank governor, mahtani or whatever. Its like looking for a toilet in a house, and not finding it, you decide that the closest place to poo is the kitchen. That is what you are doing here. Stop it!
@BTZM, thank you for this data. We have always known that Mahtani is a crook. But this, is unprecended!! I thought Mahtani has repented with all the run-ins with the law and with various Zed presidents. He also seems to only work with crooked presidents – eg Chiluba and Sata
Kelvin Sampa is a turncoat. He stabbed Italians and Rupiah to go and sit in Sata’s lap. Lap dog.
Ba Natwange, what the heck are on about? You are not making any sense at all, sorry.
police why are used like condoms pa zambia?
It is the double standards which will cause Zambia to be in conflicts with each other.Mr Mwamba was prevented by Police from donating things to the hospital and other places in the same area but what has changed now for Kelvin to do the same thing which Mwamba was prevented from doing.
Can the police be neutral otherwise people will start defending themselves and take law in their own hands.
Mulekeni umwaice
we really need to take this country forward. ZP(Zabwino Palibe) stop playing double standards
shaft
For me,what I see here is that This GUY called Mutale Sampa is campaigning.GBM suporters have the right to question the motive behind such acts.
ATI policemen IN FULL RIOT GEAR. ARE THESE NOT JUST LUMPENS WITH WEAPONS? THE COUNTRY IS ROTTEN.
This thief is a proper cadre, who landed RB in trouble over those canters, the man is dull , all he did was dance at secondary school. Pitful !
people of Kasama clobber the guy with more than required teeth in his mouth.
I am very dissapointed with your reporting Lusaka Times.Have you been bought by this Sampa?His record is well known and whilst we cant be suprised with Sata using him we hought you as an “independent media”would not sink so low as to tow this cheap stake’s line.As for Sampa hang in there their is nothing good waiting for you.You are surely destined for jail.
This Kelvin is just a common criminal, he Cheated Dr Maureen Mwanawasa’s NGO out of money, Banda campaign ou of Money and now PAYA FARMER(PF) can trust him.
Kambwili, Monde and Masumba are even better.
This is a chap who was just break dancing at school and indeed very dull in class! This is a yoo bally who has been in Lusaka the whole of his life and am surprised by his claims of knowing Kasama! Ask him anything about N province n c if he will be able to answer or if at all he has been to the village where his parents come from! He is now a cadre coz of survival!
This is the Chap who has been taken to court by different people on several occasions coz of his questionable character! The way he would sing RB praises and insult PF’s Sata those days and all of a sudden how Sata has become an angel and how he has dumped RB tells a lot about the character of this boy- TYPICAL SEBANA WIKUTE. Kasama people trust this bastard at yo peril!
Where is this Sampa getting money from,and why has he started donating money now,big amounts ,if u trace him he has no financial track record & how much tax he has paid to ZRA,its another Liato saga he has billions of money frm state house buried somewhere