Two people have died in Mazabuka after being shot by police during riots that have rocked the town for the last two days.
The riots followed the death of two people in a stampede ignited after police tear gassed a named bar in the district. The two men were shot by police officers who were trying to disperse an angry crowd.
Police have been trying to calm the situation in the town but the residents have persisted with their riotous behaviour. The residents have also been stoning cars passing through the town.
And government has strongly condemned the use of live bullets by the police officers. Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lunga says Government regrets that Police in Mazabuka have continued with their unprofessional conduct.
Mr Lungu has apologised on behalf of the government to the nation and the bereaved families.
The Home Affairs Minister has ordered the police command to institute investigations and ensure that those involved are held accountable and punished accordingly.
Mr Lungu has said that it was unfortunate that the break down in the law and order has continued in Mazabuka resulting in damage to property.
He said Mazabuka General Hospital was damaged forcing health workers to flee the hospital leaving patients unattended to.
Mr Lungu has since ordered for the deployment of more officers to Mazabuka. He has appealed to the residents to remain in doors to allow the Police to keep law and order.
[ZNBC]
are we going to be killed everyday like this?? RBBish must go…now is the time 2011 kuyabele!!!
i dont get, stampede or shooting?????????????
What!!! government is now turning sides? I dont blame the police for using live ammunition because a riot is a riot. What is the difference between this Mazabuka riot and the Mongu one. If the vice president justified the use of live bullets during a riot what do you expect the police to do, go against their boss?
But anyways, this government is weak why not fire the police bosses for failing to control their subordinates.
the heading should be like this…..”Police kill two more in Mazabuka as riots continue”.
Number 1. What has the police shooting in Mazabuka got to do with RB? Be objective with your comments!
Useless cops. #5 it’s RB who is ultimately responsible for the police force, he is not only responsible for “wooing investors”, he is the President man
#1
he is probably stealing his mother’s airtime stu pi d i diot.
It is not acceptable to lose lives, every Zambian life is precious. But can the people of Mazabuka please remain calm. Civilised means of violence control like teargas have clearly failed, so what other means apart from live bullets do the police have to restore order if rioters will not listen and resort to violent acts? Violent acts like rioting and stone throwing are bound to result in injury and more deaths. Loss of life whether by a stray stone or by a police bullet remains loss of life. Reflect on this deeply.
#2, first was stampede during which 2 people died, then riot started and has continued, then today police as usual used live ammunition and shot and killed 2 people. According to George Kunda, live ammunition is the minimum force the police can use!! Sad sad sad sad!!!!
MMD gvt should tek responsibility and stop the rot in the police force. Next kunda will tell the nation that its ok for police kill to safeguarde prperty just like mongu massacre. People are not happy and if RB thinks tunisia formula is on another planet he will be surprised. Today taima(d/home aff. min) told parliament that govt gas bought and distributed riot gears to all police officers. same day live bullets are used. wha a govt we have?
SAGAN CULTURE EVERYBODY IS CARRING A GUN! Panji Kaunda’s prophecy is slowly unvailing itself. We are under the Jacobean Rule of ERR, no doubt. Once the Head is rotten the legs and hands cannot function well. Kunda is to blame who justfied the gun shooting, HERB government. IG must be an I.D.O.Tic leader. shame on you ba buju.
Is Mazambuka a small Libya in Zambia, that police are shoting innocent people.?
If you think Mazabuka is rioting because of the two who died in a stamped then you are a shallow head. These guys are tired of being ruled by dunder-heads and are doing what their cousins in Western Province failed to do better.
this is not fair…arrest the cops!
You can’t be ruled by a person who you know that even the least educated fellow in SP is better educated than him.
State Police are mandated to enforce law and order.If you are a law abiding citizen, you dont expect to be shot.
More riots, wait until they spread to Lusaka!!!!
Is William Banda the new police boss. Rupiah and his minion are wicked chaps. Every day people are dying because of Rupiah’s encompetence.
keep shooting them, after all they dont contribute to national development and drink all day, am earnin 13 grand pounds per month elo am married to buga woman. what can u tell me? if they shot me it wud be national mourning
Too excited about unmerited promotions & appointment…….ba Lizzy Machina mwa ona. U concentrated on throwing parties & cleaning the police station but lacked management qualities. It is sad MTSPIP
The riots in Mazabuka and Mongu are a sample of what is coming up should the elections be rigged this year. It is a sample of a revolution that has rocked the Arab world. Watch this space. Police will be blamed for fuelling the situation for their continued unprofessional conduct. They are trigger thirsty. It is time they should be deployed to Afghanistan and try their skills in the rugged mountanious of that country with the Taliban. They seem to be flexing their ammunition on the poor unarmed civilians yet we have wars elsewhere around the world. Shame on these useless police officers who have failed to stop violent and aggravated crime in the country which they are part to it anyway. They wait for riots to pull the triggers on the unarmed civilians but cant confront armed robbers.
@am richer than your father; You are one of the few uncle toms that I have seen in recent times! What is a ka £13,000 in the UK, with high cost of leaving how much do you save or later on send to you hungry parents in kuku compound. You are the same chaps when you come back to zed, you don’t look like you even stayed overseas! *****.
## 6! silly you! he is the command in chief of all the armed forces!! don’t politic over innocent lives, you and your people will pay!!
Not again. They don’t learn, why kill innocent people. It’s just not right, why can’t they use rubber bullets. Shame on the police and shame on the Gov.
Interesting !!! Minister Mkhondo Lungu says Government regrets that Police in Mazabuka have continued with their unprofessional conduct,VP George Kunda will say ” the police were acting professionally” .these two guys, do they work in the same govt?
Mkhondo Lungu i hereby appoint you as Vice President,you are more sensible than George Kunda or did i say appoint,i have fired you like Mulongoti for opposing George Kunda.
The problem that we have in the third world is that we still don’t understand the freedom of expression. if someone grieved in one way or the other starts throwing stones and damaging other people’s property that is not freedom of expression it becomes thuggery and consequently must be treated like any other thug. Even in America police shoot(live bullets) if you become unruly and start damaging people’s property or you become a danger to society. The police are there to maintain order/Peace if the officer’s life is endangered by unruly thugs then they should use the power invested in them by the state.They should also have their own camera men for court evidence before the judge otherwise we will have national police service discredited by the so called independent media.
#23 Syamwali,
You have posed a very important question, ‘Does Mkhondo Lungu and his vice president George Kunda serve in the same govt? Their contradictory comments on the cold blooded murders of citizens by police suggests that there is nobody in charge of the country, all hell has broken loose. In fact the police will kill more because Kunda has declared that their actions are professional. Does that mean that Zambia is now a police state?
Rats on the loose! The cat is sleeping! Maybe we bring in a tigger to round them up!
#5 IWE SWINE, U DNT KN THAT RB IS THE PRESIDENT…WHO DO U THINK GIVES ORDERS? RB WILL BE TAKEN TO INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT OF JUSTICE….PIPO KILLED AR NOW SIX WITHIN 2 MONTHS…..NKONDO U WILL EXPLAIN ITS JST MONTHS TO COME…..MWANYA BANGWERE
Police officers do not manufacture live ammunition. They are given by their superiors and their superiors are appointed by government. In my book, the government is responsible for the death of these rioters. If our police do not know how to handle rioters without killing, then it is a systemic failure of policy and someone in government MUST own up and resign or be fired. There MUST be an inquest and the relatives should not accept to bury these victims UNTIL someone answers for this wanton and dastardly behaviour.
George Kunda said that the police acted proffesionally in mongu and am sure he still thinks the same of the mazabuka shooting…..what a shame!
Police brutality is too much in Zambia, police need to be seriously trained to deal with crowd control without using live bullets, that should be the extreme last resort, not the first line of defence. It’s shameful and sad that citizens are now victims of police brutality. It is one thing to maintain law and order and it is another to kill innocent people even when it is not needed. Law and order can be maintained without using live bullets all the time.
What about the innocent motorists passing through mazabuka whose cars are being stoned??????shop owners etc???????should the police just watch??????Hell NO,they have to shoot them rioters/drunkards mutisebanya.rioting for booz.f.u.c.k
The police also have to protect themselves by pulling the trigger.Simple
Rioters are also wrong.
RIP for those shop
It is about time we secede from this poor,lawless banana republic and create our own Barotseland republic,strong,mighty and far better than basketcase zed.We need to go to Tunisia,Egypt,Libya and Yemen for consultations.If any Mazabukans want to join us they are welcome.
Nkoya Nation,
” Police brutality is too much in Zambia, police need to be seriously trained to deal with crowd control without using live bullets ”
Everything gets down to money, which means everything gets down to getting $1.2 billion a year from the mines through either a windfall tax or nationalisation.
We need to take care of the big picture first, and then we have the money to take care of the *all important* details – like police training and police labs, getting medication into hospitals, paying nurses, doctors and teachers.
I’m glad to see that the PF is taking the windfall tax seriously. It looks to me that Zambia is closer to seeing Egyptian style demonstrations than Zimbabwe is. The reason is the same – neoliberal exploitation.
#34 Barotseman,
I am supporting you on this one, TAKE YOUR WESTERN PROVINCE WHICH IS FULL OF SANDA AND UNPRODUCTIVE despite Zambian investing in it.
Unfortunately you can’t even build a pit latrine toilet on this sand. You proud for nothing ignorant Lozi?
I know you, if it was a Bemba President as Zambian President now, you could have used this as a pretex for seceding from GREAT MOTHER ZAMBIA full of PEACE.
I am proud to be a Zambian, are you?
I am proud of the great Zambian freedom fighters in the name of NALUMINO MUNDIA, SIKOTA WINA, ARTHUR WINA, NAKATINDI WINA e.t.c
You need to blame the Angolan civil war for the underdevelopment in Western province, because the government was busy defending Zambian territory from attacks. Now there is peace in Angola, the gov is…
#36 Walanda bwino balefwaya ukututeka infine ba chopett.
#36 fake Shaka.No i never was proud to be zambian.Whats there to be proud of?cholera,garbage cities?corrption and everything owned or run by foreigners?Tell me one thing where zed is #1 even in africa?-none.That is why its a basketcase having the same statistics as war torn countries despite the “peace”.Even Mushota is never proud of zed.Am glad i now hold a western passport and when my great people find oil in Barotseland we will kick u dirty zed asses out of our promised land full of milk ,honey and our rich culture.
#38 Barotseman,
Shame on you foreigner!!! Why are you involving yourself in our country’s Zambian internal affairs when you have renounced your Zambian citizenship and have a WESTERN PASSPORT?
You sounds like someone who had been coveting to renounce your Zambian citizenship and get a WESTERN PASSPORT? Are you of the ECONOMICAL REFUGEES there?
Read carefully your passport, we Zambians are going to ask INTERPOL to arrest your where you are for fomenting civil strife in Zambia.
Leave Zambians alone in peace if you valued Zambia you wouldn’t have renounced your Zambian citizenship!
We Zambians are developing Western province, now that Zambia is of the fastest growing economy in the World and with stood the economical depression unlike where you are.
SHAME ON YOU!…
#38 Barotseman,
I am proud of the Litunga’s approach to solving Western province’s economical, political and social issues.
I am proud to be a Zambian. GOOOODDDDDDD.
A mob is a group of persons with heads but no brains.
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction
He can from no were and dribbled Sakwiba Sikota. The he high jacked UDA then he wants to dribble and over a big institution like Pf. What a greedy character. He will never get votes outside his tribe because he laks charisma
Finish the missing words and tell me who the character is.
I ve got k20b. Am educated. LET me rule because you are Kapönyaz. What no sense…
Shaka won’t answer questions coz its the truth.If i have family in Mongu,send money & am a dual citizen here and Barotseland then i have right to get involved.Zed has never been fastest growing,China India,Qatar are fastest and even if its growing the benefits go to foreigners since zambians can’t run anything.From Zamtel to ZCCM to Manda hill everything is foreign or Indian so how are zambians benefiting?Even recession hit UK& US recently increased aid since you can’t even help yourselves.If zed is so rosy why are there riots in mazabuka,cholera in the many slums of Lusaka & RB getting booed in mporokoso?
George Kunda said it ok for police to kill and refused to apologise over the Mongu killings! It has become a police state now.
In the first place you said you are not proud to be Zambian, now you have changed because i said am a proud Zambian? You boasted of your WESTERN passport, Bo Barotseman ulibe nzelu in your head!!!
How did you become a dual citizenship of what countries? Surely not Zambia with our country constitution which bars dual citizenship? Did you obtain through fraud?
Zambian is among the fastest growing economy in the world (last year we grew at 7.1% not seen in the USA), ask investors? We have just got a B+ credit rating by Fitch Ratings which will help attract more international investors as it will act as an investment reference point. What a good news for us true Zambians!
USA have more foreign investors running the economy, China is one of them. Zambia is a free market like USA…
#45 Barotseman
In the first place you said you are not proud to be Zambian, now you have changed because i said am a proud Zambian? You boasted of your WESTERN passport, Bo Barotseman ulibe nzelu in your head!
How did you become a dual citizenship of what countries? Surely not Zambia with our constitution which bars dual citizenship? Did you obtain through fraud?
Zambian is among the fastest growing economy in the world (2010 we grew at 7.1% not seen in the USA), ask investors? We have just got a B+ credit rating by Fitch Ratings which will help attract more international investors as it will act as an investment reference point. What a good news 4 true Zambians!
USA have more foreign investors running their economy, China is one of them, even investors from all over the world…
Continued…..
#45 Barotseman,
Regarding the Mazabuka riots in Zambia, even the USA, UK, e.t.c riots like the USA’s Wisconsin protests. Of recent the UK has experienced more riots than protests.
Investors and countries in the world have high regards for Zambia’s democracy.
Look at the way, our LOZI Litunga handled the barotseland issue in Western Province of Zambia, you can just that Zambians Chiefs are full of wisdom, no wonder Zambia have p-e-a-c-e-eeeeee!!
Our Zambian President has supported the change of constitution to accommodate people like you to have dual citizenship, so that you can be a proud Zambian.
Please when you get back the Zambian citizenship (after the constitution is enacted) be proud to be a Zambian and the culture attached to it, and do not…
#45 Barotseman,
Regarding RB getting booed in mporokoso, it is a sign of strong, true and good democracy at work in Zambia. What a good experience for Zambians to exercise their democracy in a free atmosphere without fearing of being arrested nor killed by the government!!! I am proud of Zambia.
Actually am planning to go back to Zambia to contribute to its development in all spheres. Zambia is putting and investing more in WESTERN province and great people like Yeta, Oliver Sasaa, Sikota Wina and all the Indunas are in support of this.
God bless all the provinces of Zambia!!!!!
This whole thing is wrong! Firstly, it makes no sense to teargas a small crowded bar; resulting in the inevitable stampede. Secondly, use of live ammunition to control a rioting crowd is a serious human rights breach and those responsible have to face the law. Min of Home Affairs and police IG should take full responsibility and step down.
let us not forget that our brothers and sisters in the police are also working under difficult conditions and citizens rioting at any slightest misfortune does not make it easier.What happened in mazabuka was very unfortunate but i dont think it justifies rioting and destroyng property which the residents themselves will need to use.The govnt has admitted that the police made a mistake and will be dealt with accordingly now can someone honestly tell me how that shud justify rioting,for some it is a matter of taking advantage over a bad situation,pliz let us reason better and not get excited over the unfortunate happening.GOD HAVE MERCY ON OUR NATION AND STAY BLESSED
#51 Tell them Big Pipe.That is how inhuman,unreasonable & lawless zed is.That is why am proud to be from Barotseland-not zed.Those folks never know how to settle issues and want to force our chiefs to their evil ways.
Shaka if you knew my kind of work then you’d know i need 2 passports so go ahead get interpol am right here in Phily.Please leave barotse issue as you zed mafiosos want to force our Litunga to be a sellout to our right to a republic.Zed just like Haiti will never be a successful place even with their fake growth,fake investments and fake democracy.Only mazabuka is reall.
#53 Barotseman,
Haiti is unique and different from Zambia’s issues. French people left chaos in Haiti, but luck the British left Zambia in order that is why the Barotseland for Western province declaration.
Haiti was blockaded by the French and its inhabitants were slaves, but Zambia was run by the British and its inhabitants indigenous, and Zambian politicians from WESTERN province who were Zambian nationalists like the great LOZI freedom fighter NALUMINO MUNDIA who worked with KAPWEPWE a Bemba to defeat the emerging Dictatorship of the ONE PARTY rule of UNIP under Kaunda.
Bo Barotseman with the above few words i rest my case now!!!!!!! God bless you.
This is just one of the “Causes of Unrest”God forbid the current domino effect spreading to our Impoverished Country ZAMBIA.Amen.
#5 Bushman – It has everything to do with RB of MuMnDip- I mean everything. His side kick justified the Mongu shooting and went at length to tell lies that if the ZP had not used live ammo, more lives were going to be lost. So naturally the Mabuka ZP are simply following orders to prevent loss of life by shooting a few people.
RB is commander in chief of all armed forces so there is no need of blaming police.The problem is beyond the police.People are very frustrated with this government.The police are just being used.Our anger is growing in all provinces so GRZ should be careful with the way they handle issues.TIMELY ADVICE-Whether you start shooting people or not change is coming soon.
The same police caused confusion in Mufumbwe and now its spreading across the whole country. Fire the boss.I do not know which politician or activist is to be arrested for treason in Mazabuka now . Whats happening in Zed?
In Mazabuka i see a group of frustrated pipo, tired of poverty and the economic situation in the country. these people you see working in the streets are frustrated even if you see them smiling as if all is well PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY, we are not happy including you who is reading this you are not happy inside our hearts we know we need change, this government must GO, i mean Rupiah Must GO.
Another police brutality, Please ask Veep Kunda to give a ministrial statement on the death of these innoncent Tonga and Lozi residents of Mazabuka. We would like to know what he will say….No compensation just promotion for the Police thugs who are working under difficult conditions.
We should all get loans from the banks to buy guns so that when we are attacked by the police we can defend ourselves after all the state power is made out of nothing but prison, guns and police cells. No one has the right to take life of another person not even in the name of the state.
The state should institute an enquest on deaths of innocent citizens in Mazabuka and Mongu, loss of human life has become common and govt has obligation to safe guard citizens` lives, the pace we are going Baghidad is becoming more safer than Zambia.