POLICE in Mongu, Western Province have picked up a 50 year old man for his alleged involvement in the production of seditious materials that were likely to cause a breach of peace.
Both Western Province Police Commissioner Lombe Kamukoshi and Provincial Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Mwamba confirmed yesterday and identified the suspect as Masialeti Masiye, a teacher from Sioma Secondary School.
Ms Kamukoshi said the suspect who was on the run was apprehended at Kasima village near a site where a stadium would be built in a house of a witchdoctor identified as Chibi Namakando, 37.
She said the police managed to corner the suspect on Wednesday night for being involved in last week’s protest.
“Police last night (Wednesday) picked up Mr Masiye who was among the people on the run after being involved in last week’s protest. He was found being sheltered by a witchdoctor in Mongu,” Ms Kamukoshi said.
Police also arrested the witchdoctor to assist with information while the search for Afumba Mombotwa who was alleged to have circulated a video showing him being sworn-in as the administrator general of Barotseland was still on.
Over the weekend, Mr Mwamba suspended four civil servants that were allegedly involved in last week’s Barotse protest.
The four involved were Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), public prosecutor Muleta Kalaluka from Mongu, Community Development Officer,Mutaba Mutaba, District Works Supervisor, Lawrence Mukena and Mr Masiye in whose house the purported administrator general allegedly made a video of the swearing-in ceremony and address.
On August 14, 2013, Linyungandambo Chairperson, Mr Mombotwa was alleged to have circulated a video of the swearing-in ceremony.
The video of Mr Mombotwa which was shot in Sioma was made available on the internet blog sites, the Barotse Post and Barotse Radio on August 15, 2013.
The four suspended officials were allegedly with the 45 protesters that were arrested on the August 15, 2013.
Of the 45, nine were arrested from Mongu and another nine in Senanga while 27 were arrested from Kalabo following a synchronised public demonstration.
The 45 were mostly members of the Linyungandambo association. Police confiscated banners, Linyungandambo identity cards, fliers, CDS and other documentation.
Mr Mwamba warned that the Linyungandambo with its associated groupings were illegal with no formal Government registration saying any activity being conducted by the group was illegal.
He also warned local radio stations not to publish or aide in the production of illegal and subversive material.
He said it was clear that the seditious video was shot at Sioma Secondary School and processed and uploaded in a studio within Mongu.
He said the activities undermined the security and peace of the province, and that government would not hesitate to shut down any entity promoting and circulating the material.
All those arrested would appear in court for plea on September 3, this year.
We need a well informed decision concerning this delicate matter…
MY HOME VILLAGE IS LUKULU BUT MOST OF MY RELATIVES ARE IN SENANGA AND KAOMA. I WOULD BE THE HAPPIEST PERSON ON THIS EARTH IF THESE LINYUNGANDAMBO CHAPS ARE GIVEN A LIFE SENTENCE JAIL BECAUSE THEY ARE ENEMIES OF PEACE. PLEASE DEAL WITH THEM ONCE FOUND GUILTY!!!
Arrests will not solve the BA64 impasse. We need constructive dialogue. Go back to the drawing table. We should not miss the opportunity presented by BA64 to devolve real power to the grassroots.
he was found in a witchdoctor’s house where he took his refuge. wicked tribe
Was the ‘Whole tribe’ in the same place? Typical bigoted primate!
Just tell Kaunda to come out of hiding and explain why he signed the Barotse Agreement only to come and unilaterally squash later. If he was not interested he should never have signed it let alone even go to Limulunga to go and address the Barotse Kuta ( Barotse National Council) and plead with them that Barotseland (now called Western Province) should be part of an independent Zambia. When he arrogantly squashed he thought he was getting rid of the issue for good but alas it is back with us. I hope Kaunda recalls the words of Nalumino Mundia when he introduced the Local govt Act of 1965. Instead of listening to the advice KK sent Mundia to prison on Chilubi island.
KK’s silence explains it all. He was too drunk with power at the time. He knew not what he was doing by abrogating the BA 64. It was the most irresponsible thing for anyone to have ever done and choosing to stay in hibernation till the day he will be completely out of reach.
Why are they on the run. That’s why I admire the Bembas . When they took on the mighty sata on sosala , they did it openly and without fear .
Birds of the same feather.
Just be careful the witchdoctor doesn’t turn into a crocodile while in cells kikikiki
Address the root causes of this impass! Arresting defenseless people is dealing with symptoms only. PF should take stock and show seriousness in everything they do.
God has given you power for a little season. Don’t abuse it! Remember UNIP!
Ethnocentricity, regionalism and tribalism exhibited by PF is not healthy! Mr Mwamba is the wrong person to have as PS for Western Province. Replace him with somebody mature who understands best. As it is, he will be perceived as a spy for PF! Understand the importance of keeping your promises, tribal balancing and dialogue!
All for what five minutes of a leap? Primitiveness plus ignorance and ubuchishi is what has made these people loose even a tinnie tiny portion of respect, the hench man and his are very comfortable in their warm bed, but the poor villagers and their families are languishing! Is this what you call freedom….from what? when you have a job and roof to craw under, all in the name of a paper drafted by a very greedy cream skinned (Forgive me am not being racist on this one rather metaphoric) pirate.
People wake up, some people here say it will take a Million years for Africa to reach the realm of the western world which i always oppose to, please dont make them be right…… or may be they are, how then can we prove them wrong if they still manage to dribble us even in day light?
By the way, can you please give them atleast a minimum 6months jail term?
The Barotse Issue will not die a natural death, like it or not. History all over the world has shown us this. We need people who are courageous and hold the bull by its horns. We need dialogue and not arrests. We have learnt from other places with similar matters that you can arrest and jail the whole generation but it will only inspire the next generation to demand for the same.
the issue is not even lack of development in the area; lack of development is in all parts of the country away from the line of rail. The issue is about the agreement which the Kaunda gvt signed. Cessation may not be the solution to this but other options can be considered. Let us consider a Federal Republic like it is in Nigeria and other countries.
Don’t talk about Nigeria you! Tribal war, religious war, endless military coups, over a million people dead in Biafra, is that what you want to compare Zambia to? These people are making threats, not seeking dialogue. They are saying “give us what we want or it is war”. That’s not a basis for dialogue! It’s like someone says “give me all your money or else” and then calls it dialogue
lunacy at its highest peak. when you don’t have anything to do its better you go sleep. I have been to western and Northern western provinces. the places are backward to say the least you can even feel poverty in your face. Masupa yao bo Masialeti. thats why you lack names and can only be known as Mubika mubika, nalikena nalikena, mumbwa mumbwa come on Lozis have a life and grow up.
I have also been to Luapula, Muchinga and Northern provinces and one can smell their poverty in the air.
He was hiding in a witchdoctors shelter just like the way they found Former Minister of Finance Headman Katele Kalumba.
Give them a 26 year jail sentence kwasila. These guys are behaving so stu.pidly.
Peace and Prosperity to mother Zambia.
Send them to Angola to have dialogue about their claim to that part of Barotseland, you will see if the Angolan army is going to be that tolerant
I hope these chaps from the semi desert are not thinking of including the CB as their territory!Lambas have never been subjects of the Litunga.
So whatever they do let them stick to their semi-desert!The white man duped them and they think they own half of this country!