Thursday, March 28, 2024

15 UPND cadres from Chawama arrested for attacking the presidential motorcade

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President Edgar Lungu's motorcade
President Edgar Lungu’s motorcade

Police in Solwezi have arrested 15 UPND cadres from Chawama area for riotous behaviour after they attacked the presidential motorcade on Saturday during President Edgar Lungu’s visit to North –Western Province.

But UPND in North-western Province has refuted claims that the 15 arrested by police are members of the opposition political party.

North-western Province Deputy Commissioner of Police Geoffrey Kunda confirmed the arrest to the Daily Nation. “It is criminal to attack the presidential motorcade because it is a threat to the president and other citizens,” he said.

He said the 15 were among other Chawama residents who threw stones, booed and flashed UPND symbol at the presidential motorcade. Mr. Kunda said the 15 are still in police custody and are expected to appear in court soon.

He warned that Police would take stern action against perpetrators of lawlessness.

“The Police will not allow citizens in Solwezi to break the law without consequences,” Mr Kunda said.

But UPND in North-western Province has distanced itself from members who have been arrested.

UPND North-western provincial vice chairperson Mark Kalemba denied responsibility for mobilizing the crowd that threw stones at President Edgar Lungu at Solwezi Chawama market.

“We did not plant any of our cadres to attack the president, the citizenry acted on their own accord without any influence from the party,” he said

Kalemba said it was disrespectful and unfortunate that the residents attacked the Presidential motorcade.
He said the UPND believed in abiding by the rule of law and could not perpetuate violence towards the head of State and his party members.

Mr Kalemba said the people in Chawama were acting based on mob reaction to express their displeasure.

“The people were trying to show their displeasure with the lack of development and poor governance,” he said.

Mr Kalemba accused the president’s security wings of failing in their duties and endangering the life of the head of state.

“The entire system including the advance party has of late been weak and negligent in carrying out their duties,” he said.

38 COMMENTS

  1. The writing is on the wall. There is dissent towards Lungu all over the country.

    We can no longer hide the fact they there is too much suffering in Zambia

    • What makes it sad is this that the opposition have noting to offer even in the face of all thats going currently.
      They cant inspire anyone….all they can do is encourage their members to throw stones at the presidential motorcade.

      Is that the best you can do? ubupuba bweka bweka fi upnd

    • …..falling kwacha, load shedding, joblessness, no industries etc, the list is endless. Lungu you are in trouble this time and your panga tactics will not save you this time.

      Kuya bebele

      Viva HH

    • Those Chawama thugs should be punished for disrespecting their former MP. This just shows that the thugs from PF have now invaded UPND. There never been any UPND in Chawama.

    • ECL is being sorted out by his own people (or is it the gods). How do you explain the power failure at Heroes while he was in an elevator, or the failure of the chopper engine, worse still the failure of his intelligence people to know that driving through that chawama was not a good idea.

    • Ba Nostradamus is it Chawama or Kyayama . . . plz Kaondes help. This is some shanty compound in Solwezi not Edgars Chawana in Lsk

  2. hmmm, pantu nevers said ati mr.president the citizens dont want to harm you, so why have a motorcade. lelo to justify that, you organise people or fabricate stories so that we argue in the affirmative that he does need the 20 vehicle motorcade. we see through all your schemes. talema nazo

    • If I am not mistaken people in Solwezi refer to the area in question as Kyawama not Chawama. Zambian journalism is pathetic.

    • It’s kyawama. Whatever the case this is the reason upnd should not be voted in power because they are lawless. We ‘ve always taught people that your power is in the ballot paper not stones.

    • Me,
      you Me and me both! I too just assumed that a track-load of cadres from Chawama in Lusaka had gone all the way to Solwezi so they can throw tomatoes and eggs on ka Lungu’s limousine. That’s what I thought was going on. I had no idea there could be another Chawama outside Lusaka

  3. What will it benefit Solwezi by attacking the motorcade of the state President. A good lesson to others please send them to prison.

  4. If I were the president, I wad going to cutoff development from north westerners and southerners coz they will never appreciate…! Vote for your small god hh…! Come 2016, it will be kolopa.com……white wash…! Viva pf!

  5. Those *****s are lucky to escape with arrests only.

    The Police behaved very professionally.

    You don’t attack the Presidency. If you want the person occupying the Presidency out, you register to vote, and then vote that person out.

    That is how sane people do politics and governance.

  6. This sounds traumatic. Poor ED must require lots of hugs and reassurance that all is well. Come in to exile, buddy. No need to pack any bags. As for you naughty lads and lassies o’er yonder… give the man a break. It’s hard work avoiding press conferences, attending football matches with people heckling, getting slated in the press, having to get his piranhas to come up with more flimsy reasons to attack opposition… and how do you thank him? With boos, party hand signs and disdain! You have no respect for the State of his Head… I meant head of state…

    ps. Could all empty egg cartons please be returned to my old address.

  7. Comment:@ Chils
    Keep crying my brother for your beloved H-H all year long. Looks like even if your man were to come into power you would still find something to cry about. You are made of such material, never to realise anything positive in your life except always to find someone to blame for your incompetence and laziness!

    • You are right, even if he were to come to power I would complain if he starts behaving like a lazy bum like Lungu.

      I cry on behalf of the masses in Zambia. I am very successful where I am

  8. Deal with those upnd thugs severely.they are useless.upnd remember that u will b butchered in Lubansenshi by Kampyongo’s team.

  9. We’ll have you out soon! Be strong! We know the PF police have picked innocent people just to show they are doing something about it.
    This is just the beginning of a long struggle with menomeno. They have been taking our minerals and developing their Muchinga leaving nothing in NWP! This is the frustration NWP has and it’s painful! To our comrades, be strong and sing our liberation song:

    Stand and cry for Zambia we are not free
    Land of great injustice brutality
    Victims in the struggle for development
    We’ve lost freedom of speech
    No one is excluded

    Cry unto God
    Cry unto God
    Cry for Salvation
    Zambia Zambia

    We cannot stand under the leadership of drunkards
    Zambia shall be free
    All one strong and free

  10. Gen
    Its PF that is in power, the weak economy and suffering and more to come is at the watch of PF government. HH simply warned the nation that without strategic planning more suffering will come and proof is in the pudding in Solwezi residents reaction towards the president.
    Keep defending the indefensible but suffering of Zambians is evident.

  11. So the government spokesman was trying to put band aid on all these interesting expressions that actually happened after all. So there indeed was booing and pelting…

  12. CASTRATE THOSE CHAWAMA THUGS TOGETHER WITH THEIR LEADERS. ZAMBIA HAS PEACEFUL WAYS AND MEANS OF RESOLVING ISSUES WHENEVER THEY ARISE. IN THIS CASE THERE ISN’T EVEN AN ISSUE.

    AND YOU UPND CHAPS, HH WILL NEVER WIN ANY ELECTIONS IN ZAMBIA. CAN’T YOU TRY OTHERS LIKE GBM?

  13. Comment:@ Chils
    So you see, that is the difference! You are successful where you are wherever that is but am Working hard at home to make a difference and see how I can make contribution to the development of my country Zambia. And am very proud to be doing so!
    Enjoy your wealth my brother but please don’t out loudly because these politicians have a tendency to disappoint no matter how good they look! Success In one’s like is not yardstick for good leadership because even crooks become successful!

  14. Please jail the thugs so that other UPND cadres learn from this. UPND is a violent party which shows its stupidity whenever an election is taking place in the so called its strong hold. What a bunch of frustrated cadres. Jail them severely , shame on them.

  15. “The people were trying to show their displeasure with the lack of development and poor governance,” he said….
    This is very dull and tantamount to admission of guilt. For how did he know what their intentions were??? Ba UPND, you can do better than that!!!

  16. Strange how the police take stern action when it is the opposition in trouble. PF cadres walk free.
    This reaction shows people are fed up. EL is always on the move.

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