Mwangala Says Lubinda Was Not Abducted, Calls PF Allegations False

Kabwe United Party for National Development Acting District Youth Chairman Kelvin Mwangala has rejected allegations by Patriotic Front senior official Brian Mundubile that Acting PF President Given Lubinda was abducted by UPND youths during a meeting in the district. In a detailed statement, Mwangala said reports of abduction and assault were not accurate and urged the PF leadership to correct the record.

Speaking in Kabwe, Mwangala said the youth wing had followed events surrounding Lubinda’s visit and that the version presented by Mundubile did not reflect what transpired. He said Lubinda entered the district without notifying the police and held a meeting at a local venue known as Three Seasons without securing a permit. According to Mwangala, this placed the gathering in violation of public order requirements.

He said UPND youths were also conducting mobilization activities within the area at the same time and were aware of the PF meeting. Mwangala stated that tensions rose when the youths discovered the PF meeting had proceeded without police clearance. He said this confrontation was the source of the confusion reported on social media and not an organized attack or abduction by UPND members.

Mwangala said police intervened at the scene and that officers, whom some PF figures had previously criticised as being aligned with the ruling party, were the ones who removed Lubinda from the crowd and escorted him to safety. He said Lubinda was not taken to an unknown location and was not harmed, adding that he personally saw Lubinda after the incident and confirmed that he was fine.

He accused Mundubile of circulating information that he said did not match events on the ground and urged political leaders to verify details before issuing public statements. Mwangala said repeated claims of abductions created unnecessary alarm when the police had already managed the situation.

He said the police should inform the public whether Lubinda had obtained a permit for the meeting, adding that if such permission was not granted, the gathering fell outside legal requirements. Mwangala said all citizens were expected to operate within the law, regardless of political position, and that Lubinda could not be exempt from procedures that applied to everyone else.

According to Mwangala, allegations that UPND youths kidnapped Lubinda were unfair and should not be directed at the ruling party. He said the PF needed to avoid presenting internal logistics challenges as actions of another political group. He also said the party understood the PF’s frequent visits to Kabwe and believed the opposition had internal activities underway, but this did not justify linking the UPND to an incident that he said was not an abduction.

Mwangala stated that the UPND youth wing was committed to following the law and had been repeatedly reminded by President Hakainde Hichilema that any youth who engaged in unlawful behaviour would be acting alone. He said this directive had been emphasised to party structures and was central to how the district youth wing operated. He added that the party had taken this guidance seriously and applied it consistently during mobilization.

He urged the public to rely on correct information and said the police could confirm the actual sequence of events. Mwangala said no one was beaten and that all individuals present at the scene were safe. He advised that the police record would provide clarity and help counter misinformation circulating on various media platforms.

He said the youth wing expected an apology from Mundubile, stating that the UPND should not be linked to actions it did not carry out. Mwangala concluded by reaffirming that Lubinda was safe and had been escorted by police, not abducted, and that the district youth wing intended to continue its activities within the confines of the law.