By Lusaka Times Reporter
We briefly caught up with Brian Mundubile as police officers moved in to disperse church sympathisers who had gathered near the Drug Enforcement Commission following the appearance of Archbishop of Lusaka Dr Alick Banda.
At the time of reporting, police were surrounding the roundabout near the High Court and issuing fresh instructions to push the crowd further away from the area. Mundubile was seen moving quickly as officers advanced, before getting into his vehicle and leaving the scene.
Speaking moments before his departure, Mundubile described the developments as unfortunate, stating that the gathering was peaceful and not political in nature.
He said the group largely comprised priests, nuns, and other church members who had escorted the Archbishop earlier in the day.
“This is a very peaceful crowd, predominantly of priests, nuns and other church members who may have escorted a bishop to D.E.C,” Mundubile said. “For the police to deploy this amount of force, where are our freedoms? We have freedom of movement and freedom to associate.”
According to Mundubile, the group had walked peacefully from the cathedral to the commission offices and was already dispersing when police began intervening.
“The parishioners, nuns and other priests were on their way back, but the police are now harassing them,” he said. “So when we say there is an attack on the church, this is exactly what we mean.”
As police continued to move the crowd further away from the roundabout near the High Court, Mundubile questioned the necessity of the operation, maintaining that the gathering posed no threat to public order.
“This is not a political crowd,” he said. “It is a very peaceful crowd.”
When asked how he hoped the situation would unfold, Mundubile said he expected the government to handle the matter with objectivity and maturity as questioning of the Archbishop continued.
He said he hoped President Hakainde Hichilema and his administration would exercise restraint, warning that continued confrontations involving the church could have broader implications for the country.
“If there is continued action perceived as an attack on the church, that is not good for the country,” Mundubile said.
At the time of reporting, police had not issued a public explanation for the decision to disperse the gathering. No incidents of violence or arrests were observed.
The developments unfolded as Archbishop Banda was being questioned by the Drug Enforcement Commission, amid heightened national attention over public order, freedom of assembly, and church-state relations.
Iwe coward Mundubile.There is no conflict between Church and State.Archbishop Banda was not summoned for preaching a spiritual sermon but because he loves dubious earthly things.He even carried earthly lawyers and not angels to DEC
Who asked you for any explanation? Mundubile has freedom to be wherever he wants. And stop cracking menial jokes with literally no humor at the church. We will laugh last
This overgrown behavior gatherings by political figures, the public whenever there’s s citizen is summoned is actions that exceed peaceful protest and cross into unlawful conduct. The summoned is not guilty until proven, but Zambia is a nation of laws where no one is above. The is just doing its duties whilst Mundubile and company holds the key to what’s done in darkness. I was raised catholic and nothing else has ever pointed to the government being against catholic. The great theme for these opposition parties or figures is to cause confusion and convince those with little knowledge, luck of understanding and desperate.
Inspite of all his weaknesses, I salute late FTJ. He never stopped people from expressing themselves. We used to match freely in protest against his ill-advised and ill-fated 3rd term. That said, if this news article is correct then Mundubile has no spine. He has exhibited a worrying characteristic. Jumping in his car and leaving priests and nuns to face the police. Inexcusable
Mundubile akula kulafye, what a shame.
Who has forgotten the peaceful gatherings of yester year
Zambians! We really deserve the leaders we elect. Holy man is driving a car(our car) given to him fraudulently. Zambians that he is being treated unfairly.
The car was stolen from us.
Whose car is this? The Bishop? The church? The kamfulumfulu? The ZRA?
Iwe Muntu – just because you are used to receiving stolen goods, doesn’t mean others being gifted are receiving stolen goods – ZRA signed this vehicle out AFTER IT HAD BEEN PAID FOR!!! Then gifted to the Arch Bishop!!!
Job well done ZP. The so called governance activists, the SP Leaders, The Mundubile group were busy enticing/mobilizing the general public to assemble and give solidarity to Bishop. Thanks to the police for the professional and effective work. After the the successful control by the police, they have turned the story that only the parishioners, nuns and other priests were the ones who were escorting the the Right Bishop, and that the police dispersed them, and insinuating the action as a fighter against the Catholic church. That’s buffoonery, eminating from political soar grapes. Please ba Mundubile, leave the Catholic church, for it has more capacity to handle its affairs than your small, disintegrated parties.
If this report is correct, Mundubile should not have jumped into his car and run away, he should have been in the thick of things. But we may not know the real circumstances. He should not fear arrest, isn’t the guy even a lawyer
Economy ya Zambia yaundwa since 2021
Economy in desperate hands. Kwacha falling even against weak dollar. Weak govt resorting to Chinese currency and fake hydro partnerships with Zimbabwe while loadshedding kills off industry