House where he was poured with Opaque beer.
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia has condemned in the strongest sense the harassment by suspected Patriotic Front (PF) supporters of staff at Flava FM Radio based on the Copperbelt which was scheduled to feature Fr. Frank Bwalya on their good governance programme called Community View Point.
In a statement released to the media, MISA said that they were saddened that the incident came barely a week after the BIGOCA incident at which other journalists were also physically attacked. They also said that this was preceded by another one committed by other suspected PF cadres on Muvi TV reporters in Lusaka recently.
“This state of affairs is very worrying least to say because the country’s democracy is at stake as the right to freedom of expression is threatened by such attacks”.
“We are even more worried that before investigations are concluded on the BIGOCA incident a similar incident has been recorded. We call on the PF to urgently address this matter and not only make announcements that amount to window dressing,” read the statement
“It is sad that Fr Bwalya was poured with a local brew made from maize called Chibuku by such cadres suspected to be from the PF simply for exercising his right to express himself,” concluded the statement
[pullquote]“They confronted us and pulled two of the people I was with and they started beating them up. When I saw this, I approached them and while in the process of rescuing the other person who was badly beaten, they turned to me poured some ‘Shake shake’ beer on me,” Fr Bwalya said.[/pullquote]
Father Frank Bwalya was yesterday roughed by a group of unruly suspected political cadres who poured opaque beer on him.
Fr Bwalya, who recently formed his own political party called Agenda for Better Zambia, was allegedly confronted by the suspected cadres whilst entering the studios for Flava FM Radio at Mukuba Pension House where he was going to feature on live radio programme, which he however managed to.
He told journalists after the programme that the incidence happened on the second floor of Mukuba Pension House just before he entered the Flava FM studios on his way for the radio programme.
Fr Bwalya said he was in the company of other people when the suspected cadres confronted them and started harassing them.
“They confronted us and pulled two of the people I was with and they started beating them up. When I saw this, I approached them and while in the process of rescuing the other person who was badly beaten, they turned to me poured some ‘Shake shake’ beer on me,” Fr Bwalya said.
He said after that, they told him point-blank that it was he they actually wanted to sort out.
“They tried to pull him out of the studio saying it was me they wanted but I overpowered them and that is how they ran away,” he said.
Fr Bwalya who refused to name the other people he was with he claimed had been assaulted for reason he said they could be followed said he was ready to also throw back punches had the cadres started beating him.
[pullquote]“I even reported to the Police but the officer-in-charge said there was nothing he was going to do because I didn’t know these people,” he said.[/pullquote]
“When I confronted I wanted to see what they were going to do and if they had thrown some punches on me I was going to throw back to protect myself and what I am telling Zambians is to arm themselves because the PF (Patriotic Front) is upto no good,” Fr Bwalya said.
He said he was sure that the people who waylaid and attacked them were PF cadres because some people had already informed him prior to this.
“I even reported to the Police but the officer-in-charge said there was nothing he was going to do because I didn’t know these people,” he said.
Fr Bwalya said the people who attacked them did so with impunity because they knew that the police under the PF had become toothless.
“Right now I am going to report this to the police so that there is a record for the international community to know about this,” Fr Bwalya said.
From Flava, Fr Bwayla went straight to Central Police Station where he was escorted by police officers that came to provide security to him following the incidence.
Copperbelt police commissioner Mary Tembo when contacted over the matter said by press time that she was still waiting for a report from the officer-in-charge where Fr Bwalya had reported the matter.
personal body guards and bouncers should now be recognised and respected in Zambia. Certain personal security services have been neglected for too long and pipo wanted to keep on saving and not recruiting some of the same young stars roaming the streets. But now employment for bouncers is back by popular need!
Tukafwa fye ku manga, tekuma kofi.
it is only in zambia people like father frank bwalya will be suppported in whatever he is doing, first of all lets not forget what bishop noel oreagan said when he sacked bwalya from radio ichengelo, people were angry and called the bishop all sought of names, he told us bwalya wants to make this organization as a political party, everyone refused now we have seen with our eyes, heard with our own hears and proved with our minds, rise up zambia lets work together find good leaders for our country, lets try our own youths to take up the roles in government we tired of these old people who have to retire. even the back grond of education matters in zambia its just too low thats why we will not go anywhere. full stop
You have no name, and worse of all you peak yourself “from Kenya”, the second worst country a person can advise from. I wish I could delete you from existence, what a waste of matter and space you are.
Lets be constructive in our comments guys. This situation calls for a countrywide condemnation if have to avoid war in our country. The government has to be condemned. As a parent you have to control your house. From the look of things, the government has done nothing so far. This can be the beginning of anarchy in our country. VIOLENCE HAS TO BE CONDEMNED IN ZAMBIA. LET OUR CURRENT LEADERS PROVE THEMSELVES IN PREVENTING VIOLENCE.
Hey.. hey..hold yo fire. In the first place u re not in zambia or u re not zambian unless u prove it when u see this text ,hw would u see what the gvt has done then?be constructive moreover its a bit too soon 4 u say all this..dont forget that people appreciated mwanawasa in his second term…u re the same people exagerating the situation when things a as normal as they have been!
Zambians you will nothing left of this democracy you claim to have …. How can you live in a democracy when your leader is a dictator? The whole world knows it, thats why no president will visit Zambia, lest hes mistaken to be supporting that tyrannt in state house.
it surprises me that some people have been swayed inot believing that these thugs are from PF.The simple truth is that Fr.bwalya is trying to play simple psychological gimmicks by organising these thugs so he can blame it on the PF and protray like he’s a popular figure who’s life is under threat.All is wants are dollars from the donor community people.Lets wake up zambia this guy is a crook!
BUFI dr.lelolelo you are frusrtated fool, a normal zambia will condemn this act of violence
Whatever you’re saying is useless to us who leave in rural Zambia. If I may ask, who is Father Bwalya kashi? you have even stopped talking about important lenders like Hichilema who is not even near to the list of the next president of Zambia…. Shame on you because fr bwalya is a kamponya and once a thief always a thief, good day Zambians.
While I don’t believe in Frank Bwalya, his politics and philosophy of violence, which leads to genocide in nations, I don’t understand why the Police in Zambia do not guard the broadcasting studios.
Are we waiting for another “Captain Solo” to wake up and put security measures in place?
Nsanda and co. did a similar thing to Sata, then in opposition, and yet we have not learned a lesson.
MISA Zambia yours will be ending up in issuing statements of condemnation all the time so are the rest of organizations. This regime will scratch your bowls if you just talk but no action, team up with other organizations to demonstrate and show your happiness
i meant to show your unhappiness