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The Lusaka Magistrate court on Wednesday afternoon acquitted Bowman Lusambo and three others for assault.
Lusambo, Watson Mtonga, Scorpion Kadobi and Chiwele Maimisa are alleged to have assaulted Major Richard Kachingwe, Tobias Kafumukache and Gregory Chifire on 19th December 2012.
Facts of the matter are that on the material day, Major Kachingwe held a press briefing at the MMD Secretariat were he invalidated the presidency of Dr. Nevers Mumba and was later allegedly assaulted by the four accused persons and some unknown youths.
And delivering judgment Magistrate Joshua Banda ruled that the evidence adduced before the court was inherently weak and the video footage submitted by ZNBC did not suggest that any of the four accused people assaulted Major. Kachingwe.
Magistrate Banda said the medical report submitted before court indicated that Major Kachingwe only sustained a cut on his toe while clinical evidence indicated that Chifire and Kafumukache did not sustain any injuries.
Magistrate Banda acquitted the quartet as the evidence submitted before the court did not support the allegations made by the victims.
ZNS Commandant Major General Nathan Mulenga (left) and Ministry of Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary Emelda Chola
Government has announced a ban on local manufacturing and importation of incandescent bulbs and energy inefficient lighting devices in Zambia.
Ministry of Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary Emelda Chola said the ban will be implemented gradually starting with the ban on the importation of such products effective 1 January 2016.
Brigadier General Chola explained that the ban on the selling of incandescent bulbs will be effected on 30th June 2016 while incandescent bulbs will be completely phased out by 31st December 2016.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Chola has dispelled assertions from certain sections of society that compact florescent lamps are hazardous to human health due to the presence of mercury in energy saving bulbs.
In a statement, Brigadier General Chola said in order to successfully implement this program, government will through Zesco facilitate the procurement and distribution of an additional 5 million energy saving bulbs which is expected to save additional 200 megawatts.
MMD president Nevers Mumba has confirmed he has been communicating with President Lungu to explore possibilities of working with the Patriotic Front (PF) ahead of the August 11 tripartite elections.
And the Zambia Republican Party (ZRP) says it is ready to enter into an alliance with the PF.
Dr Mumba said in an interview yesterday that he is consulting his party structures before he can come in the open over President Lungu’s offer for MMD to work with PF.
“I can confirm that there has been some communication between myself and President Lungu on the possibility of us working together during the coming election. I am also studying this offer,” Dr Mumba said.
Dr Mumba said that he will shortly respond to President Lungu’s offer because he feels it is important to hold consultations within his party before coming out with a response.
He said that he is currently in Western Province where he is organising and mobilising his party ahead of the general elections.
Speaking in Nyimba on Sunday, President Lungu said PF would not have won in last year’s elections if it had not worked with MMD.
He also that said when parliament is dissolved, PF and MMD would sit down and decide how they would work together.
And the ZRP says that President Lungu’s call to work with the MMD in the August 11 tripartite elections is timely.
ZRP president Wright Musoma said the offer by the PF to again work with the MMD in order to outrightly win in the elections should be encouraged.
“This is the right thing to do. President Lungu’s offer to the MMD is a plus and should not be underrated by any well-meaning Zambian,” he said.
In an interview yesterday, Mr Musoma urged the MMD to take the offer seriously and respond to the President while at the same time reduce on their intra-party differences.
Mr Musoma contends that with the 50-percent-plus-one vote clause in the amended constitution, no political party would have an outright win in the forthcoming general elections without forming an alliance with other parties.
He said it will be wishful for any political party to think that they do not need an alliance in the August 11 elections.
Mr Musoma said ZRP is ready to join the alliance that President Lungu is proposing with the MMD.
Amos Chanada Press Briefing
PRESIDENT Lungu has unveiled a three-option plan to deal with the looming food crisis in the wake of a devastating drought that has hit most parts of Zambia.
Special assistant to the President for press and public relations Amos Chanda told journalists in Mfuwe on Tuesday shortly after Mr Lungu wrapped up his three-day visit to Eastern Province that one of the options the President is considering is the growing of irrigated maize to meet the shortfall.
The second option on the President’s table is to engage the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and farmers’ union to “mop up” all the maize in the country, as well as to assess the deficit.
Mr Chanda, however, said there is information from both the millers and farmers’ union that there could be sufficient maize in the country.
Mr Chanda said if it is established that there is a deficit and local farmers cannot grow enough irrigated maize to fill the gap, importation would be considered as the last option.
“The President is committed nevertheless, whatever the option, to ensuring that there is sufficient food in Zambia and no-one will starve,” he said.
Mr Chanda castigated United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema for criticising the President’s plan to avert hunger.
“When you criticize the three options, then you want the Zambians to starve so that you can extract political capital out of that,” he said.
Mr Chanda said it is wrong to seek success on the back of national failure.
“Mr Hichilema wants Zambians to starve and then he goes to them and offer himself as a messiah; that opportunity will not come because the President will ensure that there is enough maize,” he said.
Mr Chanda said President Lungu will ensure that money is found for maize imports, if it comes to that.
He said the President’s appeal to the opposition is that “there comes a time when the nation must rally behind one cause and ensure that the poor are not disadvantaged”.
Mr Chanda said the maize Government could import is not stockfeed, as some people are suggesting, but it is white maize similar to the one grown and consumed locally.
And Mr Chanda said President Lungu wants a gradual increment of electricity tariffs in order to lessen the impact on the poor.
He was responding to a question as to whether President Lungu intends to renege on his recent decision to revert to old Zesco tariffs when he called for sacrifice in reference to the power crisis affecting the nation at a public rally in Sinda.
Mr Chanda explained that when the President called for cost-reflective tariffs in Parliament last year, the idea was to have gradual increment rather than a “sharp shock” adjustment.
He said the plan must be done in a way that it does not hurt the poor.
And Mr Chanda said President Lungu is happy with the response he received during the tour of Eastern Province and that he would soon travel back to the province to visit the remaining districts.
On his road tour, the President visited seven districts: Luangwa, Nyimba, Petauke, Sinda, Chipata and Mambwe, covering over 700kms by road.
The President also held closed-door meetings with Chewa, Ngoni, Nsenga and Kunda chiefs.
Mr Chanda said that during the private meetings with the chiefs, the President asked them to help in fighting tribalism, stop political violence, as well as to help in identifying areas and families that will need food aid.
Mr Chanda said the chiefs assured the President that they will help to fight tribalism and also offered their support to the government in its development plan.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Susan SikanetaPRESIDENT Lungu will be among heads of State and government of the 54-member African Union (AU) here who will, among other things, deliberate the transformation of the AU, its organs and institutions, to bring them in tandem with the changing development needs of the continent.
At a press briefing at the AU headquarters here yesterday, Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Susan Sikaneta, confirmed President Lungu’s arrival in Addis Ababa today, for the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU.
“I have the honour to inform the nation that His Excellency the President, Mr Edgar Lungu, accompanied by the First Lady, will arrive in Addis Ababa tomorrow (today) to attend the 26th session of the Assembly of the African Union.
“It’s always a pleasure and delight to have our President to come and interact with his colleagues, the heads of State and government of the African Union,” she said.
The First Lady is expected to attend meetings of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS, on the sidelines of the summit.
The theme for this year’s AU Summit which started on January 21 and ends on the January 31, 2015 is “The African year of human rights with particular focus on the Rights of women”.
Ms Sikaneta explained that the AU leaders will be considering the need to restructure its organs and institutions, which at formation was tailored for political emancipation, to align it to the economic agenda for the continent aimed at creating a prosperous Africa.
She said after 50 years of existence, the AU realised that its needs have changed, therefore it has to tailor its institutions and organs to economic management of the continent in line with Agenda 2063.
“There are a lot of flagship programmes that the AU has in the pipeline under Agenda 2063. These include the Ingar Dam project for Energy in the Democratic Republic of Congo; the establishment of the Free Trade Area; free movement of people, goods and services; introduction of an African passport; establishing on an African air transport market, the high speed train and railway projects and the silencing of guns project for the establishment of peace and security on the continent,” Ms Sikaneta said.
Ms Sikaneta said President Lungu and other African leaders will look at aligning Agenda 2063 to national development programmes as domestication of the agenda is critical to realise sustainable development.
Ms Sikaneta said the summit will also consider the issue of equitable geographical distribution of AU organs, institutions and staffing across the continent so that no country is seen to have undue dominance.
“In the past, there was no equity in the hosting of meetings by AU member states,” Ms Sikaneta said.
In this vein, Zambia has presented a bid to host the secretariat of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), which is an advisory organ to the AU, composed of civil society organisations.
Ms Sikaneta also said Zambia is contesting election to the 15-member Peace and Security Council, which carries a three-year term of office.
Zambia has been selected to host, at regional level, the Centre for Disease Control.
In addition, Zambia is among eight AU member states that are on the list of countries that will manufacture components for the continental high-speed train project.
The high-speed train project is an initiative to link capital cities of the AU by railway, and under this project, all components for manufacturing the railway and trains will be done within Africa.
Zambia has proposed Mpika as the base for the project, although the country is yet to be informed of the specific components it will produce.
Other agenda items are recommendations to increase the AU budget, to make the organisation less dependent on external support.
Alternative sources of funding to AU programmes will also be discussed.
The summit will also look at the looming economic crisis in Africa, considering the price fall of export commodities. Unusual drought across the continent and floods are also on the agenda.
Meanwhile, AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma yesterday opened the 28th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council.
Zambia was represented in the meeting by ministers of Foreign Affairs, Harry Kalaba, Justice, Ngosa Simbyakula, and Gender, Nkandu Luo, as well as Ambassador Sikaneta
Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje inspects some water pipes that have been brought to the surface following heavy rains experienced in Livingstone
HEAVY rains have left a trail of destruction on roads as well as homes and other infrastructure in various parts of Livingstone.
The rains, which were experienced in Zambia’s Tourist Capital on Tuesday night, have left many vehicles and school going pupils stranded within their premises as most roads are now impassable after they were destroyed completely.
Areas that are mostly affected are within Freedom Ward and these are Mwandi, Mwandi Extension, Airport, Dambwa North, Dambwa Extension, Mundolobezi and David Livingstone College of Education (DALICE) area.
Water pipes have been brought to the surface while some electrical poles are on the verge of collapsing as most soil has been washed away.
The rains have also destructed the supply of water and electricity in Mwandi Extension area while toilets at Mwandi Community School are flooded.
Further, the road leading to Mundolobezi Clinic has been damaged and this has posed a challenge for people trying to access health facilities at the Clinic.
Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje, who rushed to the affected areas yesterday, has described the situation as a disaster which required urgent attention.
Mr Munsanje has since asked various stakeholders in the district namely the Livingstone City Council, Southern Water and Sewerage Company (SWASCO),
Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) and the Road Development Agency (RDA) to quickly move in and rectify the problem.
He also said his office would work with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to rectify the problem.
Mr Munsanje said it would be difficult to attend to emergencies in the area going by the current state of roads.
“In as much as we have been praying for the rains, it is sad that the rains have left a trail of destruction and most roads have been washed away.
“We need a long lasting solution to this problem. Government will move in to restore the roads so that scores of vehicles which are stranded in homes can resume their normal operations,” Mr Munsanje said.
Livingstone Town Clerk Vivian Chikoti, who also rushed to the affected areas, said the local authority would immediately response to the crisis.
Ms Chikoti said the Livingstone City Council had allocated K20, 000 and 220 litres of fuel in each ward to respond to various challenges.
“Let us stop blaming each other but we should look at the way forward to the challenge we are experiencing.
“We have challenges of equipment and the District Commissioner has given us equipment. Our engineers will be on site to respond to some of these problems,” Ms Chikoti said.
Scores of residents, who blamed the local authority for poor planning of the area, exchanged bitter words with suspended area councillor Saxon Simachembele.
They said it was sad that Botswana Road, which was constructed prior to the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNTWO) General Assembly held in Livingstone in 2013, had no drainage system.
But Mr Simachembele, who is United Party for National Development Party UPND), said roads cannot be upgraded by one person and hence there was need for collective efforts from other stakeholders.
“In 2014, I once told the full council meeting to declare roads in my ward as a disaster but they didn’t do so and today we are seeing what I said two years ago.
“One person cannot manage to do the roads alone and hence we need other stakeholders to come in such as Road Development Agency (RDA) and area Member of Parliament Lawrence Evans among others,” Mr Simachembele said.
A resident, Rodrick Mwamupeni, asked President Lungu to intervene as the area required urgent attention.
Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje inspects a loose Zesco pole that has been disturbed following heavy rains experienced in LivingstoneLivingstone Town Clerk Vivian Chikoti (in front) and Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje (behind) inspects some roads that have been damaged in Mwandi Extension following heavy rains experienced in Livingstone
Coach George Lwandamina admits that reaching the quarter-finals of the 2016 African Nations championship (CHAN) in advance negatively affected Zambia’s performance in their final Group D match against Mali that finished score-less in Kigali on Wednesday.
Group D winners Zambia advanced to the last eight of the CHAN with a game to spare after beating Uganda 1-0 and Zimbabwe with an identical score-line in their first two games.
Against Mali at Nyamirambo Stadium, Zambia literally struggled as the West Africans halted their perfect start to the CHAN.
“The players got affected psychologically coming into the game already qualified so it was the most difficulty game,” Lwandamina told a post-match media conference.
Zambia will now face Guinea in the fourth quarter-final tie on Sunday in Rubavu.
Zambia won Group D with seven points, two above runners up Mali.
Draws characterized day one of the four-club international preseason friendly tournament that kicked off on Wednesday at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Wednesday.
Tournament co-host Zesco United and Zanaco finished level with Azam of Tanzania and Zimbabwean champions Chicken Inn respectively.
In the lunchtime kickoff, Zesco were held to a 1-1 draw.
Jesse Were put Zesco ahead in the 4th minute but Azam snatched a 90th minute equalizer through a David Mwantika off a Farid Mussa corner.
And in the late kickoff, Zanaco thew away the lead twice to finish 2-2 with the 2015 Zimbabwean champions.
Zanaco took the early lead through a 4th minute trademark Roderick Kabwe free-kick.
Brian Juru equalized in the 12th minute but Fashion Sakala put Zanaco 2-1 into halftime with a 27th minute goal.
Obiddiah Tarumbwa restored parity in the 83rd minute to hand the 2015 Zimbabwean Premier League champions a point.
However, Chicken Inn were reduced to ten men four minutes from time when Thabani Goredema was sent-off for a foul on Fackson Kapumbu.
Meanwhile, Zanaco play Azam in their penultimate game on Saturday while Chicken Inn meet Zesco United at the same venue.
The case in which PF Copperbelt Province Chairperson officials, Steven Mainga and his Vice Stanly Chandindi were charged with obstruction of police officers has been discontinued by the Sate
The State discontinued the case on Tuesday 26th January, 2016 after Copperbelt Deputy State Advocate Nkumbiza Mumba applied that the case be discontinued when it came up for continued defence.
The duo who pleaded not guilty, are alleged to have on July 18th, 2015 jointly whilst acting together unlawfully obstructed a Zambia Police Officer, Inspector Lungu in due execution of his duties in Kitwe.
The two were expected to appear for continuation of defence, after Kitwe principal resident magistrate Ikechukwu Iduma had found them with a case to answer and put them on defence.
Magistrate Iduma discharged the case following instruction for the director of public prosecution DPP through Copperbelt Deputy State Advocate Mumba.
On July 18, 2015, armed PF cadres stopped UPND President Hakainde Hichilema from appearing on a live paid for phone in program on Radio Icengelo in Kitwe.
The suspected cadres who were armed with machetes and knifes are further accused of following the UPND team that was lodged at Moba Hotel.
It was at this point that police arrested Kainga and Chandindi at Moba hotel who wanted to stop the police from arresting PF cadre Richard Chileshe, popularly known as ‘ Chile 1’ who had fired a gun shot at the hotel.
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu delivering his remarks.
President Edgar Lungu has said that reports of violence recorded on Tuesday in Southern Province are a clear reason why the country needs the Public Order Act to govern people’s behavior.
President Lungu said that there would be chaos in the country in the absence of the Public Order Act.
The Head of State said such incidences should be condemned by all well meaning Zambians.
President Lungu said that people should be free to belong to any political party of their choice because Zambia is a democratic country.
He was speaking in an interview with journalists at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport upon arrival from his tour of Eastern Province.
Yesterday, a total of 21 suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres in Choma have been apprehended by the Police following a riot that occurred on Tuesday.
Deputy Inspector General of Police –Administration Eugene Sibote who confirmed the arrests yesterday said the Police had also impounded a Toyota Corolla Registration number AJB 4809 which was used by three cadres to cause commotion during the confusion.
Deputy IG said the UPND cadres that had gathered on the Choma-Livingstone main road in anticipation to receive their party president Hakainde Hichilema, blocked traffic , climbed on moving trucks and started throwing stones at passing motor vehicles which resulted in three of them including a Police Land Cruiser ZP 2312B being damaged.
“In trying to restore order, three police officers sustained injuries after being stoned by the rioters. Arising from the unruly and riotous behavior, police used tear gas to disperse the cadres,” Mr Sibote said.
Mr Sibote condemned the conduct of the UPND cadres and warned that the Police would not condone any acts of violence.
The conduct by UPND cadres as witnessed in Choma shall not be condoned and for this reason, all the apprehended suspects will be taken to court and prosecuted for their involvement in the riotous activity.
“It is unfortunate that the UPND leadership could not restrain their cadres even after having assured the Police Command that they would always abide by the provisions of the Public Order Act,” he said.
He has since called upon all political leaders to ensure that they prevail on the conduct of their cadres even as they notify Police of their intentions to hold political activities.
FILE: Police officers push former Zambezi West Member of Parliament Charles Kakoma out of the Lusaka Central Police Station.
Catholics Bishops send a message to President Edgar Lungu ahead of his visit to Vatican
In a way that only they could, the Catholic Bishops have thoroughly articulated issues that affect all of us. In their annual Pastoral Letter to their congregants on the State of the Nation issued on 26 January 2016 the Bishops have once again proved that they are involved and concerned about the welfare of the Zambian people.
The Bishops have recognized that a major event on the Zambian calendar is the August 11 general elections. They want to see a free and fair election. They have elaborated in great detail issues they consider may be an impediment to a free and fair election in Zambia. These include:
1. The arbitrary way in which the Police choose to apply the Public Order Act. We are just as bewildered as the Bishops why such an archaic piece of legislation is still in effect more than 50 years after independence. The POA is an indictment on our legislature.
2. Use of government resources especially by the office of the District Commissioners during campaigns to give advantage to the ruling party.
3. The escalation of political violence. We all know that the violent cadres are mobilised by senior Party officials, to date none of the masterminds have been arrested and prosecuted. There seems to be a hidden hand promoting violence and protecting the perpetrators.
4. Use of hate speech by politicians trying to divide our people along tribal lines.
5. Unprofessional and biased media. Unfortunately public media has become a tool for slander and propaganda against the opposition with the Chief Government spokesperson claiming that they own ZNBC much to the amazement of the public.
The Pastoral Statement touches on several other issues such as the enactment of the new constitution and the Bill of Rights, the need to arrest the economic challenges locally even though some would like to blame everything on global matters, food security and the plight of workers in the country.
We are grateful to the Bishops for their non-partisan assessment of the State of the Nation. We would like to pledge our unwavering commitment to democratic values and the rule of law. We would like to request special prayers for President Lungu so that the Lord may grant him wisdom and courage to always do that which is right for this country.
Zambia head into the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinals unbeaten and topping Group D after they were held to a draw by Mali.
George Lwandamina’s side finished 0-0 against Mali to maintain their two-point lead and end the preliminary round on 7 and 5 points respectively.
It was Zambia’s draw at CHAN following similar 1-0 wins over Zimbabwe and Uganda in their opening two games.
Uganda and Zimbabwe finished 3rd and 4th on 2 and 1 point and both bow out of the competition.
Meanwhile, Mali dominated the first half that saw Zambia goalkeeper Jacob Banda rescue his side twice.
However, it was Zambia who had the first taste in-front of goal but defender Christopher Munthali’s was offside in the 13th minute before he could lock-in on goal.
Aliou Dieng then fired a fiery volley at Banda in the 27th minute that the Zambia goalkeeper parried on the near post.
At the other end, Spencer Sautu sent his effort from the edge of the box across the face of goal in the 32nd minute.
Banda was back in action two minutes later when he struggled to collect a rasping shot from Lassana Samake as Mali finished the first period strongly.
The second half was robbed of any decent goalmouth action although Mali gave Zambia a fright in the 78th minute when Sekou Koita cut past two defenders but sent his rocketing shot across the face of Zambia’s goalmouth.
AWARD-WINNING singer Roberto has released the video for his latest single titled Mailo (tomorrow), a combination of dancehall and RnB rhythms whose lyrics highlight the current tendency where individuals fall in love with strangers on social media.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfaFFz5X1v8
In an interview, Roberto, renowned for his internationally esteemed Amarulah song, describes Mailo as a unique New Year melodious tune that will keep his fans’ ears close to the speaker. “A danceable and sing along song, Mailo, talks about the current social media trends where people meet online and crave to start a relationship with someone they hardly know. It’s a story of how someone is willing to sacrifice what they have just to locate and meet their social media crush,” the African Muzik Magazine Awards nominee explained.
Some lyrics in the three-minute and 20-second track read: “I don’t believe in cyber love, but I am willing to try…Can I get to meet you mailo, I really wanna see you mailo, I can get you a Visa mailo.”
But what does Roberto, who wrote and produced Mailo, think of social media relationships? “Social media is used for various reasons, some of them good others bad, but I have seen relationships that started from social media working well, others even got married after meeting in person,” the Eponaba singer said. Mailo is already trending on various social media sites and its video has been submitted to Channel O.
And once Mailo gets the attention it deserves from the fans, Roberto says he will later release another must listen to song titled Dream, which features Nigerian singer Reekado Banks and Zambia’s General Ozzy. “In about a month and half time, I will release another song called Dreams which encourages people to focus and follow their dreams regardless of the challenges they face on the way,” Roberto said.
The year 2016 appears to be an ambitious one for Roberto because after the release of Dreams, which also has a video, the Salaula vocalist plans to hold his first ever album launch for his all-time hit, Amarulah.
Ex-Zambia captain and defender Elijah Tana is impressed with Zesco United midfielder Cletus Chama’s performance at the ongoing CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.
Chama has played a critical role in Zambia’s last two Group D victories that have propelled coach George Lwandamina’s team to the CHAN quarterfinals with a game to spare.
Tana is familiar with Chama whom he coached at Nchanga Rangers three seasons ago where the ex-Zambia star is assistant coach.
“He is playing very well and you cannot doubt his qualities,” said Tana, who captained Zambia at its last CHAN outing in 2009 where the team finished third.
“He has stepped up a gear at the national team and the sky is the limit for him.
“Another advantage is that he knows Lwandamina’s philosophy from Zesco where he also the boys coach at the club so it is seamless for him also at the national team.
“All I can say to him now is to stay focused and disciplined.”
On top of his trickery from midfield, Chama’s two assists’ led to goal’s for Isaac Chansa in Zambia’s 1-0 win over Zimbabwe on January 19 and Christopher Katongo’s goal in the victory over Uganda via the same scoreline on January 23.
The 24-year-old playmaker currently has four caps and scored his debut goal in Zambia’s 2-1 win over Angola in a pre-CHAN friendly on January 10 played in Johannesburg.
Charles Kakoma
Deputy Inspector General of police (DIG) Eugene Sibote has condemned the UPND cadres for their unruly behavior yesterday in Choma Southern Province, reports Pan African Radio journalist Hermit Hachilonde.
Speaking when he addressed members of the press at police force headquarters today, Mr. Sibote said Police in Choma managed to at least apprehend 21 suspected UPND cadres in connection with the riots that happened around 15:00 hours.
He further disclosed that a Toyota Corolla Registration No.AJB 4809 which was being used by three cadres to cause commotion has also been impounded.
“The UPND cadres who had gathered along the main road in anticipation to receive their President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, blocked traffic , climbed on moving trucks and started throwing stones at passing motor vehicles which resulted in three of them including a Police Landcruser ZP 2312B being damaged.”
Mr. Sibote said that in trying to restore order and peace, police used tear gas canisters to disperse the cadres.
“In trying to restore order, three police officers sustained injuries after being stoned by the rioters. Arising from the unruly and riotous behavior, police used tear gas to disperse the cadres” Eugene Sibote said
Mr Sibote said condemned the conduct of the UPND cadres and warned that the Police would not condone any acts of violence.
The conduct by UPND cadres as witnessed in Choma shall not be condoned and for this reason, all the apprehended suspects will be taken to court and prosecuted for their involvement in the riotious activity.
“It is unfortunate that the UPND leadership could not restrain their cadres even after having assured the Police Command that they would always abide by the provisions of the Public Order Act,” he said.
He has since called upon all political leaders to ensure that they prevail on the conduct of their cadres even as they notify Police of their intentions to hold political activities.
But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma has accused police of tear gassing the party members who has lined up along the Choma-Lusaka Road to welcome party leader Hakainde Hichilema.
Mr Kakoma said in a separate interview that the 21 UPND members arrested had allegedly not committed any crime and that police should set them free.
“The fracas was ensued after police started firing teargas but our party members were simply lining up to welcome our party leader, “he said.
He said the continuous detention of the members would create a lot of tension in Choma.
