Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) Chama South Constituency Member of Parliament Davison Mung’andu has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of establishing torture chambers in some parts of the country to torment political enemies.

Mr. Mung’andu, the Patriotic Front Muchinga Provincial Chairman, said he has information that former President Edgar Lungu’s barber Shabby Chilekwa who has been detained by police was being tortured.

Mr. Mung’andu was speaking to journalists in Lusaka on Thursday as members of the Patriotic Front went to offer solidarity to Mr. Lungu following the recent arrest of his Aide De Camp Chisanga Chanda and barber Chilekwa.

“I think as the party in Muchinga, we have been taken a bit aback by the New Dawn Government, particularly by President Hakainde Hichilema. Zambians can be reminded that President Hakainde Hichilema has always preached and advised the security wings not to arrest anyone or detain anyone without first investigating that person but what we are seeing is actually a 360 degrees u-turn of his promises, the arrest of Mr. Chanda without being investigated. The arrest of Mr. Chilekwa who is, we believe, is still in detention without being investigated and we have been reliably informed that he is being tortured,” he said.

“President Hakainde Hichilema is establishing torture chambers in some areas of this country which we in the Patriotic Front in Muchinga will not accept. We want to remind him that indeed as our former president has mentioned we went as a new generation to see our (former) leaders being respected the way former leaders in Europe are being respected. I will give an example; you heard the issues that were surrounding the former Prime Minister of Britain Tony Blair. Where did it go? You heard about issues to have to do with Donald Trump in the USA . Where has it gone? So even us we want to appeal to him,” Mr. Mung’andu said.

PF acting President Given Lubinda, PF Parliamentary Whip Stephen Kampyongo, PF MCC in charge of information and publicity Raphael Nakacinda and former Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo were among those who visited the former head of state.

“Even in retirement, you can never be a leader without people around you. I am glad that I have the support of my colleagues from the party in these turbulent times that we are going through. Obviously statements have been made, but I am not in a position to talk too much today, but we will allow matters to settle. As you know my ADC was picked on matters of sub-judice, my barber Shabby Chilekwa has been picked for reasons yet to be known, suffice to say all is well that ends well,” Mr. Lungu said at his home.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lusambo said the arrest of the ADC is tantamount to endangering the security of the former head of state.

“It was very unnecessary for the police to act in the manner in which they acted. I want to challenge the police that they do not belong to the UPND. The police belong to the Republic of Zambia,” he said.

Luapula’s PF Mambilima Member of Parliament Jean Chisenga opposed the arresting of Mr. Lungu’s ADC and barber.

“I would like to emphasize only one point. Ladies and gentlemen when people have failed they don’t need to come up with an excuse. To be honest the leadership of His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema has failed. By now we could have been seeing results but what is he doing now? People are being persecuted, people are being pushed left right and center. That is not what we want, that’s not what the people voted for. We want to see development so I urge the people of Zambia to reconsider their thoughts. They are going to see what’s happening and what is happening. They will see actually what is of today and what was of yesterday and they will recognize genuinely the Patriotic Front really cared for the people of Zambia,” Ms Chisenga said.

“It is really just wasting time to actually just persecute just go for this one that one. I think it is not necessary. I speak for the people of Zambia and I speak for the youth that this is not necessary. It is not necessary and this should not go on because as I speak going for the ADC of our former head of state is really a very serious issue because he is not being protected right now. So is it really the ADC that they want or is it the former head of state. These are the issues that we should be talking about so honestly I ask the people of Zambia to gather their thoughts back and just look back where we are coming from,” she said.

And the former President Dr Lungu was appreciative to have received a visit from Members of the PF.

“Even in retirement, You can never be a leader without people around you. I am glad that I have the support of my colleagues from the party in these turbulent times that we are going through,” he said.

“Obviously statements have been made, but I am not in a position to talk too much today, but we will allow matters to settle. As you know my ADC was picked on matters of sub-judice, My barber Shabby Chilekwa has been picked for reasons yet to be known, Suffice to say all is well that ends well,” he stated.

Patriotic Front Acting President Hon. Given Lubinda today refused to have a meeting with a delegation from the American Embassy who had earlier requested for a meeting with the Patriotic Front leadership.

According to a statement released to the media by PF media director Antonio Mwanza, this happened when the US Political Unit Chief Madam Alexandra King Pile and her counterpart, Mr. David Chibanda, the Political Specialist at the Embassy visited the PF Secretariat along Panganani Road in Lusaka this afternoon.

Hon. Lubinda told the duo that he would not meet them or anyone from the American Embassy until the American Embassy in Lusaka responds to a letter that he had written the Embassy, two months ago, protesting the remarks, President Joe Biden made against the Patriotic Front at the UN General Assembly last September.

Hon. Lubinda refused to engage Madam Pile and Mr. Chibanda saying he could not proceed to engage with the American Embassy until they responded to the numerous matters that he raised in his protest letter against Mr. Biden’s remarks were first addressed. Mr. Lubinda said it would be an act of hypocrisy and a lack of courtesy for the American Embassy to sweep the many critical issues that he raised in his letter under the carpet and pretend that nothing happened.

The Acting President was flanked by Hon. Nickson Chilangwa, Acting Secretary-General and Hon. Stephen Kampyongo who is the Party’s Chief Whip in Parliament.

Calls are increasing on the need for the owners of Chambishi Metals on the Copperbelt – Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) to revamp the plant or surrender it to the Government.

ERG put Kalulushi District-based Chambishi Metals on care and maintenance in January 2020 when over 200 workers were sent home due to lack of feedstock to continue sustaining its operations.

Chambishi Metals is the country’s producer of cobalt and gypsum, a key ingredient in the manufacturing of cement.

Mine unions, contractors, the Church and residents of Chambishi have in the last two years continuously advocated for the re-opening of Chambishi Metals whose other operations include treatment of cobalt/copper sulphide/oxide concentrates, and cobalt carbonate/hydroxide materials.

Commenting on the dormancy of the plant, Chambishi based economist and politician Chikabala Kaleta said Chambishi Metals must be re-opened urgently.

Mr. Kaleta, the losing UPND candidate in the Kalulushi Constituency Parliamentary elections, said he also supports the proposal that ZCCM IH takes over the running of Chambishi Metals.

“These owners of Chambishi Metals, the ERG should take one thing into consideration that if they are really not willing to match up to the conditions given to them by the New Dawn Government they need to be out in the open and state their position. We want to know whether or not they can match up to the conditions so that our President can go ahead with the second step which is letting the plant run by ZCCM IH and make it public so that we can be generating money as a country as well. As things stand that plant is on care and maintenance so we are losing money. The Government is losing money through unpaid taxes; the government is losing money through other channels like Napsa contributions but on whose account? On ERG’s account, a foreign entity’s account which is something we are not going to allow in the new dawn Government,” Mr. Kaleta said.

Russian investors ERG Africa operate all of ERG’s assets on the African continent and have a workforce of around 3,500.

“We are here to repair the economy, we are here to make sure every Zambian has access to free education, health services and clean water but that is only going to come when the Government is making money. But how is the Government going to make money if ERG decides to close something that is not in their country of origin? That’s why in the few coming months, I am appealing to my brother, the Minister of Mines Paul Kabuswe to quicken talks with ERG so that we know their position as things stand in the next few months. If they are not willing to operate the plant let ZCCM take up the responsibility as stipulated by the President. When ZCCM takes up the running of Chambishi Metals I will be very glad that the company goes public and the company cannot close ever again,” Mr. Kaleta said.

He added:”We are sitting here as a country in a proper location where we have the Congolese who have been supplying this raw material to ERG and mind you Congo is the largest producer of the cobalt ore but they do not have a refinery plant so we should take advantage as Zambians. I am assuring all the miners, contactors and all employees who were retrenched that we the new dawn Government are coming in with or without the ERG. The ERG will respond to the Government in no time to state their final position.”

Mr. Kaleta expressed confidence that Chambishi Metals will be re-opened soon.

“When the final position has been stated we are going to see the way forward. If they will revamp it according to the conditions that have been given to them or if they will not revamp it, ZCCM IH will revamp it. Congolese are loading concentrate on their trucks, it is passing through Kasumbalesa, Chingola and it even passes Chambishi Metals refinery and it goes as far as South Africa and China to go and get refined but why should we be letting money pass on our fingertips that is why I am appealing to Honourable Kabuswe and also extending the appeal the President. I have full confidence in the President because he is a man of his words,” he said.

“To the people of Chambishi be rest assured that the Government is not sleeping over the issue of Chambishi Metals. The new dawn Government is working for you day and night. The closure of Chambishi Metals in Chambishi has brought very negative attributes to the community of which those Russians who own ERG don’t know about because they do not live here in Zambia,” he concluded.