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Lubinda demands justice over Zambian killed by Congolese

Lubinda demands justice over Zambian killed by Congolese
By Kombe Chimpinde in Lusaka and Darious Kapembwa in Kitwe
Mon 09 July 2012, 13:24 CAT

FOREIGN affairs minister Given Lubinda has demanded that sufficient laws must apply when dealing with the Congolese who burnt Zambian truck driver Derrick Chanda to death last week. And normal operations have resumed at Kasumbalesa border after three days of protests by truck drivers following the burning to death of Chanda by Congolese.

Meanwhile, Congo DR Minister of Transport and Communication Kahozi Zumbo on Saturday evening nearly caused a stir when he claimed that Chanda was in fact Congolese and not Zambian.

In an interview yesterday, Lubinda said the government was aware and saddened that harassment of truck drivers at Kasumbalea border had been happening for some time now.

"Those are the issues our Ambassador in Kinshasa and our Consular General in Lubumbashi are following up with their counterparts. So it is not just this incident, it is all similar incidents that have occurred in the past so that we avoid the occurrence of this," he said.

Lubinda said the Congolese government through the Governor of Katanga Moses Katumbi had reported that some suspects had been apprehended. He called for peace and harmony between Zambians and Congolese who are in Zambia.

Lubinda said the Zambian government's interest was that the culprits are brought and prosecuted in the interest of justice.

"We will ensure that the culprits who torched the Zambian driver are brought to book and that sufficient punishment according to Congolese laws pertaining to offenders are applied," said Lubinda.

And during a three-hour meeting held on the Congolese side of the border to resolve the impasse, Zumbo who was delegated to represent Katumbi claimed that Chanda had a home in Congo at Lwashi village and that his relatives were actually holding a funeral waiting for his remains to be taken back to Congo.

The Zambian delegation was led by acting Chililabombwe district commissioner Stephen Chishiko.

Zumbo also belittled the office of the District Commissioner from Zambia by claiming that it was not the highest office to meet with him.

But Chishiko firmly countered his sentiments saying the office of district commissioner was third in the hierarchy of provincial administration and had the authority to handle the matter at that level.

"The highest authority in the province is the honourable provincial minister followed by the Permanent secretary, the deputy permanent secretary who is at the same level as me. And for your own information, his honour the Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia has made a statement on what is going on here, meaning government at the highest level is fully aware of whatever we are doing here," Chishiko told Zumbo to the satisfaction of the Zambian delegation.

And immediately Zumbo made the claims that Chanda was Congolese, there was a sense of shock and apprehension on the faces of the Zambian delegation members, especially the drivers. But Chishiko calmly disputed the minister's claim, urging them to concentrate on the demands of the SADC drivers.

"All the documentation, both work and personal indicates that Chanda is a Zambian and has a family here in Zambia, so the question of his nationality does not arise now. If there is anything like that, let us resolve it later and administratively. For now, let us deal with issues at hand. The owner of the truck is here and his records clearly show that Chanda is Zambian but we can resolve that later administratively," Chishiko said and the meeting progressed.

Zumbo also said the Congolese authorities had apprehended suspected arsonists who burnt the truck to which Chishiko urged him to ensure that justice prevails in the matter.

Some of the demands the truck drivers presented through their chairperson, Stanley Muluka, include security whilst in Congo, lessened inconvenencies in the clearance process involving unofficial third parties and commissions.

In response, Zumbo assured the drivers that their demands would be seriously looked into.

He directed Congo's chief immigrations officer to remove third parties in the clearing process and unnecessary commissions.

Meanwhile, trucks have started crossing into Congo without interruptions after Chishiko assured the drivers that the situation would be monitored in the next six months to see if all their demands would be met.

By 10:00 hours yesterday, several trucks had crossed into Congo.

"We have had quite a good number of them cleared to cross into Congo and I am sure as the day progresses, we will clear a very good number of the marooned trucks," said a customs official.

Labels: BORDER POSTS, DRC, GIVEN LUBINDA, KASUMBALESA, MURDER

posted by MrK @ 1:56 PM