By Roy Habaalu and Abel Mboozi
Mon 11 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
PATRIOTIC Front Gerry Chanda ward vice-chairman Musonda Sichone has named Innocent Kalimashi and Eddie Gowa as the people that led the group which killed Moses Simuwela.
And father to the deceased who was killed when PF rival factions clashed on Thursday has complained of threats to his life.
Meanwhile, some PF youth have accused State House permanent secretary Kaizar Zulu of using President Michael Sata's name to fight other senior members of the PF and also coordinating the thugs in the party.
Sichone, in a statement to inspector Mulambia at Chelstone Police Station, said Kalimashi and Gowa led the group that killed Moses.
Sichone said Gowa and Kalimashi blocked their (Sichone's) Rosa minibus with other smaller buses after mounting a checkpoint to screen those that were proceeding to the airport before police officers took control of the situation.
"At this point he (Gowa) had ordered his people to beat us using machetes, stones, knobkerries and sticks so we were running for our lives. We scampered in all directions for safety and never regrouped. The target was those wearing t-shirts and after realising some people were not seen, we thought they had been detained. It's yesterday (Saturday) when Amos Simuwela, the elder brother identified the deceased at Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital when we learnt of his death," said Sichone.
Kalimashi is appearing in court over the violence that occurred at Northmead Basic School recently where several people were injured while Gowa is among those being investigated for various alleged criminal activities.
And in an interview with The Post, Rodrick Simuwela, who is the father to the deceased, said he had received a phone call from an unknown person warning him not to be found with elected PF officials.
"This morning (Sunday), I received a call from this number…0977750449 asking me who I was with and when I asked who I was speaking to, the person refused to be identified. They don't want me to be found makamaka nama (especially with) officials (elected) because these thugs don't mean well. I am scared for my life. I am living in danger. I have lost a son and people still want to kill more," said Simuwela.
Moses died after an intra-party clash which started on Airport Road and later shifted to Lusaka's Central Business District.
And according to eyewitnesses, some PF supporters led by Lusaka centre branch chairman Julius Komaki mounted a check-point on the Airport Road near Club Marylyn, screening officials who were going to attend the laying of the foundation stone at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport with a view to blocking those considered to be supporters for Robert Chikwelete and former Lusaka district chairman Goodson Banda.
Komaki led a group of youth that also wanted to block Lusaka Province chairman Geoffrey Chumbwe and youth chairman Kennedy Kamba.
And some PF youths have accused State House permanent secretary Kaizar Zulu of using President Sata's name to fight other PF senior officials.
But Zulu said he did not want to be drawn into the ruling party's infighting.
The youths, led by Lusaka district political secretary Maureen Sense, alleged that Zulu was using President Sata's name in vain.
Sense said it was sad that Zulu was using President Sata's name to order the police to work with non-structured party members, a move that was fuelling violence and confusion in the party.
"Kaizar Zulu should work as permanent secretary at State House and as a civil servant. He must not order the police. He is coordinating thugs in the party," she said.
"So in short, he must not use the President's name, he must work as a civil servant, as a PS at State House, and we know what he is doing as we are on the ground."
Sense said whenever Zulu issued an instruction to the police, he claimed it was coming from the President.
"If the President wants to talk to the police, he must talk to them himself, not using Kaizar," said Sense.
But Zulu said he did not order police to arrest some PF supporters.
"They should not put my name into disrepute. I refuse to be drawn into squabbles. Definitely I have not ordered any police," he said.
Zulu wondered how he could order a named senior police officer who was an appointee of the President.
"The IG and his deputy, police commissioners are not and cannot be ordered by any other person other than his Excellency the President. So chief, I don't even know what they are talking about," said Zulu. "I am not privy to any orders to arrest those that are PF structured members. Tell them I am sorry."
And Lusaka PF district secretary Lawrence Sichalwe said PF youths were displeased with the police service, which of late had appeared to be working hand in hand with non-structured members.
"The police is working with the gang that was even responsible for the Northmead School fracas and as we speak today, 16 of our structured members are detained in police cells at (Lusaka) Central Police," he said.
Sichalwe said the confusion emanated from a situation where the PF officials were nabbed when they tried to gain entry to the locked district party offices even with a notification to the police.
"Our officials went to open the offices because they were structured members of the PF, and that they had the liberty to take occupancy of the district office, but unfortunately the police came and apprehended them," he said.
"They are still detained at Central Police and the police claim they are still doing investigations which we don't know how long they will take."
Lusaka Province PF youth chairperson Kennedy Kamba claimed that the police command was receiving instructions from 'somewhere' to arrest party officials.
"The police is receiving instructions, I don't know from where, to have our party officials with structures arrested," he said.
"We want to register our displeasure at the way these things are being handled and if they are not well handled, they will spark violence."
Kamba said there was no way culprits of the Northmead School fracas should be allowed to work with the police to harangue structured PF members.
He even named the officials working with senior police officers.
"We have got their names…these are the people, and some of them are even appearing in the courts of law and will be going to court soon. It is unfortunate that the same people appearing in court are working with the police to arrest our party officials with structures," Kamba said.
He said the youths were smelling a 'rat" and felt that the investigations being carried out by the police were politically motivated.
Kamba urged home affairs minister Edgar Lungu to put his foot down and make sure that he allowed the law to take its course in a professional manner.
"They blocked us when we wanted to go to the airport and they really wanted to take a mock coffin to the airport so that they disturb the gathering that went to witness the ground-breaking ceremony of the KK International Airport," said Kamba.
Lameck Mwila, who is Lusaka district youth chairperson, said the PF would demonstrate against the police and Lungu if no professionalism was observed.
Labels: PF, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
posted by MrK @ 4:54 PM
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