THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND — DR. KATELE KALUMBA
Born on February 22, 1952, Dr. Katele Kalumba was first elected Member of Parliament for Chiengi in Luapula Province in 1996. He would go on to represent the constituency for two terms, serving from 1996 to 2006.
During his political career, Dr. Kalumba occupied an impressive collection of ministerial offices in the MMD government, serving at various times as Minister of Health, Tourism, Home Affairs, Finance and Foreign Affairs.
But it was his dramatic exit from government—and what followed—that earned him a permanent chapter in Zambia’s political folklore.
In July 2002, Dr. Kalumba resigned as Foreign Affairs Minister in the Levy Mwanawasa administration after being implicated in a series of corruption allegations.
Among the allegations was that he had illegally used more than US$625,000 in government funds to finance an MMD convention during Frederick Chiluba’s presidency
Police also accused him of being involved in a host of other offences, including allegedly diverting 53 billion kwacha meant for the purchase of maize to a businessman, conspiring with the former intelligence chief to steal vehicles, motorcycles and boats, and misappropriating US$20.5 million allegedly meant for military equipment.
Then came November 1, 2002.
The police launched a manhunt after Dr. Kalumba failed to appear before the Task Force investigating the alleged plunder of national resources under the Chiluba administration.
What followed over the next three months was less Law & Order and more Zambia’s Got Talent: Witchcraft Edition.
According to then police spokesperson Brenda Muntemba, the police were having an unusually difficult time locating the former minister because, allegedly, Dr. Kalumba had enlisted the services of traditional practitioners and was using charms to evade capture.
Yes, you read that correctly.
A former Cabinet minister had allegedly gone from managing government portfolios to managing his own Department of Disappearing Persons.
And so began one of the strangest manhunts in Zambia’s political history.
According to Muntemba, police eventually arrested a traditional practitioner from the Democratic Republic of Congo, identified as Lottie Chalwe Kafwimbi, who allegedly led them to Kalumba’s hiding place.
Before that, officers had reportedly been led by Headman Kaizela of Kaizela Village to a suspected hiding place only to find that Kalumba had apparently received advance warning of their arrival.
At the eventual hideout, police reportedly found a tent with two wooden beds made from logs, a burning fire and no obvious sign of life.
They also found two guns: a seven-loader revolver with 74 rounds of ammunition and a Greener shotgun with two bullets.
But that wasn’t all.
There was reportedly a laptop, modem, solar panel, satellite telephone, canned food, mineral water and brace yourselves a “traditional computer.”
The traditional computer was described as a wooden fetish resembling a human figure which, according to police, Dr. Kalumba used to monitor the movements and strategies of his “enemies.”
Apparently, while the police were busy trying to find him, Dr. Kalumba was busy running his own Google Earth Traditional Medicine Edition.
According to Muntemba, he told officers that he had seen them planning the operation in Lusaka, watched them leave and even knew when they arrived in Chiengi.
He allegedly told the officers who eventually captured him that they would pass through a roadblock without the officers manning it seeing him.
And, according to the police, that is exactly what happened.
At another checkpoint in Mununga, Dr. Kalumba allegedly predicted that there would be trouble if his supporters saw him in police custody.
So he voluntarily hid himself until they passed.
At this point, even the police must have been wondering whether they were pursuing a suspect or participating in a National Geographic documentary on African mysticism.
When Dr. Kalumba eventually arrived in Lusaka, he maintained that there was no witchcraft involved.
He had simply outsmarted the police.
Zambian Political Archive
Then came another twist.
In February 2003, police reportedly claimed that they had not used charms to capture him.
Dr. Kalumba’s wife, Lumba, was not buying it.
She reportedly countered that the witchdoctor from Congo who was assisting the police had instructed the officers searching for her husband not to wear underpants.
At this point, Zambia had officially moved beyond ordinary political drama.
We had corruption allegations, a manhunt, traditional doctors, disappearing suspects, magical surveillance equipment, enchanted shrubs, guns, satellite phones, underwear regulations and a traditional computer all in one story.
24 years later, the great debate remains: Was Dr. Katele Kalumba genuinely using witchcraft, or was he simply extraordinarily good at hide-and-seek?
History may never give us the answer.
What we do know is that Dr. Kalumba eventually surrendered, survived the ordeal and returned to a quieter life in Chiengi
Today, he serves as Sub-Chief Natende Walushiba of the Bwile people in Luapula Province.
From Cabinet minister to fugitive, from alleged corruption scandal to supernatural manhunt, and finally to traditional leadership…
Dr. Katele Kalumba didn’t just leave politics. He left behind a story that sounds too unbelievable even for Zambian politics.
And perhaps that is the real legend.
The man, the myth, the legend.
Just another kelpo with an education. From his days at UNZA the Zamnet saga. To the Zamtrop account with the caged Intel chief…people think Zambians forget? No different from Kambwili at evading facing the consequences of his actions. Hiding from law enforcement and now lying about having some terminal illness. How does someone who is sick find himself at traditional ceremonies? You and lamba can true clean your taint. But the truth speaks louder about who you are….
The man, the myth, the legend, the thief. He was pardoned after he claimed he was sick and was terminally ill but look at him years later still enjoying life with not a care in the world.