THE INCIDENT AT THE MUNDUBILE–MAKEBI ZULU MEDIA CENTRE IN IBEX HILL
BRIAN MATAMBO | MEDIA DIRECTOR
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
I would like to assure my family, friends, colleagues and members of the public who have been concerned about my safety that I am safe and well.
Earlier today, armed men came to the media centre used by President Brian Mundubile and his running mate, Hon. Makebi Zulu, situated in Ibex Hill off Twin Palm Road in Lusaka.
I was not at the premises when they arrived.
The men came armed, and during the incident shots were fired. A number of young people and security personnel who were at the premises became concerned when the armed men attempted to gain access to the media centre.
The facility is simply a media office. We work there using phones, laptops, cameras and other ordinary media-production equipment. We have lighting equipment, furniture and the normal tools required to produce and distribute media content. We therefore do not know what the armed men were looking for.
The security personnel who were present challenged the men and advised them that, if they were acting in an official capacity, they needed to follow the proper legal procedure before entering or searching the premises. Part of this confrontation was captured on video
After the initial incident, our people eventually left the premises and secured the media centre.
However, the matter did not end there.
The men later returned to the premises after everyone had left. They were observed by neighbours and other people in the area scaling the wall in an attempt to gain access to the property.
Again, we do not know what they were looking for.
This incident comes at a time when members of our media team have already been arrested.
Rooney Kapya and Matthews Zubi were picked up in Western Province, while Hannah Israel was picked up on Sunday while she was on her way to church.
These are members of my team whose work has largely involved blogging, filming and documenting events surrounding the campaign.
Rooney was subsequently charged with conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace. Those of us who have worked with him know him as a peaceful young man whose principal activity has been media and blogging.
Hannah Israel is similarly a young blogger whose work involves using her phone to film and document events around her.
There is no crime in being a journalist. There is no crime in being a blogger. There is no crime in documenting events taking place in our country.
If the police or any other lawful authority requires information from me as the person responsible for running the media centre, there are established legal procedures for doing so.
If information is required from President Brian Mundubile, Hon. Makebi Zulu, the owners of the premises or anyone associated with the media centre, the authorities can issue a police call-out, obtain the appropriate legal authority and conduct themselves according to the law.
There is absolutely no justification for armed men arriving at a media centre, firing shots, attempting to force their way onto the premises and later returning to scale the walls after the premises have been locked.
We have videos documenting what happened.
Tomorrow, Zambia votes.
Whatever political differences exist among us, the law must prevail. Zambia cannot become a country in which people believe that political or state power places them above the law.
For everyone who has been calling and sending messages asking about my whereabouts, once again: I am safe and I am well.
I am in a safe location and will continue carrying out my responsibilities.
Tomorrow morning, we wake up and vote.
Thank you very much, and good night.