SP President Fred M’membe Calls for Full Transparency and Independent Inquiry into the Death of Hon. Mutotwe Kafwaya
LUSAKA – 22 August 2026
Socialist Party President Dr Fred M’membe has called on Secretary to the Cabinet Mr Patrick Kangwa and the Government to provide full transparency and accountability regarding the death of former Cabinet Minister and Lunte Member of Parliament, Hon. Mutotwe Kafwaya.
Dr M’membe said the confirmation that Hon. Kafwaya lost his life during a security operation in Kabulonga on August 14, 2026 had sent shockwaves across the country and raised serious questions that required clear and credible answers.
He said the limited official communication pending law enforcement investigations had left critical gaps unanswered, adding that silence from government institutions could deepen public anxiety, skepticism and social polarisation.
Dr M’membe said the initial confusion, conflicting reports and delayed identification of Hon. Kafwaya had further strained public confidence, stressing that the bereaved family and the Zambian people deserved a comprehensive and truthful account of the events that led to his death.
He called for an independent and impartial inquiry into the use of lethal force during the security operation, saying such an inquiry was necessary to eliminate any perception of bias or state protection of security agencies.
Dr M’membe further said that while the Government had a responsibility to discourage inflammatory statements, threats and violence, accountability must apply equally to security agencies.
He stressed that security institutions must operate within the Constitution, respect human rights and uphold the rule of law.
He said the post-election environment required statesmanship, sobriety and a genuine commitment to national unity, adding that national healing could not be achieved by restricting public discourse but by demonstrating that every Zambian life was valued and protected regardless of political affiliation.
Dr M’membe therefore urged the Secretary to the Cabinet to ensure that the ongoing investigations were thorough, credible, transparent and responsive to the grieving family’s right to know the truth surrounding Hon. Kafwaya’s death.
Mr M’membe, a dear life has been lost, all of us Zambians are sad, whether I knew him or not, but he is a Zambian and any one Zambian life lost is one too many, whatever the circumstance of his death. I just hope you are not politicizing this death with you harping on and on about it daily. What Transparency do you want if the Government has indicated it is carrying out the investigation, or what are you insinuating? Do you want to be Government and carry out the investigation yourself or do you want to do your own investigation?