ABOUT REPORTS OF JAY JAY IN CHIKANKATA
By Isaac Mwanza
Yesterday, my brother Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda, a legislator from Petauke Central in Zambia, was reported missing. His car was found abandoned on a highway in Lusaka.
However, some online media outlets, including the Patriotic Front Page, reported that an informant from Chikankata District claimed to have seen him in that district, in the company of UPND cadres that were reportedly driving a Toyota Hilux with the registration number BAZ 6475 CN.
It’s been strange that the authorities have remained silent on this matter, after providing a single update yesterday.
As someone with a background in investigations, I’m cautious about spreading unverified information and its potential to further risk the life of Jay Banda and jeopardise investigation. So, I took the time to verify the details of the vehicle in question.
I can confidently confirm that there is no Toyota Hilux with the registration plate BAZ 6475 CN. In fact, that registration number is for a Nissan, Civilian Model Bus that was imported and registered in Zambia on 16 January, 2023.
The abductors may have deliberately chosen Chikankata as the location where Jay Jay Banda was supposedly seen because it’s in Southern Province, which is associated with the President’s homeprovince.
By doing so, the propagandists may have aimed to manipulate public opinion against the President, exploiting the province’s connection to him. This tactic could be intended to divert attention, create confusion, or even incite unrest and ill-feelings among our people from Eastern Province.
I believe that those online media that spread this information could be putting the vehicle’s owner at risk, especially given the high emotions in the country. However, it’s possible that the criminals used a fake number plate, including a Hilux with that number.
Now, it’s up to the investigating team to take action. Here are some steps they can take:
- Use Lusaka’s surveillance cameras to trace Jay Jay Banda’s movements up to the point where his vehicle was found abandoned.
- Scan the area where the vehicle was found for mobile phones that were active during the time Jay Jay was reportedly moving.
- Use toll gates and the cameras on those toll gates to verify the traffic of vehicles that crossed.
- Don’t rely entirely on the information that he was seen in Chikankata, as his abductors might have sent that information to distract from their actual location.
- President Hichilema should provide direction and show greater concern for the legislator’s welfare and whereabouts.
Furthermore, Members of Parliament and politically exposed persons must exercise caution and avoid traveling alone at night or using a single, easily identifiable vehicle that criminals could use to track them.
The disappearance of an MP should serve as a stark reminder that crime has reached alarming levels in our country, and it’s imperative that we take decisive action and deploy effective teams to address this issue.
Most importantly, I urge citizens, especially those on social media, to refrain from spreading propaganda that could further endanger the life of Jay Jay.
While it’s essential to give the security forces time to investigate this matter, the Zambia Police Service must prioritize restoring public trust in their ability to combat crime by expediting the investigation and ensuring Jay Jay’s safe return. At this critical juncture, the ZP command must recognize that public confidence in their capabilities is at an all-time low, but they have the opportunity to turn this around.