
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
THE ABDUCTION
THE SURVEILLANCE
Wednesday,14th June, 2023
When I was driving out of the lawyers’ place, I saw a car parked on the side of the road.
From the days I served as Second President, Frederick Chiluba’s Spokesperson, I have been familiar with tell-tale signs of being subjected to or being a target of both state or private surveillance.
The period I served as Zambia’s Ambassador to South Africa, brought this knowledge in sharp focus, as criminals would trail their victims, sometimes for extended periods.
I drove to Long acres.
When I was done, I started driving towards Ibex Hill. I saw the same car again, a green Toyota Fortuner, parked on the road side. I slowed down to check the occupant.
A man of asian origin was sitted alone on the driver’s side. I slowed down. He was on the phone and the laptop on the passenger side was open.
A second white vehicle, a Toyota Landcruiser Station Wagon short wheel-base, seemed to have joined him parked next to him.
In ordinary circumstances, when you slow down and take interest in checking in a car, the driver does also look up and also check you.
These guys instead pretend to be busy as if they have no interest with whatever is happening around them.
I knew I had a clear trail on my tail. This group was either using geo tagging or were collaborating with my mobile network to know my exact location using my phone number.
I immediately called my wife. She said she was in town. This was now around 15hrs. She said she was driving home. I said: ” let’s meet home”.
I knew if the Police wanted me for whatever reasons, they would issue a police call-out, or phone me or my lawyers.
This developing scenario was ridiculous but dangerous.
“How do you conduct heavy surveillance on someone who is in plain sight and readily available.” I asked myself.
The last few days I had been appearing in public limelight as I was on radio and television stations making our regular media appearances.
Even this time I had been at a radio station in the morning before I drove to the lawyers premises.
THE ABDUCTION
I thought; “let me drive to the car wash in Woodlands so that by the time my car is washed, my wife would have arrived at home”.
I arrived at the Car Wash and parked in the washing bay. I settled in the Shelter and saw an opportunity to catch up on the happenings on social-media.
It wasn’t long before my attention was distracted and drawn to the three cars that had just driven in a convoy and about twelve men came out.
The Car Wash is on near Lewanika Mall on Mosi- O-tunya Road in Chilenje and it is frequently used by the President on his daily trek to-and-from Community House to State House.
Such police or security presence has become familiar to many people that use this road.
I thought this group of men that had stormed the Car Wash was probably using the space to be dropped off and begin their shift for route-lining and surveillance.
But when the men headed straight to our shelter, I realized this was strange, especially with my earlier encounter with the two cars I suspected where trailing me.
I stood up and quickly recognized one man that seems to be leading the unknown group.
I usually visit the Police Service Headquarters and various Police stations and I have become familiar with what appears to be a Crack Squad that has been handling most cases against leaders of the Patriotic Front and other members of the Opposition.
“Guys are you the one trailing me? Are you following me? I asked in a friendly but surprised manner.
“Yes Ambassador, you have to come with us”, he answered with a friendly but evil grin.
“But you could have simply called me, or give me a Police Call-out, is this drama necessary? with three cars and all of you?” I asked but recognizing that this was a serious matter.
“Give me a moment I call my wife and my lawyer”,I politely asked.
The response was swift. I was immediately encircled with the officers determined that such a call would not be made.
Commotion had now ensued with chairs and tables being moved away as the men gathered around me.
I had dialed my lawyer but the line went unanswered.
I moved to the corner to protect myself so that all the officers were in front of me.
I dialed the number for my wife. This was now a fight with my hands being restrained and I was being violently pulled out of the corner.
She answered the phone. Despite the scene and confusion around me, I calmly told her. ” I am at the car wash. But the Police are here to pick me up.”
I think the last words were not spoken in the phone as one officer just violently grabbed my hand and twisted it behind my back.
I kept on asking them;” I is this necessary? Can I please make a call to my lawyer. Can I call my wife?”
They were now trying to lift me.
A crowd had now gathered and I was suffering the worst public humiliation being treated like a dangerous criminal.
I saw a few officers retreat. Then there was commotion in the people watching us.
I realized it was the mobile phones they were interested in as they were trying to stop members of the public from filming to the violent attack on me.
I again asked the lead officer that had grabbed my neck and was trying to lead me to the car.
“Don’t humiliate me You don’t expect me just to follow you. Of all these officers, I can only recognize you. I don’t even know if you are the Police”. Just allow me to call the lawyers”, I pleaded.
At this stage I didn’t have a phone.
I began to walk to their cars but they were determined to lift me.
They pushed me towards the Toyota Corolla.
At the car, I still asked: “Before we go, can I make the call to the lawyers?”
They were now trying to shove me into the car. I stand at 1.89m tall and the car door stands at probably half my height.
This is where were the most violent attack occurred as the officers were trying to lift, were pushing means trying to collapse my body into a baglike posture to push attempt to push me in.
I feared they would break my neck with the pressure being applied there.
I chose to enter the car.
The officers jumped in and I was sandwiched in the middle of them back seat and the Corolla sped off.
My right thumb was painful, my wrist and my shoulders was also in great pain. But it was the sharp pain on my neck that was serious.
I told the officers that what they had done was totally unprofessional.
They had brutally man-handled me, had in the process hurt me and caused huge public humiliation for me.
But of serious worry was the abduction. I didn’t know where we were going and no one knew where I would be.
AT THE POLICE
When we arrived at the Police, they ushered me in an interview room.
When they were all gathered and their superiors had joined in,I immediately registered my complaint about the brutal man-handling and assault done on me.
I also requested to see a doctor especially for the sharp pain in my neck.
I also asked if I could call me lawyer.
At around 20;00hrs after the initial process of investigations, they team drove me back to the Car Wash. They wanted to pick my car.
When we arrived at the Car Wash,there were no cars!
“Ambassador where is the car?”
Now, this was the most ridiculous question. How could I know where the car was?
I leant that apparently, members of the public, had prevented the other officers from taking my car and threatened to beat them up.
We later drove to what I later learnt was Emasdale Police Station.
At 20;30hrs. I was deposited in a police cell, my home for the next two days.
It was a very small space at this stage admitting me, as the 30th inmate.
The Author is former Zambia’s Ambassador to South Africa. He was also Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia. He was Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
He is currently a member of the Central Committee of the Opposition Patriotic Front and among the nine presidential aspirants of the party.

These issues are best sorted our in court.
Fishing for public sympathy doesn’t get you anywhere and you may end up being in contempt of court.
If you are innocent, there is nothing to fear. Courts will free you.
Do not support nonsense just because it is coming from someone you like. What Hakainde is doing is PURE nonsense.
Today the police are assaulting PF members, tomorrow, it will be your son or mother.
Let us condemn brutality and help create a Zambia where the rule of law applies and human beings are treated with dignity.
Idiot u are what contempt,you are foolish and dull boy
Harvest time…..when Police is not compromised they do their job well. Good job for putting mwankoles in their place
You people are well known for violence, this country is headed for ruin
Continue supporting injustice 2mro it will be you and your useless father
If this is what happened then it is wrong. This is not how to handle such matters and is a serious error. Someone has to explain this very unnecessary event. A simple call out would have been sufficient.
Anger and unnecessary force is not the appropriate way to handle those who are implicated in various crimes or suspected to have committed serious breach of the law.
Why are these people cancelling the many good works this administration is doing. You are destroying the image of the Head of State and the government.
What reason will be advanced for hurting this man. Though we don’t agree with everything he says he is still a Zambian and entailed to fair treatment. This is not what we voted for. Not another brutal police.
Someone must explain this very bad conduct. Silence will only endorse this illegal behaviour. This should be clarified by the Minister of Home Affairs immediately. It has the potential to spoil everything good being done.
I agree, Mate. Anger can also get in the way of correct thinking and lead to avoidable mistakes which could lead to defence lawyers scoring easy and cheap points.
I agree with you ba Mate. This drama was totally unnecessary. I don’t believe the story about Mr. Mwamba assaulting the police.
Our police are at times overzealous in excuting their duties. The police force mentality is still strong and needs to be addressed.
The human rights commission should take an interest in this matter.
Which human rights commission?the one for mai doti nothing good came out of that useless commission
Mate, Gunnar and JMC, I know you are praise singers, but I like this objectivity. Please apply it to other areas of governance. Kudos to you gentlemen.
I suppose you mean praise singers for sound politics in mother Zambia. We are above being purchased for a cheap price. We are above this. Much grey hairs on our heads, eye lashes, chins speak of many years of living on earth. We have seen some things or two and recognize trouble when we see it being repeated.
Ours is to participate in our political landscape within the confines of the law.
Blindly trusting any politician absolutely is a grave mistake. History seriously reminds us vividly. We are advocating for civil politics and accountability and any one who walks the talk is a darling. No matter which party they come from. Join us in calling out good where it exists and misconduct together with bad behaviour where it shows it vice.
By the way when it is all said and done we are all Zambians just politically separately and divided by the color of simple political T-Shirts. How low is that. Imagine some innocent people died because of this attitude of thinking that someone is indispensable. Leadership should be a privilege and not a right.
Read the many political Manifestos. It will surprise you that the are similar or a carbon copy .The all say the same thing or similar agenda.
So why not agree to disagree politely. But work together with respect on matters that benefit the entire nation. For instance CDF. What’s the hang up by some MP’s refusing to work together with the government to make this a success. Are they fighting the actual development of the areas the represent? This makes no sense.
In short I am advising you that this statement was coined to castigate divergent views by those who feel they demand to be supported even when openly making grave mistakes. It’s dangerous. It’s called blind loyalty.
However , thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I hope we can catch up over a cup of coffee and sharpen each other. We only have one Zambia and every good idea shared will lift us to a greater place of success.
Why did the police not ask him about the “Chavula the Ugandan” incident? This is where they’re completely letting me down. He’s now a charged suspect. Why’s not talking about what they have charged him with?
This guy and Davies Chama had done ALOT of evil during their time in Leadership. Davis Vhama and Emanuel Mwamba are the MOST DANGEROUS and sophisticated criminals in this country!!! God will judge them.
They just look quiet like that..But are the master Minds of ALL THE BAD THINGS WHICH PF LEADERSHIP DID. Mwamba maybe quiet like that BUT he is a dangerous Man. ALL THE RIGGING WAS DONE BY HIM.
I think the police are just trying to pay back because they were badly treated when pf was in power….. sad indeed
Police brutality is ancient just as Torture and inhuman treatment, corporal punishment is not part of our statute books.
Police should have just issued a Call out. Theirs is to investigate a matter and handover to the courts of law for Trial. You can’t be an investigator, Prosecutor and Judge at the same time. The action was unprofessional and must be condemned in strongest terms. I am actually embarrassed that such things are happening in this country and we have persons who feel that’s okay.
The police make a judgement on whom they think will obey a call-out and those they think will go into hiding after receiving a notice requiring their presence at a police station.
Gunner in Zambia you are a useless Praise thug. Supporting nonsense. I had respected you. But you are nothing but a useless Praise Thug who can’t think.
Me, you gotta be joking surely. I do not want to be respected by PF thieves. I want them to hate me. I think that Emmanuel Mwamba was part of the 2016 PF spin doctors that rigged the election of that year. He has so much to answer for. Very soon you will see what the police have by way of evidence. I remember you predicting a maize grain shortage this year. As it happens, there will be no shortage.
Useless boy that’s what u are ,dull
Speak less and reason more. Police must do proffesinally and systematic work by sending call-outs and when they refuse to come, them you can use your little force they deserve.
Mwamba is a dangerous criminal; the very reason why he is not telling the World about the charges he was arrested for; he is mute on them because he knows he committed heinous crimes.
All the fake propaganda and forged letters are from Emmanuel Mwamba. The Police have been slow tracking him; they need to up the game otherwise these PF criminals are up to no good.
There needs to be a comprehensive report from the Police in response to this version. Journalists should also not wait for versions from police or accused. This happened in a public place. Why can’t journalists carry out own interviews and investigations?
These are the guys who at one time went into hiding. The new deal government of l
The great lawyer levy Patrick mwanawasa
, Wanted very much to discipline the whole set of crooks, but most of them ran away into hiding. Mwamba was one of the most wanted crooks. Generally, mwamba is not a person to deal with soft hands because he is a dangerous crook
Is this the way you want to lead
This government is not going anywhere with its brutality. A
Police state. Useless to the core.
The people of Zambia don’t entertain such nonsense…
The Lusaka Ndola Road of Shame you are a perfect PF fool. No sane Zambian can feel for any PF criminal like Emmanuel Mwamba.
Ba Mpombo kuseka fye..No Praise thug can stand against me in cyberspace or in real space. You are backing a self destructive party in government..with a Self opiniated leader, an egotist, a Praise Addict who can’t take this country anywhere..
No matter what the crime mwamba has committed but this is not the way to treat citizens or even effect an arrest. We voted for a change not a continuation of this system under different colors.
Here we v heard one side of the story. Wr need to hear from the officers that arrested him.
This Mwamba and binoculars have been leading I’m propaganda and production of fake documents. There’s nothing like police call out for hard core criminals. When you give them a call out they go out and organise there political lawyers and bring everyone to the police with their so called political persecutions on criminal matters. Mind the police have a right to use force if you become violent.
There is even a high possibility that police have been taking call out to his place but he has been refusing to open the gate for them pretending no one is home.
Iwe chikala u are a liar
What ever reason police brutality is allowed or accepted in zambian society. We have no doubt most pf members did alot of wrong things including brutality on innocent people. This is one of the reason most people voted them out of authority. We have seen Davies Chama, Chilekwa etc get charged and convicted even if cases happened a long time ago. They abused the power whether provoked or not the bottom line abuse of authority. The former Inspector of Police Lemmy Kajoba was recalled and appointed and disappointed by HH and this should a reminder to others that whether 5,10, 15 yrs law is law. Please let’s learn from PFs mistakes to handle things better today. Life has continued from UNIP to UPND, parties changes, presidents changes, judges change, the nation remains. ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A VERY POWERFUL POST NEWSPAPER PEOPLE BELIEVED AND FEARED THE OWNER.
I wish they cut his balls.This one is a useless Thug. He thinks PF is still rulling