DAVIS CHAMA

By Ulande Nkomesha,

PF deputy national chairperson Davies Chama says he received no special treatment during his 11 days of detention despite being former Defence Minister.

Narrating his detention experience to News Diggers, Chama who has since been released on police bond after being charged with the offence of causing grievous harm, said he was eating, sleeping well and sometimes his fellow suspects would complain about his loud snoring.

He said, in an interview, Wednesday, that the detention did not bother him and he was ready to spend the rest of his life in police cells, if that was the wish of his enemies.

“There was no VIP treatment, I was just being treated like any other ordinary person in detention, so I was never at any time given any VIP treatment. That is an insinuation coming from the UPND, I don’t know where it is coming from because I think they saw that I came out in a good mood and healthy.

So there was no VIP treatment at all. I was sleeping with all the suspects in the cells, from Lusaka Woodlands station where I [was on] Saturday, then the following day I think on Sunday we left. Then in Livingstone cells I spent two nights, then the rest of the other five nights in Sesheke.

A mattress was provided at Woodlands where we were detained. I think the officials who visited me, the members of the central committee organised the mattress for me and that is the one which I took to Livingstone all the way to Sesheke, I had a mattress from Lusaka,” he said.

“I was eating, sleeping and dreaming nicely, even having nice dreams. I wish the people who detained me or who orchestrated the detention, I think they were being haunted, they were not even having peaceful nights whilst even the person they detained, he was having very peaceful nights and snoring.

The other inmates were telling me that boss mula chita snore sana, (you snore a lot) you sleep a lot. So I was enjoying my sleep.”

The PF official said he was willing to spend the rest of life in detention.

“I am very strong, you need to know me to understand me. I am a free bird person, I don’t know how to describe it, the way I am mentally. My innocence is so pure, I am a very [strong] spirit and there are certain things that don’t bother me really.

I think the people who were outside, my relatives who were outside, my children, my family members were more affected than myself. So I was comforting them more than they were comforting me. My worry was more on how it was affecting the people outside than myself.

Myself I was willing to even spend the rest of life in detention, if that is what they wish to do. At no point did I fall sick and at no point did I request for medical attention. So I have been physically fit through and through,” Chama said.

“When you are in police cell, the state does not provide food. My relatives were providing food. My relatives traveled in Sesheke area. Our colleagues in Livingstone when they got wind that I was in Livingstone they were able to provide me with food.

So in terms of food my relatives were bringing food to me. Even if I spend 11 days in cells, the police does not provide food for those detained in cells. If you have no relatives you starve to death.”

Chama said UPND leaders are devils who want to divide the security wings on ethnicity lines.

“So I am not broken at all, I am strong as ever before, I am not even moved. It just saddens my heart that Africa, even when I was chatting with other officers and other people who are concerned they were saying why is Africa like this? Why are we enemies to ourselves?

You know the slogan of the UPND is moving forward but I don’t think they are trying to move forward, actually they are trying to move backwards. It is a very sad episode but we are not moved, we expected this.

Even those people who have been in UPND, they have testified how bad hearted, how unforgiving, how their leaders are devilish, devils. Those who have been in UPND, they have really testified, they have said their experiences as UPND and they have really talked about the spirit of the leadership of the UPND which is not the spirit to have in Zambia,” said Chama.

“Unfortunately our colleagues, they believe in retribution, they believe in ethnic retribution. You will be surprised that the officers who were put on this case, you can say that they are from one ethnic group sidelining other ethnic groups.

What saddens me is that the security wings will be divided beyond repair. I am positive that we will come and repair the damage that will be caused by these uncaring, they don’t even care, they don’t even have a conscience at all.

You know when someone has no conscience to think through what they are doing, they have a very destructive spirit. But If anything I have rejuvenated and we are looking forward to make sure that we continue to provide the checks and balances for the protection of the lives of the Zambian people.”- News Diggers

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