Gary Nkombo and his alleged attacker, Shaloba are relatives, says Liswaniso

Gary and his alleged attacker, Shaloba are relatives, says Liswaniso

UPND National Youth Chairman Gilbert Liswaniso has revealed that former Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Gary Nkombo and Bilden Shaloba, the man accused of confronting him during nomination proceedings in Mazabuka, are relatives.

Speaking on Hot FM, on the widely condemned incident that occurred when Nkombo was filing his nomination papers as an independent candidate, Liswaniso says Shaloba is a member of the UPND and is among the youths who occasionally accompany President Hakainde Hichilema during official engagements.

“Bilden Shaloba and Gary Nkombo are relatives. Bilden is one of the youths who at times escorts the President and is a member of the party,” said Liswaniso.

He suggests that Shaloba may have acted on personal conviction rather than party instructions.

“Maybe Bilden felt that what his cousin was about to do, which was filing his nomination as an independent candidate, was not right. So, on his own, he decided to act in the manner he did,” he says.

Liswaniso, however, condemns the conduct of the youths involved in the incident and acknowledges responsibility as leader of the party’s youth wing.

“I took responsibility. Our youths misbehaved in Mazabuka,” he says.

Commenting on Nkombo’s fallout with the ruling party, Liswaniso maintains that the former minister was not expelled from UPND and that no one has mistreated him.

“The issue of the dumpsite is a decision of the party. The Nkombo issue is a lesson to all of us. Even me, if I misbehave, I’ll be put at the dumpsite,” he says.

Liswaniso describes the actions of the youths in Mazabuka as those of overzealous party supporters and reiterates that such conduct is unacceptable.

©️ TV Yatu June 2, 2026.
Picture: Liswaniso (l) with Hot FM interviewer, Chishala Mubambe.