WILLIAM Harrington has suggested to Hakainde Hichilema, genuine and well-meaning opposition parties, including those from PF to consider observing Black Sunday on December 27, 2020 in honour of the slain State prosecutor and UPND supporter.
Prosecutor Nsama Nsama and UPND member Joseph Kaunda were shot dead on Wednesday as police dispersed UPND cadres that had escorted Hichilema to the Force Headquarters for questioning.
Police officers killed the duo just outside the National Prosecutions Authority (NPA) offices and there was a ‘holiday’ in the nearby government offices, including at the Old Cabinet wing where home affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo’s office is.
The body of Kaunda was perfunctorily put in a Kabwata police van and driven away, probably to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) mortuary.
Police forensics went to where Nsama’s body was and combed the scene.
According to an eyewitness who sought anonymity, Nsama, who was in the company of a friend, met his fate at Cabinet Restaurant, situated near the corridors of the NPA offices.
The source said Nsama was sitting at the restaurant with his friend, waiting to be served food.
“(Nsama) was seated at the restaurant with a friend. It seems police who were all over the area perceived them to be UPND cadres. So, one of them just fired at the man and he fell in a pool of blood. It shocked all of us who were there and we could not believe what had happened,” said the witness. “The man (Nsama) was just sitting with his friend, suddenly we saw him drop dead and blood coming out. That’s how some of the people ran away, some were wailing.”
Mobile footage, which went viral soon after the shooting incident, showed colleagues weeping hysterically and calling Nsama by name as they touched his motionless body on the ground. In the footage, Nsama appears to have sustained an upper chest wound.
Before media attention shifted to the deaths, police officers, armed to the teeth, threw tear gas canisters and journalists and a group of UPND supporters at the High Court roundabout were chocked.
Reacting to the deaths, Harrington, a former cabinet minister in the Frederick Chiluba government called for observance of a black Sunday.
“I am making a very passionate appeal to Hakainde Hichilema as president of the largest opposition political party, United Party for National Development, together with all genuine and well-meaning opposition parties, including those from the ruling Patriotic Front, to consider observing Sunday 27th December 2020 as a day of ‘national mourning’ for those two innocent, unarmed and defenceless citizens namely State Advocate Nsama Nsama and one suspected United Party for National Development youth at the hands of heavily armed overzealous police officers on Wednesday 23rd December 2020,” Harrington said. “I am aware that many, normal-thinking members and sympathisers of the Patriotic Front are also very unhappy and disturbed about the loss of lives.”
Harrington, a former Senanga member of parliament, said the unwarranted deaths of the two citizens was a very sad and unacceptable development.
He said the development was comparable only to the atrocities committed to an innocent youth in Mongu on January 14, 2014.
Harrington hoped his suggestion would be given consideration by genuine opposition political parties.
“I further propose that all those citizens who wish to observe the proposed day of mourning to wear black attire. It should be called ‘Black Sunday’,” suggested Harrington.