Injustice to one is Injustice to all
Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
The case of the abduction of Petauke Central Member of Parliament Emmanuel JJ Banda is shocking and scandalous in the manner the State is handling it.
JJ Banda was abducted, found a few days later in a frightening state in Kafue, in unclear circumstances.
State Drama started at Kafue District Hospital that early morning, when the family began to fight with the State Police. The family wanted to take JJ to a private hospital recognizing the suspicious circumstances of his abduction.
The State would not take the family suggestion characterizing him as a man of high state interest.
Matters came to a crisis at Medlands Hospital in Lusaka where armed teams led by both Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Creto Kaanza and State House Security forcibly removed JJ Banda from Medlands Hospital.
This appeared to be his second abduction.
During the entire time of his missing, State House rogue media was running defamatory and scandalous stories against JJ Banda.
And remember before this, the UPND Provincial Committes held press conferences that denounced former President Edgar Lungu threatening his life and proposing to circumcise him.
The UPND Southern Province Committee declared Southern Province a no-go-area for Edgar Lungu.
They were reacting to this.
On Sunday, 19th May, a pentecost Sunday, Dunamis Christian Centre and Apostle Dr. Dan Pule hosted national prayers and invited leaders of the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA).
At this Church Service, UKA leaders made various pronouncements but poignant, were remarks made by former President, Edgar Lungu.
He bemoaned the sufferings that Zambians were going through and asked them to prepare for elections in August 2026 or earlier.
The call for early elections is not new for UKA as they have repeatedly raised this matter at their press conferences.
Edgar Lungu also mocked those that underestimate his political prowess citing similar manner he was discounted in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
“I have since been President for seven years before.”
He said he had characteristics that Jesus Christ encouraged his followers to be. Be as innocent as a dove, but sly like a serpent quoting the gospel of Mathews 10;16.
“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”
He warned both Opposition leaders and followers alike to be wary of Hichilema’s dictatorship.
This is what brought a torrent of attacks against Edgar Lungu with immediate reactions led by Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, Chief Government Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa and the lined up UPND Officials.
UPND regarded this statement as treasonous and incitement.
So in the midst of this escalated political atmosphere and threats to life and arrest of the former President Edgar Lungu and the Opposition, JJ Banda was abducted.
Before JJ was discovered, the Opposition held a highly charged press conference calling for the immediate release of JJ Banda and placing his abduction squarely on government and the UPND officials that had issued criminal threats
This resulted in a serious crackdown where FDD President Edith Nawakwi, Mfuwe MP Maureen Mabonga, Lumezi MP Munir Zulu, Human Rights Activist Brebner Changala and Apostle Dr Dan Pule were arrested and given high and oppressive charges of sedition.
As expected,none from the UPND that issued similar tribal and seditious statements were ever arrested or called to the Police.
Although JJ Banda has been found and in a preliminary interview before his lawyer, Sakwiba Sikota SC, has named his abductors, the State has abandoned the search for his abductors.
At his recent Press Conference, President Hichilema, sadly, made JJ a subject of his remarks. He was not empathetic to JJs current health and traumatic status but proceeded to call him a thug, mirroring and echoing what the State House rogue media frequently publishes about JJ.
He directed that the old criminal cases be restarted. He probably was not aware that these matters were ended in court
Since then, the State appears to be no longer interested in his abductors but has instead moved to pursue old criminal charges against JJ Banda.
The family and health personnel have expressed concern on the state of JJ’s health as he has been suffering seizures and is apparently in great fear in what seems to be acute post traumatic experience from the abduction.
The Police has disregarded his health status and want to immediately interrogate and charge him for offences actually previously cleared by the courts.
This reminds me of Zambia’s biggest international scandal -the gold scandal
Authorities detained suspects that included Kenneth Kaunda International Airport Police Commanding Officer Robson Moonga, State Security Officer Francis Mateyo, Commercial Pilot Patrick Kawanu, Accountant Oswald Diangamo, and businessmen Shadrick Kasanda and Dr. Jim Belemu. The five Egyptian suspects include Walid Botros, Mounir Awad, Mohamed Gooda, Yasser Abdelghafor, and Michael Botros.
But soon the State shifted its focus and attention.
The Egyptians were released.
The Plane was released, earlier impounded because of our forfeiture laws that punishes, as a deterrent, property or assets used in the commission of crime.
Soon the powerful Zambians were also released .
The State proceeded to classify as utmost secret, away from the prying eyes of the media and public, the criminal trial in the Lusaka High Court.
The State has since preferred fresh armed robbery charges against Shadrick Kasanda and locked him away.
An injustice to one, is an injustice to all or we all get plucked out like chicken feathers, one by one.
I end with this poem, a 1946 post-war confessional prose by the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller.
It is about the silence of German intellectuals and clergy—including, by his own admission, Niemöller himself—following the Nazis’ rise to power and subsequent incremental purging of their chosen targets, group after group and the Holocaust against Jews.
It reads:
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
This article is a clear admission by UKWA fools and idiots that they are the masterminds behind the fake abduction of the non-entity called JJ.
What motivation, what reason on earth can prompt an entire government to abduct a grade 7 failure, with a criminal record, with 3 wives, 4 side chicks and whose net financial value is actually in the negative because of loans? The risks clearly outweigh the benefits. The boy is a walking, talking liability. No one is interested in him apart from the police who are re-opening fresh cases from the time his equally criminal minded brother was shot in a shoot out with police and he stormed Lusaka Central Police with fellow thugs committing assault, stealing evidence and interfering with the course of justice.
This is a failed project funded by the owner of kasaka ka ndalama. Try something else otherwise you will all end up being locked up.
Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, don’t lower yourself sir to a cry baby.You are supposed to be an inspiration to the young ones by giving them hope instead of you and mr.meembe are busy peddling lies and sowing seeds of hatred, tribalism just to mention but a few.You can’t become famous through hatred but you inspire people by your deeds.Take a leaf from Honourable chishimba kambwilli ‘s journey which has ended in sad way because of being arrogant. My thought and hope to our political players to be sober minded so that they can inspire the young ones.