Queen detained by Zambian government.
By Tamsamqa Zonke@news24/7.com
12:15 CAT (Johannesburg)
Wife to an outspoken Zambian Monarch, Senior Chief Munokalya Mukuni XIX, Veronica Mukuni, has been detained by the Zambian government in unclear circumstances but suspected to be connected to her husband’s vociferous crusade, against President Edgar Lungu’s escalation on human rights abuses and corruption.
Queen Veronica a dashing woman in her early forties, was issued a Police call notice early Monday, for what the Livingstone Police claimed was a routine interview, but never reported back to the Palace, and according to reports by witnesses, by evening was bundled into a Police vehicle and driven the whole night to Zambia’s Capital Lusaka, 500km north of the Victoria Falls City of Livingstone.
The Lion King as he is referred to by tourists, had two days earlier issued a stern communique to the Zambian government, in which he demanded that President Edgar Lungu allow his main political rival Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND Party, unconstrained guarantee to freedom of assembly and association, to canvass for support from Zambians in the incoming the elections.
In August Zambia chooses new leaders for another five years. The call by the King came in the wake of reports of an impending arrest of Hichilema by Lungu on what many believed would be trumped up charges to prevent the opposition leader from contesting in the election. Hichilema has been detained a staggering 17 times by government.
Zambian lawyers are currently entangled in a controversial constitutional debate that casts legitimate doubt on Lungu’s eligibility to run for another term of office. The President has been sworn in office twice and according to the constitution, the third run would violate the law that limits the terms to two.
President Edgar Lungu has been accused of unbridled corruption and intolerance against political opponents, and many abroad fear Zambia is sliding into a full blown autocracy and on the brink of losing her democratic ranking that she has held in Africa since the 90s. Coupled with dictatorship, Zambia’s economy is on its knees with inflation galloping at plus minus 22%.
Picure below: Queen Veronica in black scarf being led to a holding cell after interrogation lasting hours, in Capital City Lusaka. 