Stop exposing Lungu, private residence to PF cadres – Thabo
By Kombe Mataka
INFORMATION ministry media director Thabo Kawana has advised the PF to stop exposing the former head of state and his private residence to cadres.
Kawana said in a write-up that PF should learn to utilise its party secretariat for activities and not the private home of “your leader or utilise the Office of the Sixth Republican President for other private meetings and not his private residence”.
Kawana was reacting to a break-in on Wednesday morning, in which police reported that two smart TV’s were stolen.
According to police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga, the break-in happened around 01:00 hours in the absence of Edgar Lungu who is reportedly abroad.
“Ibex Hill Police Station recorded a case of breaking into a building and committing a felony therein which occurred at the former republican president’s residence His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Brief facts of the matter are that a report was received from Male Mayondi aged 42 of kabwata site and service attached under protective unit to the former president’s residence and on behalf of the family that unknown people broke into the house and stole two Sumsung smart television sets valued at K66,000. Entry and exit was gained through cutting electrical wire fence behind and climbed the wall fence, broke the main door and stole the items,” said Hamoonga. “This occurred on 09th August, 2022 between 01:00 and 06:00 hours which was the time of discovery by domestic workers of second street in Ibex Hill, Lusaka. Police visited the scene of crime and it was noted that criminals gained access by cutting the electrical wire fence on the eastern side and its believed to be the same used as an exit. At the crime scene only one stand has been found in the next yard.”
Hamoonga said police have instituted investigations into the matter.
“I see that the reported break-in at former president Lungu’s house has raised issues with the PF party spokesperson [Raphael Nakacinda] claiming it is an indictment on President HH. And the other zeroing claiming President HH (Hakainde Hichilema) is to blame whilst others claim this is the first time such a thing has ever happened where a former republican president’s residence or office has been broken into by thieves,” Kawana said. “Former president Rupiah Banda at his New Kasama residence experienced two break-ins with thieves climbing over his wall fence and stole all the big batteries of the big power back up (inventor) at his residence and it was reported and on record. Then the second time thieves climbed over his security wall fence again and this time stole the entire water pump from the very New Kasama residence and it was reported.”
Kawana said late Banda also had his official office in Rhodespark area ransacked by unknown people.
“As though that were not enough, the office of the Fourth Republican President located in Rhodes Park opposite the heavily guarded Refugee office on one side and, the heavily guarded DMMU (Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit) Office on the other side and shared boundaries with the heavily guarded residence of the late former chief justice was equally twice broken into. In the first incident the thieves got away with all TV sets in all rooms including the very office of former president Banda,” he recalled. “In the second incident, they swept the office clean out of all artifacts including window and curtains.”
Kawana said at no time had there been claims that the incident was an indictment on then president Lungu or that the same was an orchestrated operation.
“…no, because of maturity and not wanting to scandalise or politicise issues characterised former president Banda’s outfit (members and staff).Thieves are just that…thieves. They can strike anywhere at any time and there is no need to point fingers and indict innocent people,” he said.
“My advice is to the PF and its members to stop patronising the private residence of the former president with crowds of cadres whose character we all know of. That action exposes the residence which ordinarily should be a private dwelling and place of peace and rest. Some people among the crowds you tinta ngombe (pull) there are actually thieves, criminals and you invite them into a private residence in their numbers, a big mistake.”
Kawana said the PF should learn to utilise the party secretariat for activities and not the private home of their leader.
“I have seen and read assertions that government must quickly establish the office of the sixth republican president, and some people asserting such are even former senior civil servants and diplomats. Really?” said Kawana. “What ignorance is this? Has the former president hid his office from you people? Because an Office of the Sixth republican President paid for and facilitated by government does exist and is located in Kabulonga on Bishop Road. How do you not know this? So yes, this incident is regrettable and unfortunate but it’s not the first time such is happening to a former president and no need to indict innocent people. Just stop exposing the man and his household to cadres. Have respect for his private residence.”
But former ambassador to Germany, Anthony Mukwita described the incident as bizzare and the first of its kind.
“Former first lady was in the house, (former) president Edgar Lungu left for Johannesburg, South Africa on 8th August 2022 for a routine medical check-up believed to have been fully guarded by the state as per requirement by law. President Lungu’s residence is guarded by six uniformed police officers and an undisclosed number of plain security officers working inside and outside the residence given his national status,” said Mukwita. “President Lungu becomes the first former president of Zambia to be robbed or have his house broken into while being heavily guarded by state police. Zambia is known on the African continent as the last bastion of peace and democracy, especially after president Lungu willfully gave up power on 24th August, without a court contest. Apart from the Zambia Police, the bizarre, unprecedented break-in has been confirmed by the daughter of the president Ms Tasila Lungu, a serving legislator in the parliament of Zambia. Most Zambians are asking questions like ‘how safe are we ordinary people if the house of the former president of Zambia H.E Edgar Lungu can be broken into?”