Today marks 10 years since the PF government interrogated former first lady Thandiwe Banda
By Kennedy Limwanya
Exactly 10 years ago, on 3 February 2012, the Patriotic Front (PF) government questioned former first lady Thandiwe Banda at the Zambia Police headquarters in Lusaka.
Mrs Banda is the wife of former president Rupiah Banda who had lost in the general elections held on 20 September 2011.
The Joint Government Investigation Team (JGIT) interrogated Mrs Banda in relation to the source of funding for the Mpundu Trust villas in lusaka.
An hour later, the JGIT conducted a search at Mrs Banda’s aunt’s house in Nyumba Yanga residential area in Lusaka.
Mrs Banda’s aunt is Ms Esnart Kapufi.
I was there as the search, which began at 10:00 hours and ended at 18:00 hours, was being conducted.
The chief government spokesperson at that time was Given Lubinda who is, currently, PF acting president in opposition.
Against the law, Lubinda had fired media heads at the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).
At the Times of Zambia, managing director John Phiri was replaced with Godfrey Malama while Isaac Chipampe took over from Evans Milimo at the Zambia Daily Mail.
Other victims were Wallen Simwaka and Ndubi Mvula at the Zambia Daily Mail.
At ZNBC, Joe Chilaizya was appointed director-general, taking over from Eddie Mupeso.
Chilaizya, then, decided to fire Oswald Mutale, Inutu Himanje and Doris Mulenga, among others.
At the Times of Zambia, the PF government fired young junior reporters who included Bob Sianjalika, Patson Phiri, Obert Simwanza, Whitney Mulobela, Richard Mulonga and Abel Mboozi.
Weeks before that, the PF government had questioned, among other Movement for Multiparty Democracy officials, former Minister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane, former minister of Education Dora Siliya and former Mines minister Maxwell Mwale.
That was just under six months of the PF assuming power.
Another one who had been searched within four months of the PF in office was former vice-president Nevers Mumba.
Much earlier, former senior private secretary at State House, Robinson Nkonde, had also been questioned.
Three months later, former vice-president George Kunda was interrogated by the Drug Enforcement Commission.
Not only that.
Mr Kunda had undergone another ordeal.
Mr Kunda’s 84-year-old indisposed father, Njonamo Kunda and mother Eginala Mwelwa, were subjected to a harrowing experience of watching helplessly as a Zambia Police squad conducted a search in the wee hours of 10 February, 2012 at their farm in Serenje.
Kunda’s father had been recuperating from a stroke that had even led to his admission to the University Teaching Hospital when heavily-armed police officers raided the farm around 05:00 hours.
“It was very demeaning. The police officers searched everywhere, including where my parents sleep. The police were there until after 13:00 hours and, during that time, my parents never ate anything,” Mr Kunda would, later, tell me.
Today, Given Lubinda wants to tell the world that he and his friends are being harassed when only he and Bowman Lusambo have been questioned since the PF was voted out ín August 2021.
Doesn’t hé know that the Zambian people are upset at the slow pace of probing the PF criminal gang?
Hypocrites!