Tonse Leadership Urge Mr. Hichilema To Tame UPND Officials Proclaiming Hon. Mundubile Guilty In The Absence Of Due Process
Press Statement for Immediate Release.
03/09/26
LUSAKA.
As Tonse Alliance, we wish to urge President Hakainde Hichilema rise above board and manage the UPND busy bodies who are acting out of ignorance and misguidance.
We have noted with deep concern the conduct of some UPND officials in particular Mr Mark Simuuwe, the UPND media director, who wants to assume the role of a police investigator and jury to label our leaders as guilty. The conduct of Mr Simuuwe is below par and does not fit a person worth his position.
While Mr Simuuwe may be acting out of excitement to impress the head of state, President Hichilema must be careful with just members as they may be putting a lot of things in jeopardy.
The UN repporteur has raised very significant and serious concerns which if merely dismissed like Mr Simuuwe is trying to do, can rob Zambia of the Democratic gains and respect it has achieved at the international level. While Zambia is a sovereign state, sovereignty does mean impunity. What is happening in Zambia today is something which the international community and the UN can just gross over. These are deep concerns.
Where was Simuuwe when the Zambia Army Killed Hon Mutotwe Kafwaya? What information did Simuuwe provide to Hon Kafwaya’s family when the sought answers about his whereabout? Did Mark Simuuwe tell us that the Zambia Army had raided President Mundubile and Killed Kafwaya? Did Simuuwe tell us how the Zambia Army had arrested and later released a Militia leaders?
These are some of the things which Mark Simuuwe should reflect on seriously before getting too excited with power. President Hichilema has his political and legal advisors who are competent to advise the president through well established communication channels and not a UPND party member trying to call shorts out of nothing.
As Tonse, for those calling for reconciliation, Tonse Alliance is not seeking any compromise with anyone. When Mr Miller Katolo spoke about the legal team seeking an alternative resolution to resolve the issue, it does not in any way constitute implication of guilty.
The Zambia Legal system has avenues such as Pre-Negotiation Agreement via which certain criminal allegations can be resolved outside the court rooms. This again is carefully done by legal teams on both divides. It’s not an automatic avenue.
Therefore, we want to confront Mr Simuuwe with truth that , President Mundubile and the 17 Others are Innocent by lawful presumption and facts. What President Mundubile and others are facing are mere allegations which we fully believe are politically engineered and the team of our lawyers are more than ready to put the state’s evidence, if at all they have any, to strict proof.
We are not in any way weak as Tonse and aren’t afraid of standing trial. What we are doing however is to respect the call by the church , people like Presidents Ruto and Munangagwa including President Hichilema himself who have urges peace and unity in the country under the One Zambia and One Nation Mantra.
We refuse such labels as Militia, Terrorist, Insurgents or such related terms. As Tonse we competed in the just ended elections and inflicted serious woods on the UPND, giving them a good run for their money and believes that we did not lose convincingly but unfairly .
Issued by
Anthony Chibuye
Deputy Spokesperson
Tonse Alliance/FDD
The courts will decide.
But it is an undeniable fact that running away and hiding directly implies guilt. And we will continue to render this obvious interpretation of the actions of the primary treason suspects.
And Simuwe has every right to respond to the clearly misguided UN representative. The correct narrative must be disseminated. Not the preferred narrative of the suspects and their supporters.
The problem with Tonse Alliance is that they are arrogant. Secondly they would want to patronize President HH and his government. We can’t allow that to happen. The Tonse people will have to swallow first their pride concede defeat task for forgiveness and then perhaps the President will listen to them. As it stands, you cannot tell the government what they can and can’t do. It’s simply unacceptable. There’s no olive branch this time around. The Tonse people are full of it.
The problem with Tonse Alliance is that they are arrogant. Secondly they would want to patronize President HH and his government. We can’t allow that to happen. The Tonse people will have to swallow first their pride concede defeat task for forgiveness and then perhaps the President will listen to them. As it stands, you cannot tell the government what they can and can’t do. It’s simply unacceptable. There’s no olive branch this time around. The Tonse people are full of it.
Just like the useless UN body, the Church body is equally irrelevant and useless. They ignore certain aspects and accept others just to stay relevant. The Church should remain just that. Preach the word of God and stay out of politics.
Why is it the Church bodies in Africa have a say compared to the first world countries. The Pope for example (an American) cannot say anything to do with how Pres. Donald Trump is governing the US. They just don’t have their time. State and Religion don’t mix. Simple.