Wed, 21 Jun 2017 09:03:18 +0000
By OSCAR MALIPENGA
THE Zambia Police Service has instituted investigations in a matter in which United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres attacked the Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Rev. Godfridah Sumaili on Monday morning at Lusaka Magistrate’s courts, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo told Parliament yesterday.
Mr Kampyongo also apologised to the House and the Religious Affairs Minister for the lapse in the security system at the court.
And Mr. Kampyongo has assured the nation through Parliament that despite an ill-advised campaign against Zambia by some clergymen and smaller sections of the society, the security situation was calm, adding that there is no crisis in Zambia.
Mr. Kampyongo, popularly known as “Shiwa’ngandu One”, informed the House that some of the UPND cadres who harassed and insulted Rev. Sumaili have been identified awaiting to be made accountable.
On Monday, Rev. Sumaili escaped possible lynching from UPND cadres after the unruly supporters verbally abused her at the Lusaka Magistrates Court premises in full view of UPND leadership.
The minister was at the courts for her case in which UPND leader
Hakainde Hichilema has accused her of contempt of court in the treason case.
In full view of UPND leadership, the cadres hurled unprintables at the Minister who looked really disappointed at the immoral gesture of the UPND cadres.
The cadres verbally attacked her woman stature to the very existence of her as a human being.
Mr. Kampyongo in Parliament yesterday described the UPND cadre’s behaviour at the Magistrate’s court lawlessness and apologised to the Minister of Religious Affairs for the lapse in the security system at the court.
He said subjecting a cabinet minister to harassment by UPND cadres was regrettable, and assured Rev. Sumaili that such a situation would never happen again.
Mr. Kampyongo was responding to a question from Milenge Constituency Patriotic Front (PF) member of Parliament Mwansa Mbulakulima who wanted to find out what measures government had put in place to avoid a re-occurrence of the harassment.
Earlier, in a ministerial statement, Mr. Kampyongo said after the arrest of suspects in the treason case in April, there had been a sustained and deliberate campaign to paint the country as a dictatorship.
He said it was regrettable that some clergymen could suggest that Zambia was in a crisis.
“Those people who are saying there is crisis in Zambia, the crisis
only exists to them,” he said.
