UPDATE:
Zambia President, Edgar Lungu has blamed opposition supporters for going to the police station in Solidarity with opposition leader, Hikainde Hichilema.
In an updated Facebook post, in all caps, Lungu wrote:
FELLOW COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN,
FIRST OF ALL, MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILIES OF NSAMA NSAMA CHIPYOKA AND JOSEPH KAUNDA, BOTH OF WHOM WERE KILLED BY AN UNKNOWN ASSAILANT OR ASSAILANTS YESTERDAY IN LUSAKA. I AM GRIEVING WITH THE FAMILIES OF THESE VICTIMS. MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES.
I HAVE TAKEN A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THESE SENSELESS MURDERS, AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE TO FIND OUT WHAT COULD HAVE REALLY HAPPENED. AS YOU HEARD FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE YESTERDAY, POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER FOR THE MOTIVE AND TO FIND OUT WHO IS BEHIND THESE KILLINGS. HOWEVER, I NOW DIRECT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO USE EVERY RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO FULLY INVESTIGATE THESE MURDERS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I MUST RECEIVE THE REPORT BY MONDAY, 28TH DECEMBER, 2020.
COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN,
THE DEATHS OF THESE TWO ZAMBIANS WOULD, CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. BUT IT SEEMS WE HAVE CAST ASIDE OUR VALUES AS A COUNTRY BECAUSE WE NOW BELIEVE POLITICS OR POLITICKING MUST BE OUR DAILY BREAD. WE NOW BELIEVE IT PAYS TO SPEND TIME AT POLICE STATIONS AND COURTS, AS CHEERLEADERS OF POLITICIANS, EVEN OVER CASES THAT WE KNOW LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT. EVEN AFTER BEING CAUTIONED AGAINST GOING TO THE POLICE STATION IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, CITIZENS, MANY IN SPONSORED TRANSPORT TRAVERSED THERE. IN SHORT, WE HAVE BECOME PAWNS IN OTHER PEOPLE’S GAMES.
YESTERDAY’S INCIDENTS WERE TOTALLY UNNECESSARY TO PUT IT MILDLY. AN INDIVIDUAL, IN HIS PERSON, WAS CALLED BY THE POLICE TO ANSWER CHARGES, AND YET WE SAW MULTITUDES OF UNINVITED CITIZENS THRONGING THE POLICE STATION. WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT? IN THE MEANTIME, A SITUATION WAS CREATED FOR MAYHEM AND WE ENDED UP WITH LIVES LOST.
NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. NOT ME, NOT ANYBODY. AND AS LONG AS I AM PRESIDENT, I WILL NOT ALLOW ANYBODY TO USURP CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN,
NSAMA WAS NOT JUST A PROSECUTOR OR A LAWYER, HE WAS A HUSBAND, DAD, SON, BROTHER, NEPHEW, UNCLE, COUSIN OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GRIEVING TODAY. THINK ABOUT HIS WIFE, CHILDREN, HIS BIGGER FAMILY. IS THIS FAIR? ALL BECAUSE OF POLITICS? THINK ABOUT THE LOSS FOR THE NATIONAL PROSECUTIONS AUTHORITY AND THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.
THEN YOU HAVE JOSEPH. AGAIN A YOUNG MAN, FULL OF LIFE, TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE OF POLITICAL ACTIVISM. WHAT ABOUT HIS FAMILY? SHOULD JOSEPH HAVE DIED THIS WAY? THINK ABOUT THE IMAGE WE ARE CREATING FOR OUR COUNTRY? IS THIS THE MOTIVATION FOR THE KILLER? NO, ZAMBIA IS A HAVEN FOR PEACE, WE SHALL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO TURN THIS COUNTRY UPSIDE DOWN.
THIS IS THE TIME FOR ALL OF US TO REFLECT AS A COUNTRY ABOUT THE ZAMBIA WE WANT TO LIVE IN. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE ARE AS A COUNTRY. THIS IS ALIEN. WHAT UNITES US IS STRONGER THAN WHAT DIVIDES US.
AS WE PRAY FOR NSAMA AND JOSEPH’S FAMILIES WITH BROKEN HEARTS AND OUTRAGE, WE SEEK ANSWERS. THEIR FAMILIES SEEK ANSWERS. I ASK EACH ONE OF YOU TO STAY CALM AS INVESTIGATORS DO THEIR WORK. LET US REMAIN RESOLUTE AGAINST CRIME AND SAY, NO, TO POLITICAL CHICANERY AND DEMAGOGUERY.
HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL, GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
Original Post
In a shocking development, Zambian President, Edgar Lungu, who is facing certain defeat from opposition leader, Hikaende Hichilema, has claimed that the people who shot into a crowd of opposition supporters are unknown.
Writing on Facebook, Lungu said:
Fellow Citizens,
First of all, my heart goes out to the families of Nsama Nsama Chipyoka and Joseph Kaunda, both of whom were killed by an unknown assailant or assailants yesterday in Lusaka. I am grieving with the families of these victims. My sincere condolences to the families.
I have taken a moment to reflect on these senseless murders, and I have spoken to the Inspector General of Police to find out what could have happened. As you heard from the Inspector General of Police yesterday, police are investigating this matter for the motive and to find out who is behind these killings.
I am directing the Inspector General of Police to use every resource available to fully investigate these murders as quickly as possible. I must receive the report by Monday, 28th December 2020.
This is despite the fact that police were filmed shooting teargas into the crowd.
