Patriotic Front cadres in Kabwe have stormed Power FM and disrupted a live programme where NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili was featuring.

Kambwili was making his concluding remarks when the cadres arrived around 10:00 hours and forced their way into the studio by breaking the door, demanding that the programme be stopped immediately.

The cadres tried to drag Kambwili out of the studio but his team, led by NDC Central Province chairperson Jerry Chama shielded him.

In the fracas, the PF cadres tore Chama’s shirt and vandalized some radio station property.

Moments later, Kabwe central PF chairperson Sam Lulupa arrived and ordered his cadres to go outside the studio so that he could talk to Kambwili, which they obliged.

Lulupa apologized to Kambwili saying what the cadres had done was wrong but hastened to caution him to use “respectful language”.

Lulupa then proceeded to address the PF cadres who waited outside the studio.

Meanwhile, Kambwili condemned the thuggery behavior of the PF cadres and told journalists that police were afraid to ack.

“First they went and beat up council workers, today they came to stop the program, unruly behavior; police have been called but they are nowhere to be seen because they have been threatened. What happened in Sesheke has sent shivers to the police, so wherever PF is involved; making noise or causing violence, police cannot move in because they are scared of losing their jobs, they have got families to feed,” he said.

“But I think by and large what the people of Zambia need to do; is to remove these people. I have said on this issue of saying leaders are stealing, I am ready to die. These people, what they are supposed to do is to stop stealing; that’s so. Once they stop stealing, then there will be no problem. But if they continue stealing and when we talk about their stealing, their cadres come to attack us; I am ready to be attacked, even to die on behalf of the people of Zambia. We cannot continue running a country where it’s free for them to steal public resources and when we talk, you bring unruly cadres. For me, I will not be that coward.”

Police only arrived at the scene 40 minutes after the fracas began despite Kabwe’s central police being located close to Power FM studio station.

The officers failed to arrest the PF cadres who were still at the premises despite NDC media director Emmanuel Malite telling them that they had trespassed and vandalized property, among other things.

Police instead offered to sneak Kambwili out of the studio.

NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili with NDC Central Province chairperson Jerry Chama at Power FM after PF cadres disrupted his programme on April 30, 2019 – Picture by Joseph Mwenya

Speaking during the show, Kambwili insisted that there was too much thieving in PF and that party needed to be voted out.

“I have said give me an opportunity while I am still young; I have said this and I want to say it again here; the problem is that some people in this country just want to stick to one political party even when it’s making a lot of mistakes. The way PF is behaving today is not the way we wanted the PF that we created to be. But ‘umuntu alemibila, baleiba, imwe mulecula, mulefuma ku n’ganda tamulile, ngabamweba fye ati iseni ba President baleisa, nensala yenu mwaya mwasha nabana nensala, mwaya mwikimbila umuntu, kabolala uulemibila ukwabula no luse (Someone is stealing for you; they are stealing, you are suffering yourselves, you are coming from your homes without eating, but when they tell you that come here the President is coming, you go with your hunger to sing for a thief who is stealing without mercy),” said Kambwili.

“You were just suffering together these people in government including the president; today they are supper rich and they are giving you hand outs. That won’t be tolerated under Kambwili’s administration. Someone came here and lied to you that he had opened Mulungushi textile, but as we speak, it is closed and now they are even chasing you from the street while they are enjoying your money which they are stealing.”

Kabwe police escort Chishimba Kambwili out of Power FM
Some Kabwe residents showed up to offer solidarity to NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili