Police have arrested Katuba UPND member of parliament Patricia Mwashingwele on grounds that the lawmaker incited people in her constituency, Monday, to pull down a billboard of Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa that had been erected in the area beyond the borders of Lusaka District.

UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma confirmed the arrest to News Diggers! but while sources told news Diggers that she was being held at Kabangwe Police station.

“Yes, it’s true she has been arrested. I think she was arrested in Katuba, in her constituency. The police went and said that she was responsible for bringing down a billboard that had been erected by Miles Sampa. She is at the police right now, though I am not sure, which station she is being held as at now because I am also just trying to find out. But I wonder why a billboard of Miles was put up in Chibombo, I am sure that’s what even caused the local residents to be upset that they even brought down that billboard. But now, the police think it’s Mwashingwele who incited them,” narrated Kakoma.

“Katuba is in Chibombo District in Central Province and Miles is Lusaka District Mayor, so this arrest is not normal. If Miles wants to erect billboards, let him go and erect them in Lusaka District. He can’t go and erect it in another district or another province. But clearly, the billboards have to do with projecting himself, which is actually promoting himself. So, why do that in another person’s jurisdiction?”

Efforts to confirm the matter with police were unsuccessful as both the Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Nelson Phiri and Command Spokesperson Esther Katongo could not confirm the arrest, saying they did not know where she was being held.