Renowned PF cadre Fidelis Solomon Ngoma was left for dead after being beaten by unknown people on Saturday night, following a drinking spree in Lusaka.

Ngoma is said to be a witness in a fight and shooting incident that happened at a Kabulonga house, in which President Edgar Lungu’s political advisor Kaizer Zulu is implicated.

Sources close to Zulu claim that the State House official was not involved in any way, and that it was his family that was under attack from unknown people.

“There is a group of people that is trying to start a smear campaign against Mr Kaizer, these have been paid by known elements to tell lies about him. Mr Kaizer was not even around when those incidences happened, he was out of the country. In fact, it is his family that in under threat, people were trying to shoot his relatives,” said a source close to Zulu.

But police sources say the President’s aid was visiting a female friend at some location in Kabulonga when a garden boy peeped through the window and was beaten for snooping around.

“The victim was a garden boy at a house in Kabulonga on Kudu Road. The owner of the house is Jimmy, he is a lawyer. Kaizer himself stays in Ibex Hill, but he was visiting his female friend at the house we understand. Now, as this garden boy was passing, he peeped into the house, that’s how Kaizer got out and interrogated the victim. He accused him of being a spy and he allegedly set his boys to beat him,” the source narrated.

“The victim was brought to the police and a docket of criminal trespass was opened, but he was not detained because he was in a very bad state. He was surrendered to his employers to take him to the hospital. This is where Fidelis came in. This guy is said to be the witness together with Jimmy, who witnessed the incident. Apparently, we understand that Fidelis blew up the issue on some PF blogs, accusing Mr Kaizer of trying to kill someone.”

The source said that back at the scene of the incident, witnesses heard gunshots, and a bullet was retrieved, which appeared to have been discharged by an assault rifle; but the puzzle of the shooter and where the bullet came from remained unsolved.

Lusaka Province police commissioner Nelson Phiri told News Diggers that he was not aware of any such incident, adding that no one had logged any complaint with any police station regarding a shooting.

“I don’t have that report. If it happened at his family house, then it is him who is supposed to report to police, but we didn’t receive any report,” said Phiri.

When contacted a day after the incident, Zulu offered to give News Diggers an exclusive interview over what had transpired, but said he would only do so when he arrived back in Zambia as he was with President Lungu in Congo DR at the time. He however opted out of the interview appointment and did not respond to prompts.

Instead, Zulu confirmed the development in a voice note which he posted in a PF WhatsApp group called “PF Youth Countrywide”, stating that he was moving to arrest some people who were trying to harm his family in Kabulonga.

Zulu’s message was targeted at Fidelis, warning him to stay away from things he did not understand, if he did not want to get harmed.

“Ba Fidelis good afternoon, cawama mwabwela mwacita na post (It’s good you have come and you have posted) one of the posts you did, with a confession that you have an interest in the matter. Probably tell us how you have an interest in a matter where I am apprehending people who are trying to harm my family to the extent of shooting. For those that are thinking this is a joking matter, please stay in your lane because mwalaicena (you will harm yourselves),” Zulu said in a voice note.

The matter then died down following a daring exchange of warnings between the said Fidelis and Zulu, each having a gang of followers supporting their position and arguments in the matter.

The matter, however, resurrected yesterday when Zulu visited a drinking spot called Granddaddy’s in Salama Park area where he held a private meeting with named PF officials.

According to Fidelis who also happened to be at the same Granddaddy’s drinking joint, Zulu threatened him when he walked up to him for a greeting.

“I went to Granddaddy’s to meet the Eastern Province Chairman. When I was there, I saw Kaizer arriving and went into a private meeting with someone. When he was leaving, I went up to his car to greet him. He responded saying ‘hi ba Fidelis, nimwe mwebale tulemba ifyabupuba pama blogs’, I said its not me boss I was just informed,” he narrated.

“So when I left Granddaddy’s around 22:00 hours, I went to the Bank in Avondale at a night club where I started drinking. I was in the company of my friends and from there a friend dropped me at Waterfalls Mall near Airport Round about. From there I went to the ATM and decided to cross to the other Mall.”

Fidelis narrated that it was at that juncture that his assailants waylaid him and clobbered him with metal bars.

“As I crossed from Waterfalls Mall to Garden City Mall, I just saw five people show up and said ‘iwe niwe weulemba ama articles (you are the one who writes articles) attacking our leaders. Before I knew it, they hit me with a metal bar. I tried to stand and head-butted one of them, but others also came in and started hitting me until I fell. Now there was a vehicle that was coming, that’s how those guys ran away,” narrated Fidelis.

“I think let’s change the politics in Lusaka. Those who are voicing out should not be attacked. I am hurt and I have a scar on my back. This scar is for the people that we are speaking for.”