National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili says arrests and intimidation from the State only encourage him to increase volume as he speaks for the voiceless Zambians.

And Kambwili says as the State prepares for his latest arrest after he questioning President Edgar Lungu’s friendship with a drug trafficking-accused businessman, Valden Findlay, they should not dare to kill him while in detention.

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) summoned Kambwili to present himself for interviews, Wednesday, over his allegations of illicit activities against Valden Findlay, but failed to show up due to an illness.

DEC deputy public relations officer Kamufisa Manchishi informed journalists after Kambwili failed to show up at the Commission, that his lawyers had advised that their client could not make it because he was unwell.

Manchinshi explained that Kambwili’s summoning would not amount to any arrest, but that they only wanted him to assist with information that could help with investigations.

“We did summon Mr Chishimba Kambwili for an interview regarding various allegations that he had made this week on certain illicit activities. But we have been informed by his lawyers that he’s unable to make it because he’s unwell. I want to state that this interview does not amount to any arrest in any way. It’s actually a routine process, which we would take in any investigation or any inquiry that we would want to take as a Commission. We just want to get further information and give somebody an opportunity to clarify in case there is extra things that they would want to add and also to just present their information formally to us so that we are able to have a discussion with them,” Manchishi explained.

But addressing journalists at his residence soon after, Kambwili said he did not mind being arrested over one hundred million times provided President Lungu spared his life.

“I told them who the drug dealers are; I told them who has been mentioned in America in the American courts, so why come and summon me? Go and get those drug dealers and ask them why they were summoned in America and why Kaunda locked them up! How do you start an investigation by coming to stage police officers at my residence, for what? The information I gave you is enough and these things are in public domain. It is in public domain that Findlay moves with President Lungu wherever he goes. So, what wrong have I done to advise a friend that be careful with the people you are moving with because they are being mentioned in issues of drugs and that will bring the Presidency to disrepute?” Kambwili wondered.

When informed that the DEC’s summoning was not meant to detain him by Diamond Television journalist, Darious Chonya, Kambwili told him that he actually knew more about the PF’s tricks than anyone else did.

“Excuse me, I know more than you! I have got intelligence and they told me that the President was saying ‘can you find within your Act a charge to give him in order to shut him up!?’ So, when you say this is not an arrest, you don’t know what you are talking about. I am ready for anything and I will not be scared of anything! I would have been there today it’s just that I have been given three days’ bed rest effective yesterday (Tuesday). I was attacked with malaria on Sunday, I went to the hospital and they gave me bed rest. Again, yesterday, I went for review and they gave me another two days. You ordinarily know that I should have been in court this morning, but I haven’t been there and when you came, you found I was sleeping, I even told you I wasn’t feeling alright. But I agreed to be interviewed because this matter is very sensitive and the Zambian people deserve to know the truth,” Kambwili replied.

And he warned President Lungu not kill him if he managed to have him arrested, saying he wanted to continue speaking on behalf of Zambians.

“President Lungu or DEC, I have told you, you can arrest me 100 million times, but I will never stop talking about the truth! It doesn’t ogre well for a country like Zambia, which needs aid from America, to start having allegations of the President having a close relationship with somebody who is being suspected of dealing drugs and that was all I was communicating to the country. So, why do you want to intimidate me? Why do you want start sending police officers to my home? If they were bringing a call out, why should they come with three vehicles? They can just send one person to bring it. So, I am ready for them, so my dear sister at DEC, if I will be okay tomorrow or the other day, I will come there. I am not afraid to be arrested,” Kambwili said.

“Let me tell the government, unless you kill me, you won’t manage to intimidate me. The more you are doing these things to me, the more volume I add! Mind you, I know a lot. So, as you put me in those cells, aikona ukunjipaya mukantunge ifyakunjipaya (don’t inject me with something that will kill me when you put me in jail) because I want to speak on behalf of the people of Zambia, and I want to liberate this country. I want to leave this country better than I found it. So, if you feel you can intimidate me with arrests…I know what is going on and I know that when I go to them tomorrow or the other day, they will lock me up. But for me lock up is lotion, I will just be smearing it on my body.”

Kambwili, the former Chief Government Spokesperson, insisted that all he wanted was for President Lungu to ensure that those involved in illicit activities were arrested.

“Those who are doing illegal things that can destroy Zambia must stop and just give us answers when we ask! What you should know is that the power you are enjoying now is not for eternity; one day, you will have to account whether you kill Chishimba Kambwili or not, there will be another (Kambwili) because Zambia is not short of leaders. Zambia is not short of courageous people who can ask pertinent questions that others are scared to ask on behalf of the people of Zambia. Whether you kill me, ba Lungu and your friends, even this malaria I have today, I had it after getting back from the cells. I don’t know what they did to me and I don’t just understand why they insist on keeping me in jail. But the God who is in heaven who I pray to always protects me. Tamwakankumanishe, nalibelama muli ba Yahweh (you won’t bring me down I am covered in God’s hands),” said Kambwili.

“But what I am encouraging you about is to stop these illegal things. I am trying to protect you, President Edgar Lungu, some of the people that surround you don’t love you, my dear. They just love you because you have power and can give them a contract there and there. But the day you will leave office is when you will know who your true friends are. So, all I need from you, ba President, are honest answers not DEC calling me, but for you DEC, I will be there for you.”