UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says there is no need for an investigation in last week’s shooting which resulted in the death of two citizens, demanding that Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo and Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja should be fired.

Speaking during the burial of UPND member Joseph Kaunda, Sunday, Hichilema asked Zambians to remove the current government which had resorted to murdering innocent citizens.

“This is the country which has slipped off our hands. I was whispering to my colleague honourable (Chishimba) Kambwili that after we liberated this country in 1991 from the one party state, I never believed that we will have a government like this ever again. This is the worst government ever. Obviously, I was wrong. I didn’t see this coming, I didn’t expect it that it would be this way. But many of us had an idea what this PF government will be when they took office and we have been proven right. It is up to you people of Zambia to make a united and collective decision to say ‘we cannot have people occupying public office to kill us using our guns,’” Hichilema said.

“What is happening in our country? Tinaika ndani pamu pando (who did we put in leadership?) We put thugs pretending as leaders, there is no leadership in that. There is thuggery in that written all over. It is up to you the people of Zambia to say enough is enough. Zambians do not be scared you must unite once again as you have always done. We are determined when our time in office comes, very soon we will reunite this country which some people are dividing. We will restore the rule of law. There will be nothing like this in our time in office, impossible! If anyone is doubting, watch the space. There will be law and order, no one will be above the law. Bullets will be replaced with scholarships. I want to ask somebody if you call yourself a leader, you don’t need an investigation, fire Kampyongo, Kanganja today. Arrest those who killed our people. And not only those who blew guns. When I was being interviewed in a room, huge guns were fired outside and I could tell those are heavy machine guns. You are firing at who? You don’t need an investigation, all you need is leadership. Nga tawakwata leadership kabiye ukatushe (If you don’t have leadership, go and rest).”

He wondered why people were questioning who killed Kaunda and state prosecutor Nsama Nsama when it was clear that it was the police.

“Joseph Kaunda was executed, was murdered by the very people that were supposed to protect him. I am not sure why people are wondering who killed Joseph Kaunda, who killed Nsama; it is the police. The footage is there. I was ahead on that day along the way from near my home, we were blocked, we were being harassed, we were being shot at yet we were going to the police to answer a police call out so if they didn’t want us to go to the police, why did they summon us to the police? It is clear the summoning of the police was meant to create an opportunity for the PF and the police to kill us,” Hichilema said.

“There is no other explanation that we can give. They have called so many people, so many people have been called to court. We know when Chitalu Chilufya was called to court, he took over the whole magistrate court complex with PF cadres including chiefs. There were no teargas fired there, there was no bullet fired. Why is it that we have to be shot at when we are called to the police? That is because that is the intention of the PF to kill us, to harm us that is the country we live in.”

Hichilema said there was enough evidence to arrest the killers.

“Then you ask a question to investigate, to investigate what? Around Cabinet, around embassies, there is CCTV, everything that goes on is viewed there, the intelligence headquarters is just around there, they have the footage, they have eye witnesses. No need for an investigation, arrest the killers of Nsama and Joseph, a 26-year-old with so much life ahead of him. As I looked at him in the casket, shot in the head, he was not shot at to be scared because he was not threatening anybody. If, let’s assume he was threatening somebody, they would have shot him in the legs so that he survived, he was shot in the head to be killed in cold blood as though they were killing animals,” said Hichilema

Meanwhile, a UPND youth said he was able to identify the police officers on the scene during the fracas.

“I was with Joseph, we came from Chilanga to offer solidarity to president HH. We were sprayed with teargas, Hichilema’s body guard advised us that we have not come to fight. We didn’t carry any weapon. When we were sprayed with teargas, we started running, I heard Joseph shout. I thought he hurt himself. We went back to check on him and we saw his head was damaged. I also heard women nearby crying, we also found Nsama lying down. They were both shot at the head. I got Joseph’s NRC and voter’s card, one of the police officers told me to give him his details, I gave him a voter’s card and a wallet. I asked them if they also wanted to kill me. I am able to identify some of the police officers who were there. They have killed our brother. I can assure Kampyongo and Kanganja that that innocent blood will haunt you,” said the youth.