EASTERN Province acting commanding officer Davis Simwanza says acting PF president Given Lubinda was politely asked to occupy a seat reserved for him in the opposition leaders’ pavilion during the Nc’wala traditional ceremony but he opted to leave the arena.

During the Nc’wala traditional ceremony held on Saturday, Lubinda alleged that the state security, through Simwanza, was instructed to eject him from the main arena because they wanted to avoid confusion.

He said he was ejected from the main arena because he had become the centre of attraction.

But in an interview, Simwanza said Lubinda was initially ushered to a seat reserved for the Agriculture Minister.

“What actually transpired is that honourable Lubinda was initially ushered on the wrong seat which was reserved for I think it should be for the Minister of Agriculture. So there was a seat reserved for him in the next pavilion as an opposition leader just like any other who was invited. So officers were simply reminding him that he needed to occupy that seat which was reserved for him in the next pavilion. So he was directed to go and occupy that seat,” said Simwanza.

“An officer even assisted him to get some articles and was taken to that seat in the next pavilion. But I do not know at that point when he declined to take that seat and walked away. Basically, that is what I know because I was in charge of security there. He was not evicted from the arena. Many people who witnessed him being invited politely to go and occupy his rightful seat.”