Police save Mwenda from UPND thugs
By Esther Chisola
ECONOMIC Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Kasonde Mwenda yesterday survived an attack at the Lusaka Magistrates Court after United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres waylaid him.
While Mwenda was appearing before magistrate Amy Masoja for an adjournment of his case together with 13 others for unlawful assembly case, uncompromised UPND cadres followed him and questioned why he was critical of President Hakainde Hichilema.
Mwenda survived after police officers whisked him away using an underground tunnel to a holding cell.
The UPND cadres demanded to know whether the attacks on Hichilema were equivalent to offering checks and balances.
The cadres warned Mwenda that they would sort him out because he was a nuisance to the UPND and its leadership.
But Mwenda said stopping criticising Hichilema would be betrayal of the people of Zambia, a statement which angered the cadres.
“I will not stop criticizing Hichilema until the people of Zambia stop suffering and good leadership is offered. Your Kateka has failed and the time he realise that the better for Zambia even you too,” he said.
Kasonde posted on his Facebook page, confirming the attack by the UPND cadres at the Court.
“We are attacked by UPND carders inside Court premises, rescued by police through underground tunnels after Court order intervention, currently in police custody,” read the post.
Earlier, magistrate Masoja adjourned the case for continued defence to next month.
In this case, Mwenda, author of the book Hakainde Hichilema: The Economist, is charged with escaping from lawful custody and another charge of unlawful assembly in which he is jointly accused with his cadres.
On March 10, 2023, around 12:00, the 14 allegedly unlawfully assembled at the Civic Centre in Lusaka, with an alleged intention to cause breach of peace.
It is also alleged that after the group was apprehended and taken to police, Mwenda escaped from police officers at Lusaka central police station.
They all denied the allegations before Lusaka magistrate Amy Chilangwa, the presiding magistrate.
