Police, cadres nearly killed me – PF mayor
By Thandizo Banda
NDOLA mayor Dr Jones Kalyati yesterday narrated how a combined gang of State police officers and suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres brutally beat him and left him for dead in Masaiti District in the Copperbelt Province Friday.
Dr Kalyati, Ndola District Patriotic Front (PF) chairman, is nursing multiple injuries following the assault.
He said in an interview with The Mast he had not bothered to report his attackers to the police knowing that nothing would happen under the “current system of things”.
Dr Kalyati said he was now fearing for his life after the vicious attack as Under the orders of their leaders, UPND cadres have continued spreading terror against members of the opposition lately.
Today, President Hakainde Hichilema is expected to address the nation on the spate of violence being perpetrated by his party’s cadres, who have now been joined by the increasingly partisan police.
“There’s no other way I would report the matter to the same police officers who executed the attack. They [police] were and are still after me, for political reasons,” he said.
Dr Kalyati said he would be available to testify as a defence witness when the three PF officials charged with unlawful assembly appear before [the] Masaiti magistrates court tomorrow.
He narrated how a meeting for PF officials at a named lodge in Masaiti District was violently disrupted forcing them to scamper in all directions when a horde of riot police officers and UPND cadres stormed the venue.
“We were frightened at the presence of a battalion of police officers who said they were looking for Kalyati, which prompted me to swiftly run for my life and jump over the perimeter wall but landed in the hands of another group of officers and [UPND] cadres camped outside, who took turns in beating me using fists, kicks and buttons and pepper-sprayed me until I lost consciousness,” Dr Kalyati said.
He said his assailants allegedly stole his phones, money and other personal belongings before abandoning him at a church in Masaiti District, wondering how police could engage in such hooliganism.
Dr Kalyati, who is nursing a swollen hand and multiple body injuries and pains, said he later regained consciousness with the help of passers-by who took him to a nearby garage using a hired taxi.
After regaining some strength, he returned to the lodge where he re-united with his team and headed to a private clinic for treatment.
Dr Kalyati appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema to immediately stem the country’s worsening human rights situation by taming the unprofessional and highly partisan police and violent UPND cadres.
“I’m not just a member of PF. I’m Ndola mayor. I don’t have to be treated like that. They got my phone, money and all my personal documents. They hit me on my back and arm. As you can see I’m still swollen,” he said.
“Today I could be making headlines as having been murdered brutally by police and cadres. I thank the mechanic who was courageous to come to my aid when I fainted,” Dr Kalyati said.
The three PF officials scheduled for court appearance for alleged unlawful assembly on tomorrow are Copperbelt Province PF secretary Bernard Zulu, provincial chairlady Rose Mukupo and Masaiti District PF chairman, a Mr Kalutwa
