UPND thugs nearly killed me – journalist
By George Zulu and Thandizo Banda
THOSE United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres are brutal, they could have killed me on Sunday, terrified Power News Network journalist Alphonso Kasongo has said about his ordeal in Lusaka on Sunday.
And the Zambia Free Press Initiative (FPI) has condemned the assault on Kasongo, by UPND thugs in Lusaka’s Linda compound.
In an interview with The Mast yesterday, Kasongo, a news editor at Power News Network, thanked God for sparing his life.
“I thank God that they only managed to beat me up. They assaulted me. I could have been dead by now,” he said.
Kasongo said the UPND thugs attacked him when he was filming an attack on another UPND cadre who was removed from a meeting.
“They started throwing stones at their colleagues before they came after their own member, whom they fished out and took to a hidden place behind a house and started beating, torturing him with tasers. They beat him and I captured that before the other cadre who was behind me alerted his friends and that is how they came for me, beat me up and tortured me with tasers,” he said.
Kasongo said he had reported the matter at Linda Police Station.
“I reported the case yesterday [Sunday] around 18:00 hours. I am not well. I feel traumatised. I am only seeking justice. I hope that these thugs will be brought to book,” he said.
Free Press Initiative (FPI) founder Joan Chirwa condemned the attack on Kasongo.
Chirwa appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema to unequivocally condemn the brutal acts against the media and to call his party’s cadres to order.
She said Hichilema and the ruling party must ensure an immediate end to the assault and harassment of journalists.
The incident reportedly occurred during a party function, where Kasongo was attacked while covering the event.
“… attacks on journalists threaten press freedom and undermine democracy, especially ahead of the August 13 general elections,” she said.
Chirwa called on political parties to rein in their supporters, while, urging police to investigate the assault and bring perpetrators to book.
“According to reports and a video circulating online, which we have reviewed, Kasongo was assaulted while carrying out his professional duties. In the video, he is heard identifying himself as a journalist and pleading with the attackers not to harm him, yet the assault continued, with some cadres using taser guns on the defenseless journalist,” Chirwa said.
She described the attack on an unarmed journalist as unacceptable and a serious violation of press freedom and the rule of law.
“Sadly, this incident is not isolated. Just last week in Mpongwe, journalists at a local radio station were reportedly harassed and attacked by UPND cadres in the presence of police officers. These recurring acts point to a troubling pattern of hostility toward the media that must be urgently addressed by the UPND and its leaders in government,” she said.
Chirwa said media practitioners must be allowed to report freely and safely, especially at a time when the public depends on accurate and timely information.
“Journalists have a constitutional mandate to inform the public without fear, intimidation, or violence. Any attack on a journalist is an attack on the public’s right to access information,” Chirwa said.
She called on police to conduct a swift, impartial and transparent investigation into the assault on Kasongo.
Chirwa said police should hold all perpetrators accountable, regardless of political affiliation.
“We further urge political parties, including the UPND, to publicly denounce such actions and ensure their members respect the rights and safety of journalists,” she said.
She said the FPI stands in solidarity with Kasongo and all journalists facing threats and violence in the line of duty.
Media Owners Association of Zambia (MOAZ) has demanded the arrest of the UPND cadres who attacked Kasongo, warning that failure to do that the media would blackout the party and government activity in protest.
MOAZ president Coast Mwansa said the media was deeply outraged by the barbaric attack on journalists.
“As the Fourth Estate, the media serves as the heartbeat of our democracy. Any assault on a journalist or a media house is not just a criminal act; it is a direct assault on the fundamental rights of every Zambian citizen to remain informed,” he said.
Mwansa reminded the UPND government that it has a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, including journalists who were often in the line of fire to bring truth to the public.
“We will no longer tolerate a climate where media workers are treated as targets. The era of ‘investigations’ without results must end today. The Media Owners Association of Zambia calls on the government and the Zambia police command to swiftly identify, arrest, and prosecute the known perpetrators involved in this incident. We expect visible action, not just verbal assurances,” he said.
Mwansa demanded a clear roadmap and plan for the safety of journalists.
“Going forward, the government must provide a clear and actionable security framework for media houses and journalists covering public events across the country as we head towards the 2026 general elections,” he said.
