LOZIS SNUB HH

Mon, 09 Oct 2017 11:10:13 +0000

…UPND chief’s invitation withdrawn for security reasons

BY ANDREW MUKOMA

THE Barotse Royal Establishment snubbed UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema at the last minutes by withdrawing his invitation to the 40th coronation ceremony of Inyambo Yeta in Mwandi.

Mr Hichilema’s invitation to Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta’s 40th coronation ceremony was withdrawn by the royal establishment u-turning its earlier decision for ‘security reasons.’

BRE decided through the Kuta to inform the UPND team not to have their leader in attendance for security reasons.

This was despite the UPND leader’s advance party and Members of Parliament having arrived in Mwandi a day before the event took place.

An impeccable source within the organizing committee for the anniversary confirmed the development in Mwandi yesterday.

The source disclosed that BRE and the Kuta in Mwandi had different opinions over Mr. Hichilema’s attendance.

“I can confirm there was an invitation letter to him (HH) to attend but on Friday BRE changed their minds for security reasons,” the source said.

The Kuta was avoiding what happened during Kuomboka this year in Mongu that led to the arrest of HH and his team, but his people were already here (Mwandi).

And during the proceedings of the celebration on Saturday, the director of ceremony clearly told the gathering that the event had nothing to do with politics.

Mr. Katanti Sichula repeatedly warned those from political parties not to display their party symbols.

“We don’t want confusion here, this is the coronation of the longest serving son of Barotse land, Senior chief Inyambo Yeta. We don’t want anyone to show any party symbol,” he said.

Meanwhile, some UPND supporters were agitated by the presence of uniformed police officers at the event.

Some were heard saying it was not necessary to deploy police officers at a traditional event.

“Why send police officers to Mwandi Traditional ceremony as if Zambia is a police state,” they were heard saying. The United Party for National Development (UPND) lost its invitation when the royal establishment decided to rescind the invitation on Friday.