Sat, 10 Feb 2018 09:35:18 +0000
By SIMON MUNTEMBA
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) vice president Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba is in South Africa to deliver an undisclosed amount of money to fugitive musician Chama Fumba aka “Pilato.”
PF media director Sunday Chanda told the Daily Nation in an interview that they had information that Mr Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, was in South Africa to deliver money to Pilato on behalf of UPND.
The money is to cover his expenses as he continues the opposition’s project aimed at denting the democratic credentials of Zambia to the international community.
Mr Chanda, who stood by his earlier allegations that the UPND had sponsored Pilato’s self-exile for cheap political mileage, maintained that the PF had no intention of harming the musician.
He also said a posted photo of Mr Mwamba and Pilato posing in South Africa is a clear confirmation of what he earlier said that Pilato’s self-imposed exile in South Africa was under a sponsored project of the UPND.
“We are aware that GBM is in South Africa to deliver some dollars to Pilato on behalf of UPND so that his life is sustained as he continues UPND’s project aimed at denting the democratic credentials of Zambia to the international community.
“Like we disclosed last time, the idea is to get Pilato to be part of their project to malign the country in the international space and part of what they are doing is that they have so far signed a contract with him to appear on international media platform and to write articles in his name to discredit Zambia,” Mr Chanda said.
He added: “We are very much aware that GBM went to give Pilato some cash to sustain his life while away carrying out the UPND project.”
Mr Chanda also said the UPND wants to use Pilato’s experience to purport that there was a breakdown of law in Zambia coupled with entrenched politics of violence which has been tolerated and embraced by the PF when it was not true.
Pilato who went into self-imposed exile late last year, is a wanted person in Zambia because he missed a court session.
Pilato left Zambia when he was supposed to appear before the court of law in a case where he and others are charged with disobeying lawful orders when they protested the government’s purchase of 42 fire tenders in September last year.
He jumped police bond which prompted Lusaka principal resident magistrate Mwaka Mikalile to issue a bench warrant against him.
On Thursday, the UPND vice president wrote on his official page, “I took a pose with satirical artist commonly known as Pilato.
“Mr Fumba’s life has been threatened by PF thugs and this has led him to seek protection in a foreign country.”
UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma could however not be reached for a comment as his mobile phone went unanswered.
