REGRETABLY, two people have already died as a result of events emanating from a land dispute involving UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema and the Hatembos of Choma.
Both Police and the Director of Public Prosecution offices are well aware of the matters leading to the death of state prosecutor, Nsama Nsama and a UPND sympathiser Joseph Kaunda in December, 2020.
Why the two offices have allowed the unfolding series of events, including a suspected abduction to continue, is not clear because it is within their capacity to bring a close to this case by using information at their disposal to prosecute the case.
Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja and DPP Lillian Sinyuni have access to Ministry of Lands information on the fraudulent land transaction which is the genesis of all these unfolding events, and it is within their power to prosecute the matter.
Sadly, while two lives have already been lost, two more people are living in hiding or abduction, away from their family, because government institutions which should take stock of the matter have chosen to remain mute.
This case, which has now been turned into a circus, should be stopped and both the IG and DPP have powers to do that.
A case that started with a family fighting to get back their farm, which they believed to have been grabbed from them in a somewhat fraudulent manner, has degenerated into a criminal circus.
A criminal circus which needs to be halted before more lives are lost.
What has now become to be known as the Hatembos’ abduction has its genesis in the Ministry of Lands where through some fraudulent activity, a family lost its farm, inherited from their deceased father.
What should have been a family settlement is anything but. This is because almost 2, 400 hectares ended up in the hands of UPND president Hakainde Hichilema through a questionable transaction.
It is this transaction, criminal in nature, which has the Hatembo siblings on the run or hiding. But on the run from who?
Much as the recently released video shows Pheluna talking about being threatened by FDD president Edith Nawakwi, no one believes that because if that where the case, the family would have reported this to police.
What is on record is that the siblings are missing because they are being held against their will.
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) president Andrew Ntewewe has therefore rightly demanded that the matter be prosecuted without delay.
“The veracity of the Kalomo farm 1924 must be publicly acknowledged and Zambians told the pain in order to bring the matter to rest.
It was unfortunate that side events were taking centre stage while the main issue was being ignored.
Unless Mr Kanganja and Ms Sinyuni stop this fraud at the Ministry of Lands more people may die.
This matter must therefore be prosecuted immediately to avoid a loss of life and unnecessary tension in the country,” Mr Ntewewe said.
Whatever happens to the Hatembo siblings, whose location police have failed to find, will be blamed on the two offices’ failure to prosecute a clear case of fraud.
Time to act is now to end the Hatembo circus and to unite the siblings with their families.
