Dear Editor,
I VIVIDLY remember July 1990 – the aftermath of the food riots in Zambia – which triggered a putsch days later led by Lieutenant Mwamba Luchembe of the Zambia Army.
Soldiers were deployed by President Kenneth Kaunda to bring order after the police failure – just like in South Africa. Matero was the “epicenter” of the looting in Lusaka!
The famous Bata Shoe store in Matero was stripped and later burnt to ashes. Then followed ZCBC shop (where Shoprite is) and later Grindlays Bank and bars.
When soldiers began the patrols, word went round that there would be a “clean-up” operation in Matero to check for the looted goods – searches without warrants. door to door. Residents threw all sorts of things on the roads as part of discarding whatever new product was in the house. Matero township used to be an organised place. There was a functional “civic centre” and Post Office. Letters were delivered to our homes by a postman.
There was a free hearse for funerals in the area managed by the Lusaka City Council. Each household received free bins and the garbage truck emptied these every weekend.
We, the Matero people, torched the Post Office, Civic Centre and other public places. That was the end of those beautiful facilities – successive governments never rebuilt them. The effects of the riots are still visible to see in Matero.
Before you loot and burn down buildings – think twice!
Kenneth Kaunda was removed but the effects of the riots remained to date.
DICKSON JERE.
