… `hacked to death for no reason
By JACKSON MAPAPAYI and ADRIAN MWANZA
NORTH-WESTERN Province Patriotic Front (PF) chairperson, Jackson Kungo, has been killed by UPND militia in a brutal attack at a polling station in broad daylight.
Mr Kungo, 34, leaves behind a wife and four children and was a resident of Humphrey Mulemba Villa.
The incident happened at Kyawama polling station of Solwezi Central around 14:00 hours, when Mr Kungo went to check on the general situation during voting.
Eye-witnesses explained that Mr Kungo arrived at the polling station in a vehicle which was being driven by his vice, Mr Mulemfwe.
As he disembarked from the vehicle, the UPND cadres pounced on him and started beating him using all sorts of objects.
The source said some good Samaritans, who sensed the severity of the attack, rescued Mr Kungo from the brutal beatings of the marauding cadres.
“He was then whisked away to a nearby house in Kyawama compound. But the thugs still followed and finished him off from the same place and by the time he was taken to Kazomba clinic, he was already dead,” a source explained.
The source explained that after the cadres noticed that he had become unconscious, they fled the scene and people rushed the lifeless body to the clinic but were told that it was a brought in-dead case.
Solwezi District Electoral Officer, Bornwell Luanga, confirmed the incident.
“Yes, I can confirm that Mr Kungo, the provincial chairperson has been killed in an incident which occurred at Kyawama polling station,” Mr Luanga said.
Mr Kungo met his fate after the unruly cadres descended on him at a polling station in Solwezi as he went to deliver identity cards for PF monitors.
The cadres then pounced on Mr Kungo who they suspected to have brought prepacked ballot papers to the polling station.
Meanwhile Zambia Police spokesperson Esther Katongo confirmed receiving the report but said that she did not have the full details.
Ms Katongo said she was still waiting for the full details from the police command in Solwezi who were on the ground.
“I can confirm hearing that Mr Jackson Kungo has been murdered but I have not yet been briefed about what really transpired,” she said.
And PF national campaign member Mumbi Phiri said the death of Mr Kungo was a blow to the party.
Ms Phiri said that the people responsible for the barbaric act needed to be brought to book because their actions were uncalled for.
She said there was no need to kill a fellow individual just for the sake of becoming head of state and that leaders needed to be seen to fight violence.
“I was very close to Kungo and right now I’m in tears because I can’t comprehend his death which has come as a shock to me and I can assure you that it is a blow to us as a party because he was a hard working young man,” she said.
Ms Mumbi said that people need to know that there was need to maintain peace in the country and that the relevant authorities needed to make sure that justice prevailed.
Meanwhile, UPND spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said he had not received any information to that effect and expressed ignorance.
“I’m in Choma right now and I have not heard or received anything of that sort therefore I will not comment on that matter,” he said.
