By PRISCA LUMINGU and MUKWIMA CHILALA
CADRES from the United Party for National Development (UPND) have emerged at Lusaka’s Intercity Bus Terminus and are charging traders K20 per day for what is believed to be for security.
A receipt under the name UPND Intercity Security and Marketeers Community dated September 6, 2021 showed that a trader paid K20.
One of the security members identified as Charles Mulenga whose number reflect on the receipt confirmed with Millenium Radio that a security group had been formed to guard the area.
Mr Mulenga said it was the traders’ initiative and that they had agreed to be paying K20 per night.
He also claimed that the leaders of the UPND Intercity Security and Marketeers Community had written to the Lusaka City Council for authourisation but that they had not yet received a response from the local authority.
“One of our members by the name of Stanley Phiri had the receipt made, I don’t know if it is city market where he had the book made, and our numbers were added there,” Mr. Mulenga said.
Mr. Mulenga said it was the traders’ initiative and that they agreed to be paying K20 for a night.
He said so far since the security members started guarding the premises, only about 18 shops contributed the K20.
“In fact it is the traders who said they would be contributing the K20 per shop everyday so that those guarding the market can be buying food to eat while guarding at night,” he said.
“We took the proposal to the council office at internet and we were told that it was a good idea. From that time we have been waiting for feedback from the council,” Mr. Mulenga said.
And a check and random interviews with people confirmed the development to Millennium Radio but said that the interim committee at the station was looking for the people behind the matter.
Some members who refused to be named said they had received the reports and were looking for the people behind the fake receipts.
“Yes, I can confirm, actually this is the matter that we are just talking about here. We are trying to investigate this issue and make sure that it is stopped,” some interim committee members said.
‘’Iyi ni same same ati kugulisa chamba elo upasa receipt, so timusakila muntu amene apanga ivi (This is the same as selling cannabis and giving out receipts, so we are looking for the person doing this).
And police spokesperson, Esther Katongo said four youths have been arrested and charged over the matter.
Ms Katongo said some youths were identified to be behind the issuance of the receipt and police managed to apprehend one of them identified as Stanley Phiri aged 36 years while three other suspects escaped but were later arrested.
“They have been identified as John Bombek aged 34, Charles Mulenga aged 40 years and Mathews Mwape aged 35 years,” Ms Katongo said in a statement.
She said the suspects were detained for obtaining money by false pretenses and would appear in court soon.
Earlier, Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba directed all deputy provincial commissioners to ensure they devise a mechanism aimed at averting the challenges of caderism in markets and bus stations under their charge.
Mr. Kajoba said in a statement that he had observed continued harassment of the public by some suspected political cadres.
He said the new Parliament should strength the laws that govern these two institutions to strengthen their work and make them more professional so that they can serve the people of Zambia without any external political influence.
“It doesn’t make sense that after change if Government DEC and FIC are chasing after innocent citizens and freezing their bank accounts,” said Mr Mwanza.
