Fri, 17 Mar 2017 10:31:40 +0000
By Annie Zulu
DETAILS have emerged that the alleged assault of a police officer and two CAF officials by President Edgar Lungu’s political advisor Kaizer Zulu during the just ended U-20 AfCON championship at the National Heroes stadium is not true.
According to impeccable sources, the incident as reported in some sections of the social and print media was a total fabrication aimed at alienating Mr Zulu from the presidency.
And Network for Young People Against Violence director Moses Kalonde has said those calling for the dismissal of Mr Zulu must be sincere because he had not done anything wrong to deserve the sack.
He said the incident between Mr Zulu and the CAF officials had been blown out of proportion by some individuals whose intentions were to scandalise the President’s political advisor.
Mr Kalonde said it was not true that Mr Zulu verbally abused CAF officials or assaulted Ms Nkulukusa. “The issue that occurred between the presidential aide and CAF officials on Sunday has just been blown out of
proportion. The accusation that Mr Zulu verbally abused CAF officials and assaulted a police officer are unfounded and lack merit.
“Enemies of the State are at work and they have regrouped. They want to find faults in everything even on little things and accuse others wrongly,” he said.
The sources told the Daily Nation that it was abundantly clear that Mr Zulu was a mere victim of social and political slander and malice to distance him from President Lungu.
Mr Zulu has been accused by a police officer named as Jacqueline Nkulukusa for assaulting her at National Heroes Stadium during the presentation of the CAF awards by President Lungu.
They explained that Mr Zulu, as leader of the presidential team, was only invited to escort President Lungu on the pitch during the match between Zambia and Senegal and at no time did he have any intention to be on the podium from where the awards were being given.
The sources said it was not true that Mr Zulu verbally abused CAF officials or assaulted Ms Nkulukusa who later filed a complaint at Matero police station.
The Daily Nation has been informed that the two CAF officials who attacked Mr Zulu had a grudge against him as they were the same officials who he (Zulu) had blocked from entering President Lungu’s holding room where he was with former CAF president Issa Hayatou during the first match.
“I watched events as they unfolded on the pitch as the President stood on the podium to present the U-20 CAF cup to the Zambian team. The two CAF officials alleged to have been abused had earlier in the day sought to enter the holding room.
“Mr. Zulu advised the officials that the room was already full, adding that the CAF president had already entered the room which could no longer accommodate more officials. It seems the two CAF officials were incensed by this incident and sought an opportunity to get at Mr. Zulu,” the source said.
The sources explained that as President Lungu descended from his VIP seat to present the cup to the winning team and medals to other participating teams, chief protocol officer General Bulaya invited Mr. Zulu to accompany the President down to the pitch.
They explained that Mr Zulu was invited to escort President Lungu onto the pitch because he was in-charge of the Presidential delegation from State House.
Mr Zulu was, however, met by the two CAF officials he had earlier prevented from entering the holding room who violently blocked him (Zulu) from getting on the pitch.
“Mr. Zulu told them that he was on the pitch because his business was with the President. However, the two officials did not want to hear the explanation and physically stood in his way.
“At that point, we saw the two CAF officials grabbing Mr Zulu and twisting his arms backwards like a criminal. Mr Zulu managed to free himself but was immediately attacked by a female police officer who violently pushed Mr Zulu while shouting that she did not care who he was,” the source said.
However, according to the report filed by Ms Nkulukusa at Matero Police Station, the events took place at 20:30 hours, yet by 20:16 hours President Lungu and his entourage were already at Nkwazi, the Presidential residence.
The sources accused the opposition UPND for politicising the issue by attacking Mr Zulu over a matter they did not have the full facts.
