MWALITETA POINTS GUN AT SOCIALIST PARTY CANDIDATE FOR KAUNGA WARD IN LUANGWA
MWALITETA POINTS GUN AT SOCIALIST PARTY CANDIDATE FOR KAUNGA WARD IN LUANGWA
By Correspondent
SOCIALIST Party (SP) aspiring candidate for Kaunga ward, Luangwa District, Maneya Mwale has explained how UPND officials among them Lusaka Province Chairman Obvious Mwaliteta allegedly kidnapped, harassed and manhandled her during the time she was about to file in her nomination papers.
Mwale, 22, narrated how Mwaliteta pointed a gun (pistol) at her while threatening to shoot her if she went ahead to file in nomination paoers on the Socialist Party ticket.
Speaking in Nyanja, Mwale explained her ordeal on how she was kidnapped.
“When everything was starting, my relatives advised me that I should not be at the scene because of what was happening for fear of being kidnapped. And that’s how I was gotten and we went to the nomination centre. When we reached the nomination centre, we discovered that the affidavit paper wasn’t signed, so we had to go to the police to have it signed. On our way back, we found the road had been blocked by some men only identified as Eddie and Cloudy whom we started talking to, and moments later, some people came joined more than 15. After a bit of arguments, we were later allowed to pass through the trees that were used to block us,” said Mwale.
“A few minutes later on a bridge, that’s when we found a Hilux vehicle parked, and when we approached the driver, we were told that the vehicle was down. When we were approaching Luangwa bridge, I was then asked why I wanted to stand on the Socialist Party instead of UPND offering me a job, saying that they will give me any amount of money. Tell us how much money you were given we give you. I then told them that politics doesn’t need money, if you wanted me, you would have come before these people because you had chosen two candidates already”.
Mwale further narrated how Mwaliteta pointed his pistol at her.
“Before reaching Luangwa bridge, Eddie and his friends who were five in total removed a pistol and said if I don’t say something that makes sense, they will shoot me. It was at that point that Mr Mwaliteta called them ordering them to take me to him. When we got to where Mr Mwaliteta was, Mr Mwaliteta started asking me why I didn’t stand on UPND ticket, saying if I don’t say sensible things they will shoot me; that’s when he removed his pistol while saying this is the pistol we will use to shoot you. I then told him that your time has already passed, it’s time to let your friends rule as well. That’s how I left Mr Mwaliteta until three Socialist Party women came and took me to the nomination centre,” said Mwale.
However, the Electoral Commission of Zambia has refuted the allegations of kidnapping and violence.