Central province minister Ackimson Banda yesterday morning narrowly escaped death when an unknown person in Mkushi district stoned his official car.
Both Mkushi district police officer commanding Daniel Mseteka and Mr Banda confirmed the incident to ZANIS in Kabwe.
Mr. Banda who is also Serenje central Member of Parliament (MP) was on an official trip to Serenje when the incident happened at about 08:30hrs.
Mr Banda explained that as they approached Chalata area in Mkushi, a man sprang up from a bush and threw a stone onto the moving vehicle, a Mitsubishi registration number GRZ 773 BX smashing the windscreen on the side of the driver.
The minister said his driver, Enoch Phiri managed to control the vehicle avoiding what could possibly have been a fatal accident.
He said despite the incident he proceeded to Serenje because he was rushing to attend a special developmental meeting in his constituency.
And Mr Mseteka confirmed the incident and said the matter was reported to Serenje police and that police were
investigating the matter.
Meanwhile, a Kabwe businessman was last night shot in the leg at his home in Highridge by armed men.
Central Province Police Chief Simon Mpande said the armed men were trailing the man, Jean-Marie Mukopa in his 40s, when he was going back to his home at about 23hrs.
Mr. Mpande explained that as his vehicle entered the gate at his home, the armed men also drove in before the guard could close the gates.
He said they quickly got out and held the guard who screamed for help forcing Mukopa who had already entered the house, to come to see what was happening.
Mr. Mpande said it was at this moment that they opened fire and shot Mukopa, in the leg before they drove out and sped off.
Mr. Mpande who said Mukopa was rushed to Kabwe Mine Hospital for medical attention added that police have launched investigations into the matter.
And a check by ZANIS staff at the Mine hospital found that Mukopa had been evacuated to a hospital in Lusaka.
ZANIS
Abantu naba kalipa don think that we Zambians dont have the grey matter between our ears. You guys I mean ba MMD its high time you revised you way of thinking if at all you do think.
Well done #1 lets applaud violence because that is what our country needs!
Minister Ackimson Banda (too many Bandas in the system) is very lucky, he escaped a much more serious ‘Berlusconi therapy’. Zambians are fed up.
# 1 & 3,
Who do you think would be more vulnerable to your call for violence between those in the Government and Sata -Hichilema? Do you believe they are not more vulnerable to ensuring lethal violence God forbide? Do think MMD has no capacity to get lethal? Assassinations can actually bring more losses in the opposition and ordinary women than most protected Government officials.Be careful of what you are asking for.You would be the same one bemourning lound if ever you woke up to the news that HH or Sata and their families have been found in cold blood at the hands of your prayed for violence.
# 3,
Does it mean Zambians who carry the name Banda or are from the Eastern province cannot continue serving in public office? Interesting is that all these are Mwanawasa appointees during which you said nothing but daily accusing him untill his entry into the Grave with a targe of being a family tree President.Now the same people levy leftt are being called tribal based appointees of RB.Ackim Banda is MMD MP in central province.Why should Levy have appointed him and RB retain him in his administration when he has done so to all others? Are you implying you are now going genocidal and xenophobic against easterners???
#5, Are you not aware that recently concerns have been raised and figures given as to the extra large number of easterners appointed to the cabinet in the past 12 months?
Zambians please grow up, let’s think Zambian and not tribal,because our passports and birth certificates say ZAMBIAN and not our tribes.When you travel to other countries they only care to know what your country of origin is.What iam trying to say is that, President Banda is from eastern province, but we shouldn’t judge every easterner as we do president Banda.Let’s grow as a nation, it is time we put tribal issues behind us and thought more about the country itself.We have alot to do in Zambia and its important that we work together as a country.My mother is Tonga and father Bemba,so who or what iam in other people’s eyes if you think tribal.All I know is that iam Zambian and proud to be too.This government has failed us as a nation not the easterners.
LETS WAKE UP ZAMBIANS MMD IS A DEAD PARTY
We refuse violence in Zambia in Jesus name
Should have used a gun silly boy. People are fed up mwebantu. Where is the ***** who posts under Akapondo? Chi colour chakwe.
The article is a bit overstated.
How definite is it that the Minister would have died because of being stoned? Yes, we all know being stoned has potential to cause death if severe. In this case, why not just say the minister escaped being harmed due to the stoning incident….simple!
Olo you want to captivate people’s attention by exaggeration mwati no so…
Am I missing something here? Where does the speculation that this was a tribal motivated attack originate from? More likely it is just somebody unhappy with anybody within those in positions of power, and this could have happened to anybody within that group of people regardless of tribe. Dont forget this is a member of parliament from Central province, clearly elected by people who are not his tribesmen.
Dont introduce a tribal element to this kind of thuggery and ignorant behaviour. There now needs to be an unbiased condemnation of violence in our politics, regardless of the source.
The one precious thing KK left us was the nation state, ONE ZAMBIA, ONE NATION, we are one people and tribalism needs to be defeated where ever it raises its head.
Chacine # 11 this story has been exaggerated. the minister was in the back seat and a stone was thrown in front. Unless the driver was over speeding then a thrown stone could have had a serious impact, however if the driver was at normal speed the wind screen is there to protect. So to tell us tht the minister almost died is propaganda
#1,2, and 3. its really saddening to note that you rejoice at somebody being harmed. We don’t even know why or what state of mind the stone thrower has-is he a mental case? A mad person hits an innocent person you start rejoicing what does it say about you? I don’t this think Hon Banda’s vehicle was stoned because it was Banda inside it. lets not misread the story. reading between the lines, I guess the stone might have hit driver side and naturally he might have raised his hands to protect himself!
pa kabwe,mwebena kabwe,is it jean marie big bite.he might have screwed one of the guys girl friends. But arrests should be made.the guy is a hard worker
#15 Akapondo
It should be the same Jean Marie that ”terrorises” young girls in Kabwe,he is indeed a woman snatcher who is full of himself but i hope he gets well.
# 4 KUKU you are paid to defend MMD I did not even say am Pact or what ever,!! am just fadeup of the idousy(if there is such a word) going on in my Beloved country. Now you are going to pay Roger while my relatives are dying when they can be saved. F***** FTJ Kafupi acquited, Silya very happy, Fuel scandal, roads are really very bad where the chines are investing no Jobs for my fellow well trained technicians coz some sorry a.s.s chines took his place in the name of investment. Zambia is the only country which now imports labour even to sweep the streets. tell me why the hell I should be happy? give me a good example. f.u.c.kin indians have taken over my town ………only MMD carders are happy. lesa wabonse come 2011
#14 You misread my tone. I was actually being ironic by what was written by number 1. I abhor all violence whether it is carried out by MMD or the opposition. We don’t need that kind of behaviour in our country as in the end we will all be affected by it. Banda is a very common name in Zambia and it is pointless to condemn somebody just because they are called Banda as they might not necessarily be related to RB. If RB does not win the next election, I envisage a purge of all Easterners in influential positions simply because of where they come from as happened in the first Chiluba administration.
Akapondo bwamba bobe ubunono. Waba aka li tall lay ukufota.
Kuku you are in the same group like Vetran ,captalist, senior Citizen, you guys make me sick. Zambia will never develop with people like you always pleasing the apamwambas, i know they pay you well but you also think of the average Zambian the one who has to wakeup everyday and think how he is going to sirvive not because he has never been to school but because of people like you who love only themselvies supporting the poorest Zambian govt. administration ever. You having fun where ever you but think about other atase Ba Kolwe
Akapondo chi noko umu sh i no!
# 14 I see your point as to whether this was actually an ambush or just a random attack. I’m more inclined to believe it was a random attack.
If it was an ambush , thank heavens there were no firearms involved , cuz it could be a completely different story now !
To realize the perversity of supporting violence, may be Sata or HH should be Penzalized the same way Sata Penzalized late Paul Tembo in his bedroom over the Party National secretary position the later was vying for.It’s either childishness or unbridled retardedness that someone can think killing one another as the panacea for poverty or a miracle answer from personal or generational family failure to come out of poverty.How may countries that kill one another are prosperous today.Is it Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia,Rwanda, Burundi, or Zaire? Violence biggets violence.
We are now living in a multi-party state. Some of us are not taken in by Sata’s populism. Why should we not be allowed to voice our opinions on this blog? Is this the kind of Zambia that we want? MMD govt is not perfect but lets not forget that Sata was part and parcel of the same govt for a very long time. In fact he was at the heart of the MMD when it perpetrated the most heinous crimes against the Zambian people. If he does not like the fact that the Chinese and other foreigners now own the mines, then why did he not resign from the Chiluba administration in the 1990s?
Those that always want to go tribal (and for my own understanding) – other than Lameck Mangani and Dora Siliya, how many Easterners has RB appointed to full Cabinet Minister outside what he inherited from LPM?
Whatever your grievances are, resulting to violence to make your point is “stone Age” way of doing things. Those of you who think such acts of violence should be tolerated just because they are directed towards govt officials need to be very very careful what you wish for. You definitely don’t want the govt to reciprocate by unleashing the govt machinery on your a.s.s.e.s, do you?
If you are unhappy with the performance of any minister or MP the most lethal weapon that you posses as citizens is your vote. Not stones, rocks, pangas, rifles, or any such rubbish!! You have your vote, guaranteed and protected by the constitution—-USE IT WISELY FOR GOD’S SAKE!! After all, it will not cost you any time in the “slammer”.
LT blog is becoming boring everyday,,,insults,personal vendeta,jealous, MMD caders and people posting stuff that have no connection to the article,relatives of government officials in diaspora who are taking any article so personal,they are blinded by hate and cant just stand the fact they have only a yaer and some months before they are recalled back home to face reality
#2 violence is not the way to go. We can show our anger at the ballot.
#25 KAZONGA, Estarkio MP, Vubwi (MMD) Local Gov’t Minister et al
Guess Mr. Shikapwasha is happy. The guy is always encouraging violence against people he does not agree with. This is a lesson to MMD that violence breeds violence.
#25 There are now six cabinet ministers from Eastern province (if my figures are correct), zero from Southern, one from Luapula. Your friend was supposed to nominate to atleast balance the equation. Why nominate oldman Daniel Munkombwe and make him deputy minister?
This is the same mistake FTJ made and the result are court cases, most of the suspects were from Luapula. Some people saw this as selective arresting of plunderers. Mind you most of the key appointments including cabinet are now in favour of Eastern Province eg Judiciary, ECZ, Directors, PS, Missions abroad etc.
#25 Finally your man appointed all the cabinet ministers anew, leaving Magande and Masebo. So, Levy should be removed from your equation!
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Drivers, minister, everybody even in Central Province it is “Kumodzi Kumawa” koonse! No wonder the Central and Copperbelt Chiefs are boiling with rage and Lambas are throwing stones.
During Chiluba’s time, Luapulans would swear he was not favouring them even if all the senior cabinet portfolios and ambassadors to western countries were all held by ba Katangese.
How many Ministers have died because of being stoned? How many Zambians have died because of govt caused poverty? How many died because died because of failure to renumerate health workers according and they had to go on strike? How many Dr. Chongwes died to deserve $6 million? Ladies and gentlemen, no one on this blog is calling for anarchy. The govt has been calling for anarchy thru its deeds. When people put forward their sentiments here, they are not perpetuating anarchy. #11 states it logically. This article does not tell the truth. I do understand that throwing a stone at a moving vehicle changes the impact, but at what speed was car moving? About tribalism, It is evident something has gone wrong. Burying your heads in sand is not the solution. Say the truth, you lose nothing.
Bye bye blogging, finally I have retired from blogging. Thanks to all the readers, stay well.
#38, Are you retiring because you have gotten a pay off from RB. Anyway, we wont miss you and come 2011, we shall boot out Rupiah Banda and his minions. This time the Megistrate and hight courts will be full of Umodzi Kumawa. Banda has brought this on them and they are stealing bad kind.. Only easterners are benefiting in alot of opportunities in being awarde3d government contracts, Ministerial appointmnets, foreign mission, executive positions in Quasi and Parastatels..Commisions, govt agencies etc etc
SmoothCriminal:
I agree with you. Sometimes I dread coming to this blog because of insults. I wonder why some people find it easy to insult. I guess it is the same principle of anonymity that drove the person to throw a stone at a moving vehicle knowing that nobody will see him.
Joy:
please don’t abuse LT’s hospitality of free blogging to put adverts. Support LT – pay for space in LT.
Conflict is the first step to resolving issues. If conflict is missing meaningful development wont be there. But this conflict can be resolved in to ways. Either through violence or peaceful means. That is why we say conflict is inevitable but violence and peace are a choice. In most cases history has it that we try peaceful means for 14 days and revert to violence for decades and generations. Any loving person will choose peaceful means as a way of resolving conflict. Advocating for violence is old political way of resolving issues that has failed. That is why political science is questionable today. Be well informed dear friends.
Assuming it is some villager who stoned the minister, how did he know Achimson Banda was on the way? Was it simply a random attack, which it probably was? Or did the “shu shu shu” know that the minister was approaching and therefore launch the missile? There are so many unanswered questions in this riddle. If I were the editor, I would spike this story.
Assuming it is some villager who stoned the minister, how did he know Achimson Banda was on the way? Was it simply a random attack, which it probably was? Or did the “shu shu shu” know that the minister was approaching and therefore launch the missile? There are so many unanswered questions in this riddle. If I were the editor, I would spiked* this story.
Did you know that on some roads it’s common for thieves to stone fast moving vehicles. so that when the stop they get robbed. this could have been just some attempted robbery, or even some lunatic playing with stones
That was a flying stone that hit the car and sorry for this guy who could have lost life when thugs shot at him.Police should be on top of it make sure they arrest the culprits
Stoning the Car is not a solution to Eliminate some one from office, but through the ballot, though the ZED ballot is a blue print, too bad for the Business man shot in the leg, Police must arrest the thugs and lock them up. I do not understand why people must stone vehicles just that way.
I just hope and believe it wasnt anything to target at anybody otherwise anybody who wishes death to others so that they can be succesful hell to them
signs of the time are evrywhere MMD..
God forbide? those calling for violence in zambia should die in Jesue Name before the violnce there calling for starts.kindly zambians take about life changing experiences and forgive those who do wrong to you and others.
Well, if stones can do the job, who are we to stop them from eliminating some fools? Besides, it was the minion’s car that struck a stone that as flying peacefully in god’s air. It’s about time the Centralites did something to rid us of this cancer of Kumodzi Kumawa. The tribalism Banda started is finally coming back home to his nest to roost. Mark my word, when we go to the polls in 2011, people in Central province will not allow someone called Banda to run as MP in the province. Banda’s remarks to his tribesmen to chase away all presidential candidates not from there has a resonance in all other parts of the country, down to MPs and Councellors.
Aba batata lishilu. Insele sheka sheka eshyo papokamo ka certificate! Mukakula lwisa?
Unless we elect someone who has the interests of all of Zambia’s 52 tribs at heart and as one in a unitary state, we are doomed. Banda could easily be the last unitary president of Zambia. From 2011 onwards we will be ruled by tribal alliances. HH and Sata are some of the worst tribal bigots in this country and all you have to do is look at Sata’s record especially remarks about Inonge years ago. HH’s ascendance to the helm of UPND was also dressed in the worst king of stinking tribalism that still nauseats people everywhere he goes. What we need is someone like M’MEMBE to take over, teach all ba LAZO and tribalists like Banda, Sata, HH a lesson and drive the country forward.
# 51 please for the sake of others who cannot understand Kasai, please write your contributions in English which others can understand.
Waba chatile. My contribution had a specific target. I don’t know like that #53
know you like that
What do the compositions of the Central Committees of PF and UPND look like?
This bullshit will haunt all the easterners. who told this “kanitundila” that Zambia is easterners only. We shall fire this braindead president of theres. What a hopeless leader we have!
A Lusaka Times nao. Narrowly escaped death! Sure! After a stone was thrown at his car he NARROWLY ESCAPED DEATH! Imwe bantu we know you journalists like to sensationalise but stop exaggerating at we the readers’ expense
Too bad for Jeam- Merie pronounced as Zyamarie. He works had indeed. Stanley Kasengo is ever on this guys neck. Only wishing him a quick recovery.
The stone thrower missed his target!!!!!!!!! the fool!!!!!!!!
When u are driving at 80km per hour and a stone is thrown at you, its likely that you will lose control of the vehicle and crash…that’s why he narowly escaped death …i think…but the fool missed the target indeed…..learn from berlusconi you twit