MBALA police this evening fired several warning shots to disperse a rampaging group of PF cadres who descended on Luswepo Radio to stop a live programme featuring Harry Kalaba.
Kalaba, the Democratic Party (DP) president, was on Luswepo radio in Mbala.
Belligerent PF cadres, clad in their party colours, came to the radio station armed with assorted assault particles.
They first overran the locked main gate to the radio station.
The cadres screamed various insulting words at Kalaba’s security personnel and tried to force themselves into the private-owned radio station.
But the opposition leader’s security fought back and there was a ruthless hit or miss.
Kalaba was already on-air, as the confusion played out and it was around 18:40 hours.
The entrance to the radio station was immediately barricaded with different objects, including a conference table.
Kalaba’s security then heightened the beating of the PF cadres they isolated, while another team threw stones and other missiles.
Under 10 minutes, armed police officers arrived and there was gunshots – not one, two, three or four but more.
PF cadres, the lucky ones, fearfully jumped over the fence around the radio station and took cover.
A pocket of unlucky ones have since been picked by police.
Before long, power supply around Mbala town was cut off, 15 minutes before the scheduled end of Kalaba’s heated radio interview.
Around 15:00 hours, Kalaba and his delegation paid a courtesy call on the Officer-In-charge for Mbala Police Station.
She told Kalaba not to go ahead with radio interview because of: “security reasons.”
But Kalaba said he could not be cowed down by anyone.
“I would rather stop politics, if this is what it has come to. We are not going to fear anybody! Ba PF should know that tebatufyele (they are not the ones who gave birth to us),” said Kalaba.
“So, ba officer-in-charge, just tell your officers to wear uniforms and be ready to run up and down to protect us. You are there for everybody!”
Credit: The Mast
