ZIMBABWEAN authorities have handed back Zambian political ‘Leopard’ Chishimba Kambwili after he illegally strayed in the neighboring country to avoid dealing with the consequences that his own acidic mouth had brought on him.
On 30 November, the Kasama Magistrate Court handed Kambwili a five-month jail term for vending endless anti-Tonga tribalism which he hoped would help his boss, former president Edgar Lungu retain the presidency back in 2021.
Before going to court, Kambwili’s tribalism was recognised by the Electoral Commission of Zambia which responded by briefly suspending him from the election campaigns of the August 12, 2021 election campaigns but after the suspension, he carried on his hate speech from where he had left.
Kambwili’s efforts of maligning the Tonga people was even recognised internationally as European Union crowned him the grandmaster of Zambian hate speech.
Following his jailing for hate speech, Kambwili appealed against the sentence and was released on bail before he retreated into hiding claiming illness.
Kambwili then had his passport released from court authorities for possible evacuation after getting on President Hakainde Hichilema’s softer side with an emotional plea for forgiveness for all the evil the former Roan member of parliament had committed against the Head of State and the people of Zambia.
Upon getting his passport back, Kambwili planned to sneak out of the country through the Chirundu border but when things did not unfold according to plan, he assumed a James Bond role that saw him run past immigration officers and summersaulted into Zimbabwe leaving his passport behind.
But barely a week of being a fugitive, Kambwili was conered by authorities in Zimbabwe and driven to Chirundu border where he was handed to Zambian authorities on Thursday night.
Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Jacob Mwiimbu during a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday announced that the former minister of youth, sport and art was handed over to Zambian authorities in Thursday evening.
“Eventually Kambwili who was a fugitive in Zimbabwe was found and the authorities in there, having taken into account that Kambwili had entered into Zimbabwe illegally decided to deport him for they believed that they cannot allow illegality to be perpetrated on the Zimbabwean soil,”Mwiimbu said.
“Ourselves working together with Zimbabwean authorities accepted and received the deported Chishimba Kambwili yesterday around 23:00 at the Chirundu boarder post.”
He refuted assertions by PF blogs that government had prevented Kambwili from seeking medical care.
“Kambwili made a plea to government to evacuate him for medical services
outside the country. Despite the fact that Kambwili was a convict, the caring government of President Hakainde Hichilema acceded the request and directed the minister of health to evacuate him so that he can get medical services outside,” He explained.
“The process commenced and it was very
advanced and because Kambwili had no
passport as that was an order by the court that he surrenders it, we requested his lawyers to apply for the release of his passport. And because government was facilitating evacuation for medical services there was no objection on the
release of the passport on the part of
government.”
He said Kambwili will be under observation at Maina Soko military hospital for now as government is committed to ensure that the citizenry receive health care hence President Hichilema showed leadership and aided Kambwili despite his political affiliation.
“The crossing into Zimbabwe was an
illegal act on the part of Kambwili, we did not confiscate the passport. The passport was surrendered and left at Chirundu boarder post,”said Mwiimbu.
“We know he has breached the law but we have taken him to a very good facility for medical services.”
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba February 10, 2024.
