OPPOSITION Zambia Must Prosper leader Kelvin Bwalya Fube, popularly known in political circles as KBF, has added his baritone voice to the growing chorus criticising the summoning of Lusaka Archbishop Dr Alick Banda by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).
Bwalya said DEC erred when it issued a formal summons to Archbishop Banda instead of simply calling him privately to record a statement.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, Bwalya argued that the Commission should have considered the status of the man it was summoning before deciding to order the clergyman to appear at its headquarters.
“They should have asked him quietly. Sending out a summons is meant to harass, intimidate and embarrass the Archbishop. This action by the Drug Enforcement Commission is not healthy for this country,” Bwalya lamented.
“You want him to come and confess to your young officers. Why didn’t you just call him, record the statement and forward it to the President? Have respect for the title,” he said.
Bwalya said DEC was making “a bubble out of nothing,” noting that the Commission was aware of the long-standing friendship between Archbishop Banda and late president Edgar Lungu.
“The bishops are just receivers. They cannot start asking where the money came from. No Archbishop can sit before a DEC commissioner and begin explaining the source of a donation. It is like a confession. The status of the Archbishop should have been taken into account before issuing the summons,” he said.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, January 5, 2025
