By Revelation Editor
And so former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya has died in cold blood just like that because of the new culture of toxicity that has now taken over our politics. What should be a competition for ideas in the service of the Zambian people has now metamorphosed into a competition for guns.
We first have to go back and give a chronological order leading to the killing of Kafwaya.
Firstly, there had been some arrests of people in the opposition leader Brian Mundubile’s campaign following the violence that occured in Western Province.
That was followed up by a raid at the campaign offices of the Mundubile by the joint law enforcement agencies, where K7 million funds were confiscated as well as the arrest of some of the officials in the campaign.
And now came the shooting incident at Mundubile’s residency that resulted in the shooting and killing of Kafwaya.
When the incident immediately happened, those in Mundubile’s campaign, including Mundubile himself, were quick to inform the public of what had happened. They also mentioned that Kafwaya had been killed from the incident. However, the revelations were followed by repeated denials from the government, chiefly from Information permanent secretary Thabo Kawana, Home Affairs permanent secretary Dickson Matembo and Defence permanent secretary Mambo Hamaundu. The three even took selected visits to Maina Soko where Kafwaya was said to be hospitalised following the shootings, and some police stations where some officials in the Mundubile campaign were said to have been detained.
As questions mounted, including from the Human Rights Commission (HRC) who indicated that they had managed through their searches to locate some of those who had been arrested, but were unable to establish the whereabouts of Kafwaya, Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa suddenly confirmed that the shootings had indeed taken place.
He claimed that Mundubile was present when police raided a group authorities have described as a “militia,” accused of developing military plans involving foreign nationals and operating illegal training camps.
Kangwa said police exchanged gunfire with members of the group, who were allegedly found with weapons, and among those arrested were Patrick Mwansa, husband of Tasila Lungu, daughter of the late former President Edgar Lungu.
Also arrested was Bishop Trevor Musonda Mwamba, a Zambian national and president of the United National Independence Party (UNIP). Bishop Mwamba is the son-in-law of Botswana’s former President Sir Ketumile Masire. His family had earlier raised alarm about his disappearance after they were unable to contact him from the evening of Friday, 14 August.
It was expected that there was going to be a climb down following the statement from Kangwa where finally those in government were going to come clean on the death of Kafwaya.
Indeed the following day, Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba confirmed that the Central Joint Operations Committee (CJOC), recovered K7.3 million alongside military-grade hardware and tactical equipment in Lusaka after their raid.
In an official statement released in Lusaka, Musamba confirmed that a former cabinet minister and ex-Lunte member of parliament, Mutotwe Kafwaya, was fatally wounded during the operation.
According to the security committee, the task force team conducted an operation on August 14, 2026, at a premises in Lusaka’s Kabulonga area following intelligence gathered from an earlier cash recovery.
Upon arrival, officers faced armed resistance from individuals inside the residence and returned fire. During the exchange, an unidentified male was fatally wounded and transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
He stated that following social media reports regarding a missing person, police matched the description of the deceased with that of Kafwaya. Family members subsequently attended the mortuary and positively identified the deceased as Mutotwe Kafwaya.
Mundubile indicated that he had been questioned following the police raid. And President Hakainde Hichilema has gone in overdrive accusing Mundubile and group of having hatched a plan to take over power through a militia. However, what may need to be answered is if Mundubile was plan of the scheme why was he questioned and then let go of by the security wings? Why wasn’t he too kept in custody like his other colleagues who are said to have been members of the ‘militia?’ And secondly, when Kafwaya was shot at did, he have a gun in his hands? Was he also among those who police say were shooting at them when they returned the fire? We ask because Mundubile said he saw Kafwaya being shot at and that other rounds were directed towards him but they missed.
Those in government may also need to answer why they initially denied the shootings and death, only for the same people in government to confirm days later that indeed the same had happened. There are just too many holes in this whole saga that need genuine answers. Definitely, an independent commission of inquiry must be demanded to establish authenticity.
The happenings have painted a very grim and sad picture for the country. Instead of celebrating what should have been the outcome of an election for which this country has been known for as a beacon of democratic ideals on the continent, we now have been reduced to a situation where we are mourning the killing of a former minister, with counter accusations of “militias”. Those in government accuse those in the opposition of having planned to usurp power through a militia, while at the same time those in the opposition accuse the government and its security wings of being the actual militias for allegedly attempting to kill opposition leaders in the service of the government.
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By Revelation Editor
And so former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya has died in cold blood just like that because of the new culture of toxicity that has now taken over our politics. What should be a competition for ideas in the service of the Zambian people has now metamorphosed into a competition for guns.
We first have to go back and give a chronological order leading to the killing of Kafwaya.
Firstly, there had been some arrests of people in the opposition leader Brian Mundubile’s campaign following the violence that occured in Western Province.
That was followed up by a raid at the campaign offices of the Mundubile by the joint law enforcement agencies, where K7 million funds were confiscated as well as the arrest of some of the officials in the campaign.
And now came the shooting incident at Mundubile’s residency that resulted in the shooting and killing of Kafwaya.
When the incident immediately happened, those in Mundubile’s campaign, including Mundubile himself, were quick to inform the public of what had happened. They also mentioned that Kafwaya had been killed from the incident. However, the revelations were followed by repeated denials from the government, chiefly from Information permanent secretary Thabo Kawana, Home Affairs permanent secretary Dickson Matembo and Defence permanent secretary Mambo Hamaundu. The three even took selected visits to Maina Soko where Kafwaya was said to be hospitalised following the shootings, and some police stations where some officials in the Mundubile campaign were said to have been detained.
As questions mounted, including from the Human Rights Commission (HRC) who indicated that they had managed through their searches to locate some of those who had been arrested, but were unable to establish the whereabouts of Kafwaya, Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa suddenly confirmed that the shootings had indeed taken place.
He claimed that Mundubile was present when police raided a group authorities have described as a “militia,” accused of developing military plans involving foreign nationals and operating illegal training camps.
Kangwa said police exchanged gunfire with members of the group, who were allegedly found with weapons, and among those arrested were Patrick Mwansa, husband of Tasila Lungu, daughter of the late former President Edgar Lungu.
Also arrested was Bishop Trevor Musonda Mwamba, a Zambian national and president of the United National Independence Party (UNIP). Bishop Mwamba is the son-in-law of Botswana’s former President Sir Ketumile Masire. His family had earlier raised alarm about his disappearance after they were unable to contact him from the evening of Friday, 14 August.
It was expected that there was going to be a climb down following the statement from Kangwa where finally those in government were going to come clean on the death of Kafwaya.
Indeed the following day, Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba confirmed that the Central Joint Operations Committee (CJOC), recovered K7.3 million alongside military-grade hardware and tactical equipment in Lusaka after their raid.
In an official statement released in Lusaka, Musamba confirmed that a former cabinet minister and ex-Lunte member of parliament, Mutotwe Kafwaya, was fatally wounded during the operation.
According to the security committee, the task force team conducted an operation on August 14, 2026, at a premises in Lusaka’s Kabulonga area following intelligence gathered from an earlier cash recovery.
Upon arrival, officers faced armed resistance from individuals inside the residence and returned fire. During the exchange, an unidentified male was fatally wounded and transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
He stated that following social media reports regarding a missing person, police matched the description of the deceased with that of Kafwaya. Family members subsequently attended the mortuary and positively identified the deceased as Mutotwe Kafwaya.
Mundubile indicated that he had been questioned following the police raid. And President Hakainde Hichilema has gone in overdrive accusing Mundubile and group of having hatched a plan to take over power through a militia. However, what may need to be answered is if Mundubile was plan of the scheme why was he questioned and then let go of by the security wings? Why wasn’t he too kept in custody like his other colleagues who are said to have been members of the ‘militia?’ And secondly, when Kafwaya was shot at did, he have a gun in his hands? Was he also among those who police say were shooting at them when they returned the fire? We ask because Mundubile said he saw Kafwaya being shot at and that other rounds were directed towards him but they missed.
Those in government may also need to answer why they initially denied the shootings and death, only for the same people in government to confirm days later that indeed the same had happened. There are just too many holes in this whole saga that need genuine answers. Definitely, an independent commission of inquiry must be demanded to establish authenticity.
The happenings have painted a very grim and sad picture for the country. Instead of celebrating what should have been the outcome of an election for which this country has been known for as a beacon of democratic ideals on the continent, we now have been reduced to a situation where we are mourning the killing of a former minister, with counter accusations of “militias”. Those in government accuse those in the opposition of having planned to usurp power through a militia, while at the same time those in the opposition accuse the government and its security wings of being the actual militias for allegedly attempting to kill opposition leaders in the service of the government.
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