By Mwansa Kaumba
Former PF secretary General Davies Mwila says ex-Transport minister Mutotwe Kafwaya who was killed by the security wings died died as a “freedom fighter” of Zambians who wanted a “second Independence.”
And Kafwaya’s memorial service that was due to take place at Tabernacle of David Church was yesterday cancelled amid assertions that the family had demanded a postmortem on his remains, plus the clothes he wore on the fateful day as his body was allegedly found naked.
Meanwhile, President Hakainde Hichilema’s aide, Jito Kayumba, has apologised – in apparent reference to Kafwaya – that he made fun of the news that he had died from shootings by the security wings, and has sent his condolences to the bereaved family for the loss.
Speaking at Tabernacle of David Church where the memorial service had just been cancelled, Mwila described Kafwaya as someone who served the country diligently as member of parliament and minister.
He was Kafwaya was a distinguished member of the Tonse/Pamodzi Alliance, who died as a ‘freedom fighter.”
”He has died as a freedom fighter. Zambians wanted a second Independence and he was one of the people that unfortunately died,” said Mwila.
The Church service in memory of Kafwaya had been planned for Tabernacle of David yesterday but was cancelled amid information the family had demanded a postmortem on his remains.
The government, through Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa, stated that they had offered to accord Kafwaya the funeral honours applicable to a former minister but the family “respectfully” declined the offer and opted to host a private funeral arrangement instead.
”The public is therefore requested to respect the wishes of the family. Our prayers go out to the bereaved family,” stated Kangwa.
And in a video posted on his Twitter feed, Kayumba, who is Special Assistant to the President for Finance and Investment, said he got caught up in the “bunter” during the election period and now regretted some of the things that he said.
”I think it’s important Ruth. There are a lot of things I’m not permitted to talk about because of the context of certain things that transpired. But I will draw you to a moment that transpired, I think it’s a day after the elections. There was of course talk of things that transpired, and you know I remember there was an allegation that a certain gentleman, I believe he is the husband to the honourable Tasila (Lungu) right! It was said that he had been hurt and something like that, but moments later I saw a clip with him in it. So of course that created a lot of jokes,” Kayumba said. “So in the midst of that there was another story that another gentleman was hurt, and they said ‘he’s in hospital’, right? So again joking answered ‘ah just go and look for medicine for blood pressure’. It’s something I wrote. Little did I know, in fact I found out like the rest of the country that the gentleman being referred to actually passed away. And I immediately regretted what I said.”
Kayumba said government was structured in a certain way as some things were higher than ‘his pay grade.”
He said there were things that security wings did which they knew nothing about.
”I want to genuinely, sincerely from the bottom of my heart extend condolences to the family of the gentleman,” Kayumba said.
He said he made the comment without knowing the condition of the gentleman.
”I want to apologise for that,” said Kayumba.
He said this was time for healing in the county, saying he hoped those who were on the winning side would not “gloat” to the extent of making their neighbors feel bad on the outcome of the elections. He said the 1.8 million people who voted for the losing candidate were a lot and had their own hopes in the candidate they voted for.
Kayumba said losers should also feel that they were not being treated badly.
