western province permanent secretary suspends four civil servants for get involved in barotse protest.

Western Province Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Mwamba has with immediate effect suspended four civil servants that were involved in last week’s Barotse Protest.

The four involved a Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), public prosecutor Muleta Kalaluka from Mongu, Community Development Officer, Mutaba Mutaba and District Works Supervisor, Lawrence Mukena.

The Permanent Secretary has also suspended a teacher from Sioma Secondary School; Masialeti Masiye in whose house the so called Administrator General Afumba Mombotwa made a video of the swearing ceremony and address.

On August 14^th 2013, Linyungandambo Chairperson, Afumba Mombotwa who is currently on the run together with his co-conspirators is alleged to have circulated a video depicting him to be sworn in as Administrator General of Barotseland.

The so called swearing-in video of Mombotwa which was shot in Sioma was made available on the internet blog sites, the Barotse Post and Barotse Radio on 15^th August 2013.

The four suspended officials are among the 45 protestors that were arrested on the 15^th August 2013, following the circulation of the so called swearing-in-ceremony.

Of the forty five (45), nine (9) were arrested from Mongu and another nine (9) were arrested in Senanga while the twenty seven (27) were arrested in Kalabo following a synchronised public demonstration.

The 45 are members are mostly members of the Linyungandambo association.

Police confiscated banners, Linyungandambo Identity Cards, fliers, CDS and other documentation.

Mr. Mwamba has warned that Linyungandambo with its associated groupings are illegal with no formal government registration adding that any activity being conducted by the group was illegal.

He has also warned local radio stations not to publish or aide in the production of illegal and subversive material.

Mr. Mwamba says it was clear that after Afumba Mombotwa shot his video at Sioma Secondary School, the seditious video was processed and uploaded in a studio in Mongu.

He says these activities undermined the security and peace of the province, and that government would not hesitate to shut down any entity promoting and circulating the material.

And Mr. Mwamba has stated that government was aware that the financiers and architects of the protests were using innocent young men and sponsoring the protests.

He has warned that government will track down and prosecute whoever was involved in the inimical activities.

Mr mwamba has however stated that the province was calm and the conduct of ordinary business was going on without disruption or incidences adding that the isolated but planned seditious and subversive activities will not deter government’s commitment to Western Province.

He says Western Province was enjoying unprecedented government attention with the area benefitting from some of the largest infrastructure development in the country.

The western province controlling officer has also stated that government was enjoying warm and cordial relations with the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) and all other ethnic groupings. He said that Western Province consists of 38 ethnic groupings most of them enjoying distinct culture and language.

Mr Mwamba has stated that it was government’s determination to promote the co existence and unity among all groups in the province.

Those arrested are held at Mongu Remand Prison and are expected to appear in Court on Monday 19^th August 2013.

They include, Siisi Simasiku a retired police officer.

Also arrested is the oldest man Mubita Mubita aged 80 years.Others are Kalaluka Muleta, Mubiana Mubita.

Police also arrested Linyungandambo Secretary, Etambuyu Akapelwa.