NO ONE ASSAULTED NALUMANGO - CHILANGWA
…ministers says she was only whisked away by police after she started enticing voters with money within 500 metre radius
LUAPULA Province minister Nickson Chilangwa has refuted claims that he and other PF members attacked UPND national chairperson Mutale Nalumango in Kawambwa district.
Mr Chilangwa said that Ms Nalumango was only ordered to leave after she was found within a 500 metre radius of the polling station dishing out money to would-be voters.
The minister told the Daily Nation yesterday from Kawambwa that it was foolish for an experienced politician like Ms. Nalumango who served as Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly to behave in such a manner.
Mr. Chilangwa said there were no purported PF thugs who approached Ms. Nalumango as alleged but that it was him, the PF Kawambwa chairperson and another gentleman who did so after observing what she was doping.
“Ms. Nalumango was not assaulted because if that was the case she would have lodged in a complaint with the police. What we did, we told her to leave as she was enticing would be voters with money within 500 metre radius. We called the police who took her away for interrogations,” he said.
Mr. Chilangwa said it was unfortunate that Ms. Nalumango decided to transport a horde of her party thugs who were not registered to vote that when Kawambwa was generally a peaceful district.
Mr. Chilangwa said Ms. Nalumango was requested to leave Matende polling station by the polling officer as she was within the 500 metre radius.
“But that she was adamant and that he decided to report her to the police who took her with them for interrogations.