BRE not protesting Amos Chanda’s detention
THE Bemba Royal Establishment (BRE) has refuted reports that it is protesting the arrest and detention of former State House Press Aide Amos Chanda on allegations of having stolen and burnt case documents from the National Prosecution Authority (NPA).
The BRE has said it has never been its policy to take sides each time their subjects had come in conflict with the law and that at no time did the establishment issue a statement denouncing the State over the arrest and detention of Mr Chanda.
BRE spokesperson James Mulenga who is also known as Washanga said reports that the establishment was protesting the arrest of Mr Chanda were false and did not in any way represent the position of the traditional leadership in Northern Province.
Mr Mulenga said from the days of colonialism, it had been the policy of the BRE not to take sides when its subjects came into conflict with the law and that Mr Chanda could not have been an exception for the establishment to break its own tradition.
Mr Mulenga stated that the BRE had never in history taken sides on matters that involved its citizens and the State and that media reports suggesting that Mr Chanda was being supported should be ignored with the contempt they deserved.
He said during the struggle for liberation, freedom fighters such as Simon Kapwepwe were arrested and incarcerated but the establishment did not take sides to support them.
He said when former Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba was being pursued and getting arrested, the BRE kept its position and never issued a statement to condemn the state because it was against its policy.