AILING KAMBWILI STRANDED IN ZIM

Sources have disclosed that following an announcement that the State had granted Mr Kambwili permission to be evacuated to India for medical treatment following his illness, Government demanded that the former Roan Member of Parliament should commit himself to denounce and scandalise former President Lungu in exchange for his evacuation.

Yesterday, the Daily Nation reported that the State had rejected Mr Kambwili’s request that he be evacuated for specialised medical treatment even after it was reported that President Hakainde Hichilema had authorised his travel on government expenses.

But sources have revealed that after Mr Kambwili informed Government that he could not engage in politics because of his health condition, the State moved to withdraw the permission granted for his travel.

The sources said Government went even further to cancel his air ticket the family had procured from Rwanda Air hence Mr Kambwili’s decision to travel to South Africa by road.

“After Miles Sampa announced that he had lobbied for Mr Kambwili’s evacuation to India for specialised medical treatment, the government moved to make arrangements for his travel.

But Mr Kambwili’s evacuation was only on condition that he should denounce and scandalise former President Lungu and the PF. He was also told to recognise Miles Sampa as president of the PF,” the sources said.

“But Mr Kambwili told the State that he was too sick to engage in politics and that his wish was to receive treatment. Government was not happy with the response and quietly withdrew. The family then decided to procure a ticket from Rwanda Air. He should have left on Sunday but suddenly the airline cancelled his ticket prompting him to decide to travel to South Africa by road via Chirundu,” the source said.

The sources said as of yesterday, Mr Kambwili was stranded in Zimbabwe with no passport and money and that the government had allegedly gagged the family from issuing a statement on his status.

Yesterday, Mwamba Chishimba Kambwili, his brother disclosed that an invisible hand had ordered that he should not be evacuated on grounds that he was a flight risk.

Mr Mwamba Chishimba on his Facebook post stated that the family was willing to evacuate Mr Kambwili out of the country using their own resources but that the State had not been cooperating.

“We have offered to pay for the evacuation ourselves. We told the State to give us police officers to travel at our own expenses. Tickets were booked on Friday (last week) with Rwanda Air but surprisingly, they were cancelled by the State on Saturday morning.” Mr Mwamba said.

“We do not need to use taxpayers’ money but there is an inviable hand despite the pleas from State doctors themselves,” Mr Mwamba complained.