Unruly UPND cadres attack B-Flow, friend

UNRULY UPND cadres on Tuesday savagely attacked musician Brian Bwembya popularly known as B-Flow and his friend at Levy Mall in Lusaka for criticising the government.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page yesterday, Mr Bwembya said that the matter has since been reported to police and a docket has been opened.

He said, the incident happened around 12:50 hours when a group of men who identified themselves as UPND members approached them after coming out of a shop where they went to get quotations for studio equipment.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) 19th March, 2024 at 12:50, my friend and I came out of a shop at Levy Mall where we had gone to get a quotation for studio equipment. Upon entering our vehicle at 12:53, two men came to knock at the car window while I was talking on the phone. I signalled that I was on the phone when they started saying "We need to be beating these people."

One of them went on to say "Olo kuvipaya chabe, vilibe na nchito vibantu ivi " (or just killing them as these people serve no purpose).

The two were then joined by another guy. The one who had knocked at the window came back and said in a strong voice "Iwe B-Flow, choka mumotoka, tifuna kukamba naiwe" (B'Flow, come out of the car, we want to speak to you).

My friend, knowing I was on a business call, opened his door and stepped outside to find out if anything was the matter. After describing the Levy Mall parking lot which is adjacent to Stay Easy Hotel as their 'barrack' and a ‘no go area’ for activists like B-Flow, the group told my friend "You are very stupid, and you are not the one we want to talk to. We want your stupid friend B-Flow."

“I decided to hang up the phone in order to check why there was what appeared to be a confrontation outside the car. Upon stepping out, I just saw one of them punching my friend in the face when the other two joined and took turns.

Then another group of about eight or 10 guys came running from the Government Printers’ side of the car park to confront me and my friend. One of them pushed me and grabbed me by the hand, then I requested him to let go of me while the others were dragging and beating my friend,” Mr Bwembya said.

He said the cadres disclosed that his comments about the governance of the country does not sit well with UPND members because he is an influential person whose followers tend to believe whatever he says.

Mr Bwembya said the cadres directed him from onwards to be consulting members of the UPND on what to post on Facebook.

He however said he will not heed that directive as he is an independent thinker.