KETRA KALUNGA writes
@SunZambian
I pointed a gun at him when he came to my house and knocked on my bedroom window around 01:00 hours as my phones were off to deliver a message from the President that I was wanted in Lusaka at 6 o’clock.
Newly appointed Disaster Management and Mitigate Unit (DMMU) national coordinator, Chanda Kabwe explaining how Central province Permanent Secretary (PS), Bernard Chomba opened the door for him to become provincial PS two years ago.
In an exclusive interview with the Sun, Mr Kabwe said, he thought it was a thief knocking on his bedroom and and following his instincts,he reached for his gun.
Mr Chomba, who was accompanied by Kaizer Zulu saw the gun and shouted, “iweeee heyeeee,” and Mr Kabwe lowered his gun and opened for them.
He was then Kitwe district commissioner and had been working late and when he got home, his phones were off.
“When I was appointed Permanent Secretary (PS) for Central province, we had a function in Kitwe and my phones were discharged so my phones were not working.
And his Excellency, the President called, I think he started calling me from 23 to about 24 hours, but my phones were off,” he explained.
Mr Chomba and Mr Kaizer Zulu happened to be in the delegation of the President were in Kitwe.
“So his Excellence the President called and asked them that he was looking for the DC and the DC is not picking up his phones, I want to see him.”
So we were sleeping around mid-night and PS Chomba together with special assistant to the President for politics, Mr Kaizer Zulu came home and knocked on my bedroom window and that was 01 o’clock.
So I woke up and pointed a gun at him (Mr Chomba), I thought they were thieves so I pointed a gun at him and he shouted no no its me, that’s how I dropped the gun and opened for them.
Then they delivered that message for me that, “you are wanted by the President at 6 o’clock. You need to be there at 6 o’clock. The President was calling you and you were not picking up.”
“And immediately had to start preparing myself and I left for Lusaka. I tried to call the President he was not picking up the phone.”
“And even when I was driving to Lusaka, the time I was reaching Mulenga Township, I was shaking I couldn’t drive.
“I had to call the driver saying, you must come, but he stays in Kalulushi so I picked one police officer whom I found at the road block. I asked him to drive me to Lusaka.
This is how this man “Mr Chomba” helped me to open the door to becoming PS for Central province, If he didn’t come to my home that night, the President would not have appointed me PS, would have appointed someone else.”
Mr Kabwe has now been moved to the Disaster Management and Mitigate Unit (DMMU).
