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Detective Chief Inspector, Daniel Mbewe, has testified that remarks made by Raphael Nakacinda, calling President Hakainde Hichilema and the people of Bweengwa “ignorant,” were offensive and had the potential to polarise the country.
Nakacinda, a Patriotic Front (PF) member, is facing one count of hate speech for allegedly uttering words that expressed hatred, ridicule, or contempt against the Tonga-speaking people of Bweengwa in Southern Province. He has denied the charges.
According to Mbewe, Nakacinda’s comments were not only offensive but also divisive.
He referenced a report from the University of Zambia’s School of Humanities, which concluded that Nakacinda’s recorded remarks negatively described the President, the government, and the Tonga tribe.
However, during cross-examination, Mbewe conceded that context matters.
He admitted that referring to an ordinary citizen as “ignorant” might not necessarily constitute an offense.
Read More: PF’s Nakacinda arrested for alleged seditious statements
He also acknowledged that the complainant, Bruce Kanema, is a UPND member and that he did not conduct investigations to verify whether the remarks affected the people of Bweengwa.
The allegations against Nakacinda stem from comments made in a local language, translated as: “You know what you did, you Zambians, is very bad. Bweengwa, you went to pick the worst and complete ignorant of a Tonga from Bweengwa and then went to dump him in State House.”
The prosecution argued that the remarks express hatred, ridicule by, or contempt toward the Tonga-speaking people of Bweengwa based on their tribe and place of origin.
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