Govt, opposition trade blames over reported claims that ex-President, Lungu, was barred from air travel

State House has challenged the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) to produce documentation to support their claim that ex-leader, Edgar Lungu, was blocked from flying to the Copperbelt on Tuesday this week.

State House Chief Communications Specialist, Clayson Hamasaka, recalls that during his time as the leader of the opposition, current President Hakainde Hichilema complied with all the necessary requirements for using a private chartered aircraft and submitted all relevant documents to the appropriate authorities.

Hamasaka in statement issued on Wednesday in Lusaka said the applications were however rejected in writing and the documents to support this rejection are still available.

He said even in instances where public aircraft were used, evidence exists to demonstrate how President Hichilema was blocked at airports such as Chipata.

“It is not acceptable to attempt to gain public sympathy by suggesting that the current UPND government is the same as the previous PF government,” Hamasaka said.

He said the PF leaders were in government and are aware of the processes required to fly a chartered aircraft.

“Can they produce stamped documentation to support their claim? It is a crime to peddle false information to alarm the public.

“As members of the media, it is our duty to ask simple questions to clarify such claims,” Hamasaka said.

Addressing mourners at the funeral of former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji’s father on Tuesday, former PF Secretary General, Davies Mwila accused government of blocking Lungu from travelling.

“First and foremost, I want to ask for forgiveness. The 6th president Edgar Chagwa Lungu was supposed to be here but because we are in a dictatorship, when he went to the airport, they stopped him from getting on a plane and that is not good. He wanted to come and mourn with us together here,” Mwila said.

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