>
Police have assaulted Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament Gary Nkombo when he tried to enter UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s residence in a midnight raid.
Nkombo, who was informed of the raid and rushed to Hichilema’s residence, was met with full force and thrown to the ground.
The parliamentarian regained composure after a while and was rushed to hospital where he has obtained a medical report.
Muvi TV journalist Alexander Musokotwane was not spared from the fracas when he went to the scene to cover the episode. Police attempted to delete footage of their raid at Hichilema’s house.
Musokotwane was briefly detained and harassed before being released.
A heavy presence of police was deployed at Hichilema’s house overnight where it denied even the opposition leader’s lawyers entry.
The police raided Hichilema’s house in relations to a road incident in Mongu at the weekend where he was forced out of the road by President Edgar Lungu’s motorcade which did not have a proper escort to clear the way as is usually the case when the head of state is on official duty.
The armed cops forcibly gained entry into the premises and fired teargas at the opposition leader’s house without regard to the children and other occupants.
International lawyer Elias Munshya Wa Munshya has condemned the raid saying it was unconstitutional and unlawful.
Munshya says police must follow the proper procedure in arresting Hichilema because he was not a common criminal who had refused to respond to a call-out.