On behave of my family I wish to thank you all for messages of solidarity and encouragement that we received following the Zambia security services raid at our home early Tuesday morning. It has not been the same especially for our young children who were traumatized with the experience after being held hostage in their own home at such an awkward hour. We therefore draw a lot of strength from your goodwill messages and prayers. When my wife and I abruptly lost our jobs in government institutions last year for no apparent reasons, we elected to take a low profile and decided to move on with whatever had remained of our lives in very difficult circumstances. Difficult in the sense that we have so far lost a lot of friends because many people would not want to be associated with people being pursued by the state. We have also lost a number of job opportunities perhaps because of the same record. We were however delighted that there were still a number of you that showed real concern and provided massive support and encouragement in various forms towards our plight. We particularly send special thank you messages to organisations such as Committee to Protect Journalists, Panos Institute, MISA Headquarters and Zambia office, Open Society Foundations UK, Fojo Media Institute, Media Legal Defence Initiative, Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC), Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, FODEP in Zambia, SACCORD, NGOCC, and various local and international media houses that highlighted our plight. This is indeed as it should be because what is on Hamasaka today may be on you tomorrow. I would also like to particularly thank Human Rights Activist Brebner Changala who risked his life that night and made sure I got some form of legal representation even when my tools of communication were all seized. The case is not over yet as I am still required to report to security wings and I don’t know what to expect, and my legal team has so far done a commendable job. I would however like to thank the security personnel who were sent to my house at such an awkward time in cold and really felt pity for them. Such assignments carried out at awkward hours could be very risky. As a family, we pray for them as they continue undertaking such dangerous assignments on behalf of whoever. Allow me to deal with the terrible flue and chest pains as a result of passive smoking while in detention from guys inside there. For now we pray for an amicable end to this ordeal and we sincerely do not hold any grudge against anyone.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 21:46:35 +0000
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