Former Zambian Finance Minister Katele Kalumba arrested

**LUSAKA-(MaraviPost)-**Former Zambian Minister of Finance who has been critical to President Hakainde Hichilema and his administration Katele Kalumba has reportedly been picked up by an armed group believed to be soldiers from his home in Chiengi District.

Former Zambian High Commissioner to South Africa, Emmanuel Mwamba, confirmed receiving the news in a social media post.

“A horde of soldiers have stormed the home of former Minister of Finance Katele Kalumba in Chiengi district and have taken him away to an unknown destination,” Mwamba wrote.

According to Mwamba, Kalumba had in recent weeks issued critical statements against the incarceration of Liberal Democrats Party President Xavier Chungu, condemned what he described as a stolen election, and called on President Hakainde Hichilema to release those detained on what he called trumped-up and concocted treason charges.

Kalumba was arrested in 2023 on corruption allegations.

Mwamba added that Kalumba was released from prison on medical grounds in August 2023 after President Hichilema granted him a pardon, with the Zambia Correctional Service confirming at the time that he suffered from severe health complications including heart failure and a spinal injury and had been frequently hospitalized at the University Teaching Hospital.

The news on his alleged ‘abduction’ comes hours after Kalumba himself posted a statement raising alarm over an alleged attempt to abduct him.

In the statement addressed to a senior security official he referred to as “DG” and “my dear brother Friday Nyambe”, Kalumba said armed men and plain-clothes operatives went to his lodge at around 04:00 in the morning looking for him.

“They questioned the young men who look after the lodge and the customers who were there. They apparently said that they had heard that I was unwell and wanted to check on me. I find it difficult to understand why such a welfare concern would require armed men to come to a lodge at 04:00 in the morning,” the statement said.

He said an ambulance had also arrived at the lodge earlier the previous day, stopped briefly, and then left, adding that he could not establish whether the two incidents were connected.

“Taken together, they are deeply disturbing,” he said.

Kalumba said he had been advocating for reconciliation, reason and constitutional order and not for violence or mobilization against the State.

“If somebody wants to intimidate me, I will not be intimidated. Mwanakatele is already dead. This place is called Mutambolola — Wafwata Itamba,” he said.

He appealed for calm and for lawful process, urging authorities not to normalize what he described as vigilante-style military or police activities.

“Do not allow Zambia to drift into a situation where vigilante-style military or police activities become normalised. That is dangerous for everybody — including those in government,” he said.

He also referenced the cases of Xavier Chungu and Member of Parliament Munthali, saying their treatment raised profound questions about safety and rights.

“Look at the situation involving Mr Chungu and Ms Munthali. Xavier is a Zambian asset as former DG. Ms Munthali is a Member of Parliament who was sworn into office, and she is now struggling for her life after abduction,” he said.

“DG, I respect you. You occupy an important position, and over the years you have been one of my channels of counsel and advice… That is why I am speaking to you directly and personally. Let us stop this before it becomes something none of us can control.”

He concluded: “If there is a legitimate concern about me, come and talk to me. If there is a lawful matter involving me, let it be handled openly and according to the law. There is no need for armed men arriving at a lodge at four o’clock in the morning.”

There has been no official comment from the Zambia Army, Zambia Police or the government on the alleged incident, and the whereabouts of Kalumba remain unclear.

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