479 Views …Veteran Politician Sustains Bruises During Chaotic Filing In Veteran politician and former Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Gary Nkombo was Wednesday administered at a hospital in Mazabuka after he was violently attacked by suspected UPND cadres during the filing in of his nomination papers as an Independent candidate. The dramatic incident occurred just […]

479 Views

…Veteran Politician Sustains Bruises During Chaotic Filing In

Nkombo at the hospital after he was attacked

Veteran politician and former Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Gary Nkombo was Wednesday administered at a hospital in Mazabuka after he was violently attacked by suspected UPND cadres during the filing in of his nomination papers as an Independent candidate.

Nkombo at hospital after attack

The dramatic incident occurred just hours after Nkombo formally entered the race outside the ruling UPND following his fallout with the party leadership and exclusion from the adoption process.

Nkombo, who only Tuesday emotionally declared that he had been “dumped at the dumpsite,” arrived at the nomination centre accompanied by supporters and family members amid heavy tension.

But chaos erupted when suspected UPND cadres allegedly overran police officers and attempted to stop him from entering the filing centre.

Eyewitnesses said some of the cadres wore head socks and were armed as they charged towards the veteran politician.

Videos on social media and published by Zambian Eye show Nkombo being violently pulled around by cadres as he struggled to make his way into the nomination centre.

At one stage, his wife, who had accompanied him, fell to the ground during the confusion as supporters and security officers tried to shield the couple from the charging group.

One cadre reportedly followed Nkombo into the filing centre while pulling him and shouting: “Why are you talking about the President?”

Nkombo’s shirt was torn in the violence and the veteran politician later confirmed that he had sustained bruises during the attack.

Despite the violent scenes, Nkombo successfully managed to file in his nomination papers as an Independent candidate for Mazabuka Central Constituency.

Speaking to journalists shortly after filing in, Nkombo openly named some of the cadres he alleged were sponsored by the ruling UPND to disrupt his nomination process.

He questioned how police officers could easily be overpowered by civilians.

“I am surprised that police can be overrun by civilians. One wonders where these officers are trained from,” Nkombo said.

He further lamented that the violence had occurred barely 48 hours after President Hakainde Hichilema publicly warned against political violence ahead of the August 13, 2026 General Elections.

“It is sad that such violence can happen shortly after the President himself warned against violence,” he said.

Following the incident, Nkombo was later taken to hospital in Mazabuka where he received medical attention.

The incident marks a dramatic escalation in tensions surrounding Nkombo’s political fallout with the UPND, a party he joined in 2002 after leaving the MMD.

Nkombo became Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Central in 2006 and later rose to become one of President Hichilema’s closest political allies during the UPND’s years in opposition.

Following the UPND victory in 2021, he was appointed Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and also served as UPND Chairperson for Elections and Campaigns.

However, his political fortunes changed after he was dropped from Cabinet and later removed from the party’s influential National Management Committee (NMC).

His decision to contest as an Independent candidate has since triggered intense political emotions in Mazabuka, with many residents openly backing him and accusing the ruling party of abandoning loyal members after attaining power.

The violence is likely to heighten concerns over rising political intolerance and intra-party tensions ahead of the highly contested 2026 general elections.