The sudden transfer of former Copperbelt Police Commissioner Yuyi Mwala to Lusaka has taken a dramatic turn after unverified reports circulating on social media alleged that the senior police officer had been arrested in connection with the alleged theft of six trucks reportedly loaded with copper.

The Zambia Police Service has not issued any official statement confirming the alleged arrest, and by press time Lusaka Times had been unable to independently verify the claims. Nevertheless, the reports have spread rapidly across several online platforms, emerging barely days after police authorities confirmed Mwala’s transfer from the Copperbelt command.

On Monday, police announced that former Police Service spokesperson Rae Hamoonga had been appointed Copperbelt Police Commissioner, replacing Mwala, who confirmed in a farewell message that he had been transferred to Lusaka for redeployment.

The timing of the transfer, coming less than three weeks before Zambia’s general election, immediately attracted public attention, with many questioning whether it formed part of an ordinary reshuffle or was linked to other undisclosed developments.

Those questions intensified on Wednesday after social media accounts and online publications began circulating claims alleging that Mwala had been arrested and was being transported to Mufulira as part of investigations into the alleged theft of six trucks. The allegations remain unverified, and no official confirmation had been issued by police authorities at the time of publication.

If confirmed, the developments would represent a dramatic fall for one of Zambia’s most prominent and controversial provincial police commanders, whose policing style has repeatedly drawn criticism from opposition political parties during successive deployments.

Throughout his tenure on the Copperbelt, Mwala frequently found himself at the centre of politically charged disputes involving opposition leaders. During this year’s election campaign, National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity presidential candidate Brian Mundubile accused police under Mwala’s command of frustrating opposition activities and applying the law selectively, allegations the commissioner consistently rejected.

One of the most publicised incidents followed the vandalism of vehicles belonging to the NRPUP campaign team in Kitwe. Opposition officials accused police of failing to arrest those responsible despite allegedly knowing their identities, accusations that Mwala denied while maintaining that police had acted professionally.

Former Nkana Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu, who publicly criticised Mwala following that incident, reacted at the time by accusing the commissioner of refusing to pursue suspects linked to political violence. In a social media post that has resurfaced following the latest developments, Mpundu wrote that “time settles all matters,” comments many online users have since linked to the circulating reports, although no evidence has emerged connecting his earlier remarks to the current allegations.

Mwala’s time on the Copperbelt was not his first encounter with political controversy. During previous provincial postings, opposition parties repeatedly accused police under his command of selectively enforcing the Public Order Act and restricting opposition political activities, allegations consistently denied by the Zambia Police Service.

He also featured prominently in several high-profile policing decisions involving former President Edgar Lungu and other opposition leaders during the politically tense period following the 2021 general election. Supporters of the former Head of State accused police of imposing excessive restrictions on his movements and public engagements, while police maintained that their actions were solely intended to preserve public order.

Supporters of the ruling United Party for National Development, however, often defended Mwala, arguing that he was simply enforcing the law during an increasingly polarised political environment.

For now, the circumstances surrounding his redeployment remain officially unexplained. Equally, the allegations circulating online regarding his purported arrest remain unconfirmed.

Lusaka Times will continue to seek comment from Zambia Police Headquarters and will update readers should official confirmation or further information become available.

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