Parliament to enhance security measures of all categories of visitors to after Chiwaya’s entry into the Building with a loaded gun

Chiwaya’s body being retrieved from Parliament Building

* Having been a person with disability, the scanner alerts were deemed to be from his wheelchair

* With a fully loaded gun I could have killed these people but I will go alone—his suicide note

* His action is in relation to frustration with implementation of Conditions of Service

By Duncan Mlanjira

Following concerns that former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, late Clement Chiwaya entered Parliament Building with a loaded gun on Thursday, which he used to kill himself, the public is assured that security measures will enhance for all categories of visitors.

A statement from the Office of the Speaker hours after the incident, assures the public that Parliament has the “prerequisite equipment and security protocol for all visitors to the Parliament Building” but “having been a person with disability, the scanner alerts were deemed to be from Chiwaya’s wheelchair”.

Soon after the unfortunate news, people have expressed shock and incredulity on social media of Chiwaya carrying a loaded pistol into the august House and proceeded to shoot himself in the head in front of the Clerk of Parliament, Fiona Kalemba — raising serious fears of security lapse.

People were wondering and fearing for the legislators’ lives and that of the President on such security lapse but others were quick to indicate that he might have passed through security scanners since he uses a wheelchair, which also has steel fittings.

It is reported he drove himself and parked his car on Parliament grounds before proceeding to the office of the Clerk of Parliament where they were discussing issues to do with his benefits.

The sources say his last words to Kalemba were ‘I could choose to shoot you first and then myself but I will spare you’ — a development which commentator on Facebook, Charles Mulaga described as a gruesome act which must have left the Clerk of Parliament deeply traumatized.

In his suicide note — which was a clear indication that this was a premeditated action — Chiwaya said: “With a fully loaded gun I could have killed these people but I will go alone. Let them prevail…I am going with a free mind.”

Parliament also explains the reasons for his action being in relation to frustration with implementation of Conditions of Service, which the august House was not complying.

The Speaker says former political officers are entitled to various entitlements which Parliament disbursed for the 2014-2019 Parliamentary Term in which former Speaker Richard Msowoya, two Deputy Speakers, Esther Mcheka Chilenje and Chiwaya as well as Leader of Opposition Lazarus Chakwera — now the State President — were eligible to buy official vehicles.

Parliament released the vehicles to the office bearers pending conclusion of Change of Ownership and that at the time all vehicles were comprehensively insured.

But Chiwaya was involved in an accident while using the particular vehicle he had purchased but the comprehensive insurance cover had expired at the time of the accident.

After the accident, reports Parliament, Chiwaya made a number of requests to the Secretariat to remedy his situation but after liaising with appropriate offices of Government, “Parliament was advised that none of his requests were feasible”.

Having been dissatisfied with the official government position, Chiwaya is said to have taken the matter to the Commercial Court for remedy but “before its conclusion he further took his concerns to the Ombudsman.”

Whereas the Ombudsman determined in his favour, “Parliament could not implement the determination as the matter at the Commercial Court has not yet been concluded to date”.

“It is unfortunate that this said development has happened before the conclusion of the matter,” says the statement.