Democratic Forum

Tension Boils Over: Sakanya Border Shuts Down After Death of Zambian Truck Driver in DRC Custody

The Sakanya Border Post between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was thrown into turmoil on Sunday, November 2, 2025, when violent clashes erupted following the death of a Zambian truck driver allegedly while in the custody of DRC border officials. The escalating tensions forced authorities to temporarily close the border, halting all movement of goods and people across the busy crossing point.

According to eyewitness accounts, the driver had been arrested by Congolese officers on what many Zambian witnesses described as frivolous and unjustified charges. His subsequent death while detained by DRC border authorities sparked outrage among Zambian truckers, who on Sunday staged a protest demanding answers and justice. The situation quickly descended into violence, prompting security forces to intervene and border authorities to shut down operations at Sakanya.

The closure, which began late on Sunday, has effectively locked down all trade and transit activities, leaving hundreds of trucks stranded on both sides. Cross-border businesses — from customs clearing agents to small-scale traders — have come to a standstill as the normally busy border post now lies silent.

The Sakanya crossing, a vital commercial artery linking Zambia’s Copperbelt Province to the DRC’s resource-rich Katanga region, has long been plagued by disputes between truck drivers and border officials. Allegations of harassment, extortion, and unequal treatment have persisted for years, but the latest incident appears to have reignited deep-seated frustrations.

Authorities from both Lusaka and Kinshasa are reportedly engaging in urgent discussions to de-escalate the situation, restore calm, and pave the way for the reopening of the border. Meanwhile, business owners and transporters on both sides continue to count heavy losses as the standoff enters its second day.

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https://s.surveyplanet.com/mlbz1hoy

Road safety Good Day , This questionnaire aims to gather the views of road transport users (drivers and passengers alike) on several issues considered to be of particular relevance to them in connection with road safety in Zambia.

A QUESTION OF "WHY DID THEY USE LIVE AMMUNITION" AND "WHY DID HE NOT SIMPLY GO WITHOUT HIS SUPPORTERS"

THE ANSWER = KBF 2021

It is very saddening and regrettable that the nation has yet again lost two innocent lives at the hands of a very cheap and archaic political rivalry between President Lungu and HH.

Members of respective camps are calling the killings of our two brothers according to what suits the narrative of their respective camps, one camp is calling it police brutality while the other camp is calling it an assassination (of course in this case what they saying is that HH and his team planned everything... Wow) but if we were to be even in the slightest objective we would find that our two brothers (MTSRIEP) are simply victims of a clash between two over bloated egos in President ECL and HH.

My fellow country men and women, yesterday's unfortunate events were not the makings of the political rivalry between the ruling Patriotic Front party and the UPND... no, what happened yesterday was as a result of the intolerance and potential hatred that President Lungu and HH harbour against each other. This was not about the PF or the UPND, it was about ECL and Hakainde Hichilema that's why you did not see PF supporters on sight and the UPND supporters that were there were hoodwinked by HH to go and show solidarity to him without fully knowing what was really at play.

Yesterday's events ladies and gentlemen were as predictable as fifth grade mathematics and could have been easily avoided if only both President Lungu and HH had the heart and empathy to put the plight and lives of the Zambian people ahead of their egos and personal ambitions.

The Zambian people need to understand that on one hand we have President Lungu who through his surrogates Kapyongo and Tayali is hell bent on getting rid of HH from the ballot come 2021 and the other hand we have HH who is willing to do anything to get into power come 2021, so it will not suprise anyone that one of the following two scenarios could have avoided yesterday's tragic events from happening.

One, President Lungu as a politician as and a President should have been fully aware that HH was planning to use to use yesterday's Summon by the Zambia police as a PR circus for himself and his political ambitions.
President Lungu by now should know that this is how HH functions, this is how he gets gets his popularity, by gaining political favour and sympathy through such circuses and their was no way on earth he was going to let this one pass him by so close to the 2021 general elections.
The President and his advisors should have known this and not played straight into his HH's hands. In this case, a simple *public* instruction from the President to the Zambia Police through Hon. Kampyongo instructing the Zambia Police to limit their presence and allow Mr. Hichilema's supporters to enjoy controlled freedom of assembly, and to only use minimum force if and when provoked, this simple instruction from the President would have saved the lives of our two brothers.
But our President decided to go on holiday while this fateful event that might have easily ended any chances of him regaining the confidence of the Zambian people was unfolding.
It seems to me that the President and his team still fail to understand HH and his antics, it seems they lack the neccessary political and electoral experience to beat him on the ballot and maybe that's why they would rather just see to it that he is not there, if this is the case then my humble appeal to President Lungu is to quickly pave the way for a seasoned political strategist who equally has a vision for the nation in KBF and his team so that they can take care of HH free and fair on the ballot.

Getting back to yesterday's unfortunate events, we have on the second scenario UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema who not only feels entitled to the leadership of this nation but is equally willing to do anything to acquire said leadership, even if the price to be paid are the lives of his innocent supporters.
Mr Hichilema yesterday could have easily told his supporters to stay at home and follow the events through various available media platforms, so as to avoid playing into the hands of his so called brutal PF Police. This simple gesture would have saved the lives of yesterday's victims, but HH knew very well that their was political sympathy and expediency to be gained from whatever would happen if the Zambia police and his supporters clashed, so he called them out to unnecessarily rally behind him in "solidarity" and the result is that he now looks the hero in the eyes of the gullible multitudes, alas he has done this at the price of two innocent Zambian lives.

This my fellow country men and women is not patriotism or heroism, neither is it leadership. Leadership is about putting the ambitions of the nation above yours, leadership is about setting aside your ego for the sake of the nation's peace and tranquility.

What President Lungu and HH exhibited yesterday was the complete opposite of what we as a nation aspire for and that is why we are saying that enough is enough, in 2021 *the game and some players need to change*. The Zambian people deserve a new face, new voice and new vision in the form of *KBF.*

Comrades KBF is no stranger to police intimidation and he is no stranger to political persecution as most of us would attest but when faced with these challenges he has always chosen to protect the integrity and peace of the nation ahead of his personal ambitions even if at times it has left him looking politically weaker than his opponents, President KBF has got multitudes of followers that have on several occassions asked him to simply give a go ahead so that they could go deal with his persecutors but in such times we see choose to fight these battles alone at the cost of looking weak and isolated because the lives of his followers matter and he unlike President Lungu and HH understands that leader with a clear vision has no time for detractors and he surely has no time to prove that he is stronger than his opponents because his duty is to the nation and not himself.

This is the type of selfless leadership this nation deserves and as 2020 ends, we need to seriously reflect on the type of leadership that is available and the type of leadership we deserve.

My fellow comrades we have an opportunity in 2021 to *vote KBF.*

Merry Xmas and a happy new year.

Napita

Team KBF
*Lazarous C. Bwalya*