Staff Reporter

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) ally and Zambian politician, Joseph Kalimbwe was reportedly arrested in Zambia on charges of impersonation and fraud.

A source revealed to this publication that Kalimbwe was arrested for impersonating United Party for National Development (UPND) National Youth Chairman, Gilbert Liswaniso, Kalimbwe and cheating people in the name of UPND. 

“As he looked similar to Liswaniso, Kalimbwe began door-to-door campaigns deceiving people, taking advantage of his resemblance to the former. He lied to people that he was part of the Central Committee of the governing Party. In the process of his campaigns, he collected money in the name of UPND,” said the source.

It’s not the first time that Kalimbwe masquerades as a senior UPND official. Last year he visited Zimbabwe where he linked with CCC members claiming that he was representing the UPND.

The source said that Kalimbwe duped a lot of people claiming that he was close to Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. The source added that Kalimbwe lied to his victims that the money he was raising was to support CCC activities in Zimbabwe.

The controversial Zambian youth is ill-famed for demonizing liberation parties in Southern Africa and was on several times called for unconstitutional change of Governments in African states.

Political scientists, Simon Chiweshe said that the arrest of Kalimbwe, if true, would tarnish the image of CCC ahead of the forthcoming elections.

“If his arrest is true, then it would tarnish CCC’s image as he is a known ally of Nelson Chamisa and several CCC members. The electorate would not want to vote for a party that dines and wines with a fraudster and an impersonator. The best CCC can do is to disassociate itself with Kalimbwe to sanitize its image to the electorate,” said Chiweshe.

Efforts to get a comment from UNPD spokesperson, Charles Kakoma were futile as he did not respond messages sent to him through his WhatsApp.