By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
RESIDENTS of Zingalume, George and Matero townships yesterday rioted, looting shops that belong to foreigners, in protest against the ritual murders that have happened in Lusaka recently.
It is not clear what exactly sparked the riots, but the residents accused the foreigners of being behind the deaths of the six men that have been killed and mutilated in Zingalume and surrounding areas.
Houses belonging to foreigners were also looted and destroyed.
The residents said they were frustrated by police who, despite intensifying patrols, had not been able to catch the killers and bring the problem to an end.
They said they were tired of living in fear and merely wanted to live freely in their areas.
Police spokesperson Charity Chanda confirmed that four shops belonging to foreigners had been looted on suspicion that they were involved in the recent killings.
She said police had deployed officers to end the riots.
“A number of people have been arrested, but we are still compiling a full report,” Ms Chanda said.
The riots later spread to other townships in Lusaka such as Garden and Mandevu townships.
By Press time, members of the public and police were running battles in the townships where riots had spread while calm had returned to Zingalume.
Six people have so far been killed by unknown people in George and Zingalume townships since March this year.
The dead had been found without ears and private parts.
Police have increased patrols in Lusaka and on Saturday night, through their patrols, they nabbed four people who were found with items that seemed to be body parts.
Police have subjected the items found with these people to forensic examination to determine if they were human flesh.
The four suspects are in police custody.