Police are investigating the abduction and murder of Zambia’s newly appointed broadcasting regulator chief, Guntila Muleya. His body was found with gunshot wounds on the outskirts of the capital, Lusaka, on Wednesday.
Muleya’s death has shocked the nation, particularly since the motive remains unknown and gun violence is rare in Zambia.
Police suspect that the director general of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) was kidnapped after leaving work on Tuesday. The IBA oversees licensing, standards, and enforcement of compliance in broadcasting.
When Muleya failed to return home on Tuesday night, his family alerted the police and began searching for him. His body was discovered by a passerby on their way to work, along with two bullet cartridges at the scene.
Thabo Kawana, the top civil servant in Zambia’s information ministry, assured the public that those responsible for Muleya’s murder would be brought to justice.
Muleya had taken over as IBA director general in May, succeeding a veteran journalist who had led the authority for 10 years. Before his IBA role, Muleya was the general manager in Zambia for South African pay-TV firm MultiChoice.
In a statement, the IBA expressed deep sadness over Muleya’s death and vowed to continue upholding the values and vision he championed during his brief tenure.
