Renowned Zambian rapper Bobby East has taken to social media to voice his opinion on the ongoing search for politician Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda, suggesting that the K2 million reward earmarked for information leading to Banda’s capture should be redirected to Olympic medalist Muzala Samukonga if Banda is not found by tomorrow.
In a recent Facebook post, Bobby East shared his thoughts, stating, “If by tomorrow you haven’t found JJ, pasani Muzala 2 million yo… Tanvela kudala ati ilipo” (meaning “If by tomorrow you haven’t found JJ, give Muzala the K2 million… We’ve heard for a long time that it’s there”).
A few weeks ago, the Zambia Police Service announced that they were actively seeking the whereabouts of politician Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda, offering a substantial reward of K2 million for any credible information leading to his arrest. Despite the offer, Banda remains at large, and the reward remains unclaimed.
Bobby East’s suggestion to divert the reward money to Muzala Samukonga comes in the wake of growing frustration over the government’s failure to pay athletes their promised allowances and bonuses following the 2024 Olympic Games. Samukonga, who won a bronze medal in the 400m men’s race, recently highlighted the issue, revealing that the athletes have not received their dues.
Bobby East’s call to action underscores the public’s growing impatience with the ongoing search for Jay Jay Banda and highlights the need to recognize and support the achievements of Zambian athletes like Samukonga. Whether the government will take Bobby East’s suggestion into consideration remains to be seen, but his post has certainly sparked a conversation about the allocation of rewards and the need to honor commitments to the nation’s sports heroes.
