CCZ Pastoral Statement on IG Kanganja’s directive to Zambia Police Service Officers to observe human rights

Notice: Undefined index: catFilterList in /home/zambi/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-likes/api.php on line 243

Thursday 16th April 2020 LUSAKA

WE, the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) would like to commend the Inspector General of Police (IG) Kakoma Kanganja for his timely guidance to Police Officers who have been using maximum force in enforcing provisions of Statutory Instrument number 22 which spells out regulations aimed at containing the COVID-19, to always operate and carry out their duties within the confines of the Law.

We also take note with gratitude the guidance given by the Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo in the News Diggers Newspaper dated Thursday 16th April 2020 in which he reiterating the call for the Police to act professionally without brutal force. We applaud him for condemning the violent manner in which congregants of the Bread of Life Church were dispersed in Mkushi.

As a Church we were concerned with the manner Police Officers were enforcing the law on citizens who have not been complying with Presidential directives and regulations that have been put in place aimed at containing the Coronavirus pandemic.

We would like to put it on record that the directive from the IG is commendable and the Church is supportive of the Police Chief. The Church welcomes every action that promotes human dignity and respect for human rights no matter the provocation by the public.

By this we do not condone behaviours that are against the law by the general public. All the measures announced by the Government are aimed at protecting our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

We, therefore, urge all citizens across the country to adhere to all guidelines and instructions for this is for our own good.

As spelt out by the President in his last national address, let us choose life and put on hold everything else. Life is more sacred than anything else.

We are praying for God’s sustenance during this period.

In relation to the IG’s directive to Police Officers to respect human rights, we would further like to affirm the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and other stakeholders for protecting human dignity by standing in solidarity with the brutalised citizens at the hands of the Police.

We would also like to take this opportunity to express our concern over the lack of protection for Police Officers in the execution of their duties.

We have noted with grave concern that a number of Police Officers have been operating without masks or any other kind of protection as they engage physically with offenders.

Our concern is that the Coronavirus does not respect anyone’s office and whoever is exposed to the virus automatically becomes a danger to others in society.

In addition, these Police Officers have families and other people they interact with whom the virus can easily be transmitted to if those Officers contract it during their physical law enforcement.

We, therefore, urge the Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure that Police Officers are provided with sufficient protective material such as masks and gloves as they are also frontline workers in the fight against the Coronavirus.

As Council of Churches in Zambia we pledge our support to the Zambia Police, Health workers, donors and all those that are working tirelessly to ensure that this pandemic is contained.

May God bless and heal our land in Jesus’ name.
COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN ZAMBIA

Rev. Canon Emmanuel Chikoya
GENERAL SECRETARY