Statement on President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s Measures Following the Extra Judicial Killing of Two Citizens
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu (left) swears in Eastern Province Commissioner of Police Geza Lungu (right) during the Swearing-in-ceremony at State House on Thursday, December 31,2020. PICTURE BY SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE ©2020
Issued by: Judith Mulenga
CiSCA Chairperson
Lusaka, 31 December 2020: The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) considers the measures taken by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu following the Police extra judicial killing of prosecutor Nsama Nsama and UPND supporter, Joseph Kaunda as tokenistic, dismally inadequate and mere window dressing.
On Tuesday, President Lungu announced that he had fired the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations Bonnie Kapeso and his counterpart in charge of Administration Eugene Sibote, and that he had given Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja a six months’ improvement contract.
Dismissing the Inspector General of Police’s subordinates while giving him a 6 months improvement contract is an oxymoron because IG Kanganja is part of the problem therefore he cannot be part of the solution.
Besides, the decision does not match the President’s concern about peace building ahead of the 2021 general elections, which he expressed during the installation of Bishop Joshua Banda as the President of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God in Zambia.
This yet again demonstrates the President’s inability or unwillingness to walk his talk.
With all due respect, IG Kanganja has been the cause of loss of public confidence in the police service since he has been at the helm of the service in its dark days of consistent suppression and intimidation of citizens’ fundamental human rights and freedoms while displaying shameless timidity in the face of PF cadres’ violent behavior. All these are well documented.
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu (right) being welcomed by Bishop Dr. Joshua Banda at Show Grounds in Lusaka. This was during the Installation of Bishop Joshua Banda as the Presiding Bishop and unveiling of the new Council of Bishops of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Zambia on Sunday,December 27,2020. PICTURE BY SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE ©2020
We take note that the 6 months improvement contract coincides with police provision of support to the electoral process which will require massive police human power.
In this regard we opine that the 6 months improvement contract is in essence a ‘help me win elections or else we go together’.
We further take note that the changes within the police command though long overdue should have awaited the outcomes of the investigations if the real desire of the Head of State is to see a reformed police service.
Why rush to make changes while the “investigations” are still underway? Who are they trying to deceive?
We are greatly appalled by the lack of justice for Nsama Nsama and Joseph Kaunda.
We reiterate our demand for the dismissal of Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Stephen Kampyongo who has steered the police service into a rebel commando unit against us the citizens of Zambia and all who reside in its jurisdiction.
Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo
We demand the revocation of the improvement contract for the IG and immediate retirement of his in national interest.
We demand that all criminal investigations expertise be dedicated to identifying and prosecution of the rogue police officer(s) who fired the bullets that killed the two men.
Anything short of that is mere ‘smearing of butter’ on the issue. Issued by: Judith Mulenga CiSCA Chairperson
