PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has directed Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja to present a report, on the Wednesday shootings which resulted in two deaths, by Monday.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, President Lungu, who is currently on a working holiday, sent out his condolences to prosecutor Nsama Nsama and UPND member Joseph Kaunda’s families.
“First of all, my heart goes out to the families of Nsama Nsama Chipyoka and Joseph Kaunda, both of whom were killed by an unknown assailant or assailants yesterday in Lusaka. I am grieving with the families of these victims. My sincere condolences to the families. I have taken a moment to reflect on these senseless murders, and I have spoken to the inspector general of police to find out what could have really happened. As you heard from the inspector general of police yesterday, police are investigating this matter for the motive and to find out who is behind these killings. However, I now direct the inspect general to use every resource available to fully investigate these murders as quickly as possible. I must receive the report by Monday, 28th December, 2020,” President Lungu directed.
“The deaths of these two Zambians would, certainly have been avoided. But it seems we have cast aside our values as a country because we now believe politics or politicking must be our daily bread. We now believe it pays to spend time at police stations and courts, as cheerleaders of politicians, even over cases that we know little or nothing about. Even after being cautioned against going to the police station in this particular case, citizens, many in sponsored transport traversed there. In short, we have become pawns in other people’s games. Yesterday’s incidents were totally unnecessary to put it mildly. An individual, in his person, was called by the police to answer charges, and yet we saw multitudes of uninvited citizens thronging the police station. What was that about? In the meantime, a situation was created for mayhem and we end up with lives lost.”
He said no one was above the law.
“No one is above the law. Not me, not anybody. And as long as I am President, I will not allow anybody to usurp criminal justice. Nsama was not just a prosecutor or a lawyer, he was a husband, dad, son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin of people who are grieving today. Think about his wife, children, his bigger family. Is this fair? All because of politics? Think about the loss for the national prosecutions authority and the country as a whole. Then you have Joseph. Again a young man, full of life, taken away because of political activism. What about his family? Should Joseph have died this way? Think about the image we are creating for our country? Is this the motivation for the killer? No, Zambia is a haven for peace, we shall not allow anyone to turn this country upside down,” stated President Lungu.
“This is the time for all of us to reflect as a country about the Zambia we want to live in. This is not what we are us a country. This is alien. What unites us is stronger than what divides us.As we pray for Nsama and Joseph’s families with broken hearts and outrage, we seek
answers. Their families seek answers. I ask each one of you to stay calm as investigators do their work. Let us remain resolute against crime and say, no, to political chicanery and demagoguery. Have a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.”
One Response
So it is HH to blame? The statement suggests the report must say people died because of HH? You are not going for HH alone. you are going for all his supporters also. Even if HH says don’t come, his supporters will still come. Police must come back to civil police duties, not party political policing. Politics cannot be easterners and northerners saying they all can aspire to be president and no issue, but if others want to aspire to be president it’s an issue.