Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo says he is worried that more COVID-19 infections will break out in Kafue District because the recently deceased victim owned a shop where international truck drivers parked.

And Lusambo says the police are within the law in whipping individuals found patronising bars at night.

Speaking on a ZNBC TV program, Lusambo revealed that the deceased owned a fish centre at a place called Faduko’s in Kafue which was where most foreign truckers parked.

“We had a wake up call in Kafue, that case of Kafue, so we are trying by all means to monitor in Kafue. I was in Kafue yesterday I met with several marketeers and community leaders so that we can work together and sensitise the people. The deceased brother in Kafue he had a fish centre at Faduko’s and Faduko’s is where these truckers do park when they are coming from South Africa, Zimbabwe; they do park there because there are some rooms which they rent at Faduko’s. And Fadukos is next to police camp it is just 50 meters away to the Kafue Police camp. So we are worried I was talking to my director of health Dr Mwale we need to do a lot of screening around that camp because at the fish centre anyone can move in and buy fish,” Lusambo said.

And Lusambo said those condemning his brutal actions of beating up night patrons were wrong because the operation was within the law.

“For us in Lusaka, as a provincial administration, we are not happy that Lusaka has been declared as an epicentre. So we are not sleeping. We know that there is a problem which we have to sort out and we want to encourage media houses out there, don’t bring drama when we are working! We don’t entertain drama! We have seen some videos online trying to bring the name of the police into disrupt. For us that is not our business; our business is to make sure that the problem at hand is sorted out. So for those people who want to bring drama and who want to incite other people out there, we are not interested to (sic) excite people we are here to make sure that we control the situation,” he said.

“We are dealing with a very stubborn epidemic and for that person who would want to condemn our work today let that person or the family be infected with that disease and then they will know what they we are talking about here. We are protecting the Zambian; we are protecting the people of Lusaka. The government and the people they are trying by all means to contain this disease, then you find someone trying to condemn what we are doing. Are the serious? This is not the time to joke around! The people out there just need to know that whatever things police are doing is within the law.”

He said as Lusaka Minister he was entitled to go into the field and monitor the compliance levels of people with regards to the Presidential directive.

“Some people are saying we are stepping on their human rights. Me I am a member of Parliament of Kabushi Constituency and I sit in the National Assembly where these law are passed and the situation we are in today as much as we do respect human rights, we have seen bigger countries like America, United Kingdom, China they have suspended human rights. For us we can’t say that we don’t respect human rights; we do respect human rights and I know that the police are working within the law, they are respecting human rights. I can assure you that I will not allow you to misbehave out there and cause havoc to 100 or 1000 people out there. I will make sure that we will protect the lives of our people,” said Lusambo.