Tourism Minister Charles Banda says the four Sesheke police officers who where fired two week ago put the life of President Edgar Lungu in danger.
In interview at Nyamtuma Primary School in Sinda District where he met his Kapoche Constituency officials, Banda said there was a lapse among police officers in the provision of security for the Head of State when he visited Sesheke during a recent parliamentarian election.
“In Zambia we respect human life. In other countries people would have been injured (in Sesheke) because they went to threaten the life of the Head of State which is not correct. When there is failure to perform in sections like the police service, actions should follow. Remember there was failure there to secure the life of the Head of State which means there was a lapse, somebody did not do the job properly and you don’t keep such people,” Banda said.
“There is nothing political in the firing of the police officers, it was regarding the life of the Head of State. If you put the life of the Head of State at risk then you are not fit for that job. Negligence of duty costed those cops.”
He advised civil servants against making the job of politicians in government difficult.
“Us as politicians we depend on the civil service that is our backbone. The moment they act incompetent even us we shall be inefficient as they are going to show political leadership failure. They are our technocrats, we ride on the advise from them. Let everyone do what they are paid for because its what they are tasked for. Let them build because civil servants can build or destroy and if they don’t build then we will be doomed” said Banda.
He accused UPND of provoking PF in the recent local government and parliamentary by-election.
“Violence is not in our vocabulary and it’s not on our agenda as PF. I will tell you that I was one of the people that participated in the recently held by-election and PF was not at fault. I was in Lundazi in Mkomba ward where I witnessed UPND cadres attack PF cadres who where with me, they beat them in my view and the role I took was to stop them and asked PF cadres not to retaliate. I never run away because I wanted to see what they could do to a senior citizen like me but they avoided me and followed my cadres” narrated Banda who is also a member of the PF Central Committee.
One Response
Very unfortunate comments from the minister. Can somebody explain exactly what these cops are accused of. Did they beat the cadres who were supposed to guard the President or what? Too much wenye iyi nkhani mwe!