NATIONAL Democratic Congress (NDC) president Chishimba Kambwili says the police command has exhibited extreme arrogance in the manner they have handled the shooting of two civilians last Wednesday.
And Kambwili says President Edgar Lungu’s legacy will be that of a leader who destroyed Zambia’s democracy due to his failure to provide leadership amid the deteriorating human rights abuses in the country.
Speaking via a Facebook live video, Tuesday, Kambwili said it was extreme arrogance for the police to state that Nsama Chipyoka and Joseph Kaunda’s demise could have been avoided if UPND supporters heeded to police advice.
He urged the police to retract the statement and apologise to Zambians for being arrogant.
“I am extremely disappointed, extremely disappointed, hurt and I feel let down by the statement of the police spokesperson, Madam Mwata Katongo. Madam Mwata Katongo and the entire leadership at the Ministry of Home Affairs, I plead and beg with you, start respecting the people of Zambia. You cannot exist in those offices if there are no people of Zambia, if there are no citizens. And the role of the police, the Ministry of Home Affairs is to guard and not to kill with impunity. I hoped that when the President asked the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Inspector General of Police to give a report, what we expected was the Ministry, through the police, to tell us who pulled the trigger and what action was going to be taken against such individuals. To my surprise, police have released a very arrogant, intimidating and threatening statement without regard to the fact that life was lost. Without regard to the feeling of the relatives of those two deceased colleagues. That statement is arrogant, issued by a person who doesn’t think and who has no respect for the rule of law. The police need to retract that statement and apologise to the people of Zambia,” Kambwili demanded.
“This is extremely bad, how, surely, can the police continue justifying the killings? Extra-judicial killings are not allowed anywhere in the world. But here we are, the police that are supposed to be protecting life and property want to continue justifying the killing of innocent people. This should be checked by the Minister himself and the Permanent Secretary. I’m asking my younger brother Honourable Kampyongo, the PS (Masiye Wilfred Banda) Dr is it Phiri? Really, did you read that statement through and authorised it to be published? If, indeed, you read through the statement and authorised its publishing, then I must say outrightly that we have no leadership at the Ministry of Home Affairs!”
And Kambwili, the former Roan PF member of parliament, cautioned President Lungu that his legacy would be that of a leader who destroyed Zambia’s democracy due to his lack of leadership.
“And please, President Edgar Lungu, take action. Under the circumstances with this intimidating, arrogant statement that was issued by Mwata Katongo, surely, there must be changes made at the Ministry of Home Affairs. We expect Mwata Katongo herself and her boss and those in the public relations department of the police to all resign on moral grounds! Colleagues, you don’t dare the people more especially when lives have been lost. It is a time of reflection. Being sorry for the action. But for you to continue saying, ‘police will not fold hands and see lawlessness…’ What lawlessness was exhibited there? And by the way, PF, Kampyongo and all those in the PF search your souls! Maybe you were not there when we started PF and that’s why you want to destroy this PF with impunity by carelessness in the way you act. Ask us who were there from the first day of the PF; there was never a time when Mr Sata was summoned by the police and he went alone,” he recalled.
“You may think that you are acting intelligently, but you are destroying PF! Stop destroy PF, Zambia and stop destroying the opposition. I can rest assure you that you are destroying yourself, at the rate at which you are going, your actions, sooner or later, you will regret. When the President said, ‘I want a report,’ we were excited and we said, ‘yes, the President is providing leadership and what we expected yesterday (Monday) on the news was to tell us that, ‘police have finished their investigations, the policeman who pulled the trigger has been identified and he is going to be charged with murder and the rest will be done at court.’ I beg with you, my President, take charge, my brother. You will leave a very bad legacy that you destroyed democracy!”
He also urged PF deputy spokesperson Mumbi Phiri to be more sympathetic before issuing statements on matters bordering on national peace.
“And for you, (Kakoma) Kanganja, you have failed! And whoever was involved in that statement must resign on moral grounds. And my sister, Mumbi Phiri, before you issue certain statements, think. How can you, my sister, be saying, ‘if people want solidarty, balesenda abana babo (those who want solidarity should take their children along with them.) Abanthu musenda ku airport bana benu? Balya abbacita demonstrate ku PF secretariat bana benu? (Are the people you ferry to the airports your children? Are those who demonstrate at the PF your children?) Elyo ba Sata balebeta ku police, twataleya iwe naine Mumbi? (Didn’t we give solidarity to [Michael] Sata you and I, Mumbi?) And I expect ba Godfridah Sumaili (Religious Affairs Minister) to condemn this statement if you are really a woman of God. What kind of people are you? The blood of those who have died at the hands of the police will haunt you people for the rest of your lives!” said Kambwili.