THE President needs to distance the presidency from criminal elements and those that bring the presidency into disrepute, activist Maiko Zulu has urged.
Commenting on President Edgar Lungu’s association with Chingola-based murder suspect Kabaso ‘Spax’ Mulenga, Zulu said there was nothing wrong with the President having friends but that the presidency cannot afford to accommodate all of his ‘friends’ because that is not a personal to holder office.
Zulu has challenged the presidency to clarify President Lungu’s links to Kabaso.
On Monday police announced that Kabaso had been warned and cautioned for murder and also for use of unauthorised military uniforms.
“That is perhaps the biggest question that needs answers. We have stated before that the President needs to distance the presidency from criminal elements and those that bring the presidency into disrepute,” Zulu said.
He noted with regret that today corruption was right in State House and the government.
“Cases in point of Amos Chanda and Dr Chitalu Chlufya. The mere fact that government leaders are persons of interest in ACC [Anti-Corruption Commission and other investigations is cause for worry and says a lot about protection of people close to the President,” he said.
Zulu said he was worried that the Zambia Police Service tasked to police some of the criminal elements seemed to be divided with most of them compromised.
“There seems to be a police service that is trying to work professionally and that which wants to please certain individuals. Remember how soon after making headway in the Ruth Mbandu case, Solomon Jere was shoved into foreign service. Rae Hamoonga could be a victim of such,” Zulu said.
Hamoonga, then ZP deputy spokesperson, announced that police had arrested the mastermind of the gassing episodes but the following day Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja refuted the report. Hamoonga was immediately redeployed to TAZARA.
Zulu noted that the police as an institution was sending an alarming signal to citizens and those insinuating that criminal elements have taken over government and public institutions.
He said it also worrying that certain investigations were given red carpet treatment and “in time legal technicalities come in and the accused persons go scot-free”.
Zulu reckons that with so much having happened, it was time President Lungu addressed the nation.
“How does one trust the police? A lot of these things from insecurity to biased judgment are bottling in people’s minds and one little thing is able to ignite unprecedented citizen uprisings. Now is the best time for a State of the Nation address and a press conference because a lot has happened and people through the press have a lot of questions from the great leader,” said Zulu.