HICHILEMA MUST REVIEW POLICE SALARIES
Mr Hakainde Hichilema and his far- right UPND government must urgently review the remuneration and conditions of service for Zambia Police Service officers and staff.
We have made this demand in response to the frequent appeals and complaints our party leadership and structures countrywide have been receiving regarding this matter, which we strongly feel is long overdue.
And going by the appeals and complaints, we have received so far, it is very clear that this matter is yet another unfulfilled campaign promise because the expectation was that after Mr Hichilema’s 2021 elections victory, there would be some kind of gradual progression towards prioritising and attending to the numerous hardships facing our police officers and staff.
But this has not been the case and this is not right. That is why we are demanding that Mr Hichilema and his government to immediately initiate a comprehensive review in the manner the police officers and staff are remunerated. And this review of remuneration and conditions of service must be aligned with the challenges and demands of modern policing.
Police officers and staff are an integral part of our national defence and security apparatus. For this reason, it is necessary that this far- right UPND government urgently looks into their plight by providing and caring for them. Our police deserve to be adequately and fairly remunerated in order for them to account for their performance and general conduct satisfactorily.
Further, policing has become a highly sophisticated career, which requires extensive knowledge and skills in the discharge of duties. That is why we urge Mr Hichilema and his league to invest in capacity building programmes, skills training and career development for the police to guarantee a higher level of competence that will be fit for purpose in the 21st century.
Our assurance to the gallant police officers and staff is that if this government does not respond favourably to the issues raised above, we shall implement these plans upon assuming office because our main goal is to modernise the police service by bridging the existing remuneration as well as training and career development gaps.
This is so much of a priority to us because we want to ensure that the nation is assisted by a highly motivated and flexible police service that is determined and strong enough to reach its full potential. So let our police officers and staff know that tuli bantu babo and we are resolved to reward their tireless effort and sacrifice for the motherland to enable them provide a better service for all Zambians.
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party