LUNGU’S FOUR DAYS ULTIMATUM TURNS INTO A NATIONAL INSULT
The cold blood killings of Joseph Kaunda, a UPND supporter and Nsama Chipyoko a state Prosecutor is an indicator of our degeneration as country. Away from the counter accusations and finger pointing, the situation is definitive of our irretrievable loss of decency and normalcy as a democratic country. Where are our Democratic and Christian values? Could be the same reasons we could arrest and imprison innocent Zambians just after the day of national prayer and fasting? We seem to have reached a point where the abnormal and extraordinary has become the normal and ordinary. Right from the government top leadership through to the cross section of society, there are some people who are either driven by ignorance or dogmatic royalty to the PF Government who literally blame the dead just like President Lungu did in his speech.
The Government official position as allegedly communicated by President Lungu, Religious Affairs and National Guidance Minister Godfridah Sumaili, Kakoma Kanganja is purely one of self exoneration and arrogant carelessness. In their evil eyes, the two were not killed by the bullets they commanded to be fired but by their support to HH. We need to retrace our lost foot steps by analysing our security tier. The Police are by law mandated to provide domestic public security and order to the Zambian people. They are a tax supported Institution and tax payment is an inclusive Civic responsibility. The Police is mainly mandated to ensure law and order which in most cases would be instigated by armless citizens.
In addition to this, they also have specialized units such as the Anti-Robbery squads and Paramilitary units. Depending on the security threat level, a particular unit would be deployed to police a particular situation. In any case, Policeman are not allowed to use live ammunition in normal policing operation such as public order. We however seem to have lost our understanding of our democratic rights as Citizens. As Zambians, we have the Constitutional right to assemble, offer solidarity to a person or cause of our choice. The Police are by law supposed to protect the people that decide to protest, offer solidarity or support a particular cause. For as long as no public property is destroyed, which is why the police should be around, then no law is broken. This is the normal democratic environment which we have lost. The police were supposed to provide full security to the UPND supporters. This is not a favour but an obligation. Very few people know and understand this. The Police are not actually mandated to decide whether or not to authorize such public action, the police are simply notified.
The threats which Stephen Kampyongo, Esther Katongo and Kanganja issued were a traversity of citizens right and we know that these overzealous feloows their hands stained with innocent blood. It also goes further to show our abysmal security assessment incapability.
The state deliberately allowed the mayhem in their miscalculation to win public confidence. Edgar Chagwa Lungu sanctioned the ongoing trailing and desperate drive to distract the Zambian people by allowing the attempt to arrest Hakainde Hichilema and assassinate him. He was briefed on progress.
How many times has Hakainde Hichilema been arrested on flimsy grounds? Edgar Chagwa Lungu knows that he is trying to create a situation where paradventure, HH could be convicted of any crime just like he did to Chishimba Kambwili. To Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the gunning down of the two Zambians was a success in his game of public deterrence. Joseph Kaunda and Nsama Chipyoko where expendable pawns in his game. In a normal functional police, it’s very easy to know who fired and killed the two gentleman. Daily logs would clearly show the culprit cop. Would the state bring out such a finding? Never! Monday was yesterday and we have all seen the insults he has thrown to the nation by maintaining and shielding real criminals.
We’ve had such killings in the past and the police have not issued any statement. To this day, Zambians are still waiting for the arsonists for City market, Gassers, etc. Some people either by choice or blind loyalty downplay the failed Economic situation. To the many Zambians, the situation is excruciatingly suffocating and families are falling apart, children dropping out of school, breadwinners retired in national interest, girls forced into prostitution and hospitals out of medicines. This the deathly situation that compels people to defy the threat of a bullet. People are dieing in their homes all because of PF’s failed policies.
Hakainde Hichilema is promising a bright morning out of this gross darkness of Economic mismanagement. Do you think people would easily give up on their hope easily? Hakainde Hichilema did not invite anyone to the Police station. The suffering brought on the Zambian people by the PF invited the people to force headquarters.The Police invited all the suffering Zambians who find hope in the pragmatic policy options that Hakainde Hichilema is presenting. Basic security assessment should have clearly shown this scenario. Why should the Police pretend to have missed this predictable situation. If thieves like Chitalu Chilufya, Chitotela and Kampyongo could throng the courtroom with supporters, what more a national leader of HH’s standing? There is nothing illegal and no law was broken by the supporters who matched to force headquarters. Anyone who blames the dead or the supporters of UPND is either a killer or a pathologically ignorant person.
No car or public building was stoned. No person was harrased by the UPND supporters. What was wrong with all this from the legal perspective?Why are people so heartless as to want to defend murder. A person who defends murderers is herself or himself a murderer. Why don’t they condemn the use of live ammunition on peaceful demonstrators. PF has adopted the ZANU-PF style of public intimidation. This is exactly how UGANDA got to where it is.
Edgar Chagwa Lungu calls such killings as PAWNS in other people’s games. I know that he is laughing as usual when the other families are mourning. He is feasting while other families are drenched in tears that will never dry. To him, Nsama and Joseph are expendable pawns in his game to rule Zambia forever. The four days ultimatum was a cleansing time to cheat and lie to the Zambian people. Real killers of Nsama and Joseph are right in state house just like gassers have been protected by Lungu.
Sikaile C Sikaile
Good Governance and Human Rights Activist for Zambia and Amnesty International
BY CIC PRESS TEAM