MIYANDA SUPPORTS HH’S DIRECTIVE TO MWIIMBU, POLICE IG
…..to review the Gun Licensing law following the escalating gun violence and misuse by the general public
Lusaka… Monday January 22, 2024 (SMART EAGLES)
Governance Expert and Human Rights Advocate Wesley Miyanda has supported the directive given by President Haakainde Hichilema, to the Inspector General of Police Musamba and the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Jack Mwiimbu, to review the Gun Licensing law following the escalating gun violence and misuse by the general public.
Mr Miyanda says it is indeed saddening and dangerous to note that several incidents of gunshots have been witnessed where people have lost lives due to misuse of firearms which people are keeping in their homes, some of which are not even licensed by the Council.
“Nonetheless, it’s very unfortunate that most of the time we only come to realize about certain dangers when disasters have already happened and People’s lives are lost. Honestly speaking, it should take the Republican President to issue a directive over the incidences of gun misuse when we have the police service and other security wings in the country who are supposed to foresee these things and take punitive measures proactively to ensure guns are not found in wrong hands,” he said.
“The truth of the matter is that the president’s directive to review the Gun Licensing law has been prompted by the death of L. General SHIKAPWASHA who died due to gunshots at his residence. Our national leaders should learn to be proactive in dealing with things that may be disastrous to Citizens. Another example we have is Cholera outbreak. Time and again we have made several appeals and reminders to our leaders to work on drainage systems in towns, townships and other flood prone areas before the onset of rains to avert floods, but all have fallen on deaf ears.”
He saw no sense in local authorities giving contracts to people to work on drainage systems during rainy season when such projects are supposed to be done during the dry season.
“Those floods seen in the Central Business District of Lusaka and other surrounding areas such as Kanyama, Chawama, Misisi and Kamwala South have been there year in year out, and yet we have the so-called qualified engineers in Zambia who are supposed to plan for such things. When are we going to change our attitudes so we can avoid such disasters,” he questioned.
But the latest household owner of a gun no police or any state security would we want to query its intentions to own a gun as the name has the highest gun ownership requirement met by training and by position held.
The fact is we want to know what lead such an old lady to be so hurt, to the extent of killing her partner not in the car but in the bedroom. If i look the that lady, with that man with a wise mans beard their martiage must have span over a couple of decades together.For that relationship to have such a twist, even prosecuting her without letting the public know is an injustice to her. What are the police, the state hiding. That woman has lived with those gun all of her life. Since his funeral was made national one equally as the cause of death is known so does the motive that gave birth to this sad occurrence has to be know.