PRESIDENT LUNGU MUST FIRE KAMPYONGO AND KANGANJA.
By Senior Chief Mukuni
I am grateful that His Excellence President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has informed the Diplomatic corps accredited to Zambia how seriously he views the extra judicial killing of two innocent Zambians last week. Indeed this is as it should be in an institutional democracy that Zambia is supposed to be. Depriving citizens of their right to life through extra judicial executions is a gross human rights violation that transgresses our constitution and several other international conventions that Zambia is a signatory to.
However I wish to put in on record that until and unless the President addresses the principal causes of these murders by the Police whose prime allegiance, is to protect lives of people, the wonderful promises he is making will be viewed as a mere academic exercise, in the eyes of the people.
The militarization of the Police and the institution’s aggression against the civilian populations has been advocated by two individuals whose duties the President must relieve. While appreciating the President’s prerogative to choose who he wishes to work with in carrying out national duties, in order for Mr. Lungu to retain integrity and trust in his efforts at the reformation of the Zambia Police, he must fire Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo and Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja.
The President must go further by allowing for independent investigations of previous extra judicial killings carried out by Police against supporters of his political opponents under the watch of the two men. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes are known thugs who roam the streets as free men. They must be brought to book and face the full wrath of the law.
Once the above two matters are dealt with to their logical conclusion, then the President’s assurance to the Diplomatic community will be taken seriously by the diplomats themselves, but most importantly the citizens of Zambia.
Senior Chief Mukuni of the Leya people of Kazungula, Livingstone and Zimba and all the Bene Mukuni.