FRED M’membe has observed that the country has an inefficient and disorderly security system.
Dr M’membe, the Socialist Party president, says that is why it has taken long for police to release the report on the killing of State prosecutor Nsama Nsama and UPND member Joseph Kaunda on December 23, 2020.
“If things were done the right way, it wouldn’t have required four days for the police to give the President a report on the shooting and killing of two innocent and unarmed people. If things were done the right way, the report on it would have been instant – 24 hours at most,” he said in a statement. “If things were done the right way, all the commands up to the shooting would have been documented. The picture that emerges here is one of an inefficient, ineffective and disorderly security system – veritable chaos.”
Dr M’membe urged the public not to blame police Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja alone.
He said there were so many actors in the security system who should know what exactly transpired that day.
“We have all pointed fingers at the Inspector General of Police, but what about all these other people, including the Minister of Home Affairs [Stephen Kampyongo], who had been issuing so many ‘orders’ and statements in relation to the issue?” Dr M’membe asked. “And to top it all, the Minister of Home Affairs tells the nation that an opposition party brought in mercenaries to disturb the country’s peace and should have left or been arrested. What madness is this? Why were they not arrested if they were there? This is a very cheap and poor way of trying to divert public attention from the regime’s crimes.”
He however warned the people responsible that the matter would not just die.
Citing examples of security officers who have faced consequences of such actions, Dr M’membe said the said would happen to the current culprits.
“But those with responsibility for these killings shouldn’t kid themselves that the matter is over. This will come back to haunt them in the future. These are very serious human rights violations, which can cause someone to be rejected as an ambassador to some countries,” Dr M’membe said. “This happened to former inspector general of police [Ephraim] Mateyo, who was rejected as ambassador to Germany in similar circumstances. There are also some officers from our security agencies who have been rejected by the United Nations for various postings on similar grounds. They can be protected today, but that protection won’t last forever. One day they will have to account for their part in these killings and human rights violations.”
Dr M’membe asked President Edgar Lungu to immediately release the report on the killings.
“This is a matter of great public interest and the President must release the report of the findings to the public. He can’t simply sit on it. All, especially the families of the two innocent citizens who were killed, deserve to know what really happened and who were responsible for those deaths,” he said.
“I have not been in the police but I believe the procedures for crowd, riot, or protest control are similar to those followed by military units. No field commander disperses a crowd without a written order. When that order is given, snipers are chosen, usually one per platoon. These are the only soldiers with live ammunition. And the number of bullets each sniper is given is recorded. No one just jumps out of a troop carrier and starts shooting.”
Dr M’membe wondered what other security wings were doing when the shooting happened near their offices.
“What is also shocking in this case is that the shooting took place in front of the police headquarters and ministries of home affairs and defence. And this is where the Vice-President’s office is and where the chief of military intelligence works. What was his report to the President?” asked Dr M’membe. “What did the Army Commander, who is the chairman of the Joint Security Committee, know and tell the President? What did the chief of intelligence know and tell the President?”