STAKEHOLDERS CALL FOR DISMISSAL OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE GRAPHEL MUSAMBA
By Nonhlanhla Phuti and Michael Kaluba
Various stakeholders are calling on President Hakainde Hichilema to take action and fire Inspector General of Police Graphel Musamba because he has from the time of his appointment failed to fulfill his duties effectively.
During his address to the nation on Wednesday, President Hichilema who directed the police to arrest suspected UPND cadres who harassed members of the public during the funeral of a UPND member recently, also threatened to use the Zambia Army to restore law and order in the country if the Zambia Police fail.
Operation Young Vote–OYV- Executive Director Guess Nyirenda says the fact that the Police had to wait for the Head of State to direct them to arrest unruly UPND party cadres is an indication of total failure on the part of Mr. Musamba.
Mr. Nyirenda says this is reason enough for the Inspector General of Police to be relieved of his duties.
Meanwhile, United Kwacha Alliance –UKA- National Council Member Saboi Imboela has doubted if UPND cadres will be arrested by police under the reign of Mr. Musamba as directed by President Hichilema.
And Democratic Governance and Human Rights Advocates- DEGHA- National Coordinator Gerald Mutelo said the statement by the Head of State is a wake-up call to the Zambia Police Command to improve their conduct amidst numerous complaints.
He says the Zambia police remain cardinal in the dispensation of Zambia’s democracy and must be impartial when discharging their duties and must ensure that they accord all citizens their democratic rights to freedom of assembly and expression even in the midst of maintaining law and order.
PHOENIX NEWS
Various stakeholders are calling on President Hakainde Hichilema to take action and fire Inspector General of Police Graphel Musamba because he has from the time of his appointment failed to fulfill his duties effectively
Which stakeholders? A bunch of NGOs that in function we have never heard of? Please….
We have a culture problem in Zambia and firing The IG will not solve the issue. I listened to part of a program where this or aspects of this conversation was being discussed yesterday.
Our donars have said this for a long time to us. And we hear but not do listen. We are critical before we think about what is being said to us.
Our Public institutions are not functionally independent. They have all been politically compromised. And the current administration is struggling to realign that. The Police is no expection. We recently saw how the Minister removed the Board Chair of ERB. Excuse, he was not consulted? Where is the independence of the institution? If the Board Chair rail roaded a decision, on an issues where no decisive conclusion was made. Is that not his prerogative? In a home, “executive decisions” are made. In Courts where arguements and counter arguements are made. At some point the Judge makes a ruling. The Minister in removing the Board Chair takes over the independence of the Board and erodes the technical ability of experts appointed to these boards to make intelligent decisions.
So give the above, would you blame Masumba or Police? Or its just a culture we have that we need to stop for institutions to function?
Inspector General of police was carefully selected to harrass the opposition and Hakainde can not fire this guy.
For sure if this IG is not fired then we shall conclude that all his actions have the blessings of the president.