THE NEW POLICE IG
By Dickson Jere
President Rupiah Banda was arrested and detained in 1993 on “treason charges” without trial alongside 26 other opposition members from UNIP. They were all accused of plotting to overthrow the democratically elected government using illegal means under a plot codenamed “Zero Option”.
Rupiah Banda and company were detained in different police stations and most of them badly tortured by police and denied legal representation and food. One of them, Cuthbert Nguni, is believed to have died as a result of torture and the case attracted international condemnation.
However, Rupiah Banda was among the few detainees who survived the torture and somewhat had access to food, water and legal representation. After a month in detention, Rupiah Banda was released with few others without any charge.
In 2008, Rupiah Banda became President.
A year later in Office, he decided to reorganize his State House team and the Zambia Police Service. And so, he picked the Director of Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to be the second in command in the police – Police Commissioner.
For unknown reasons, President Banda rarely talked about his incarceration except to indicate that he had forgiven whoever implicated him. But on the swearing-in ceremony in April 2009, President Banda let the cat out of the bag and revealed how he survived in police detention before he was moved to remand prison.
“We still have officers who can be professional even under difficult circumstances,” he said, while thanking his newly appointed Police Commissioner for the role he played in making sure he was not tortured.
The President narrated how the Officer In-Charge (as he then was) at Emmasdale Police instructed all his officers to treat the “Zero Option” detainees with respect and dignity and allow them access to family and legal representation. He risked his job and maintained his professionalism throughout the period he kept the detainees.
Grapheal Musamba was that officer!
He rose through the ranks and became the Boss of CID before he was promoted to number two position in the service. Soft spoken and always rational. He lots his job after President Banda and the MMD lost the 2011 elections.
We may not be privy to the reasons why President Hakainde Hichilema has brought him back from retirement. But what is clear is that Musamba is one of the officers who tried even under the MMD to be rational on many fronts. He wa always professional and treated people equally.
In congratulating him on his new job, it is my prayer that he will remain steadfast and keep his CV intact of being a gentleman and officer. He left a good name and I hope he will keep it so even now…Musamba was also liked by the officers within the service as he had open door policy to his office.
Musumba was sworn-in together with us the state house aides who had just been elevated. I was to head the media and public relations team (from initial position of Chief Analyst) while my colleague Joseph Jalasi headed the legal affairs unit and Charles Kaonga as head of State House security (Compol).