ZAMBIA IS OPEN TO GENUINE AND LEGAL BUSINESS AND NOT CRIMINALITY
President Hakainde Hichilema this morning discussed legal issues, criminal activity, and the recent incident involving an impounded aircraft at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA).
Addressing members of the Press at statehouse this morning, President Hakainde Hichilema said that Zambia is open for business but this must be not be misunderstood to mean that it is a safe haven for criminality and illegality.
He noted that crimes happen in all cultures and settings and that the emphasis should be on efficient legal enforcement and the due process.
“Let me be very clear ‘Zambia is open for business, I proclaim to be the Chief Marketing officer, Chief Investment officer for this country. I said so, during the opposition days, but this must not be confused with this invitation, this environment is for genuine investments, trade. Whatever it is must not be misunderstood to mean that there is a safe haven for criminals, local criminals who may be wearing a jacket of being civil servants, who may be wearing a jacket of civil servants, working anywhere including stations or the vice President office, wearing the jacket of investors, gold traders that room is not there, that space is not available.” said President Hichilema.
However, President Hichilema, noted that crime is inevitable in any society populated by people but that laws are put in place to deal with offenses and preserve order.
“Crimes will always take place where they are human-beings, that is why laws are created to address transgressions of human beings and other things. To say that there will be no crime in this country, when we are addressing crime is absurd, there will be crime in the country but the question is how do we address it, when it is occasioned, what is our attitude to crime taking police in our motherland.” said President Hichilema
Adding that while crime remains a reality, the focus should be on how to address it and manage it when it occurs.
President Hichilema emphasized the importance of maintaining a civil and professional approach to law enforcement without looking at color, nationality, language but looking at the offence committed.
“Always arrest people in a civil way as per crime that is committed and when arrests are made following the crime – taking place there is no reference or recognition to what color, status, nationality, what language the speak. When the law is broken let’s focus on the criminality ,let us not focus on other things and start speculating, we will lose focus on what needs to be done.” said President Hichilema.
He also advised members of the public and the media to be truthful and responsible in their reporting and advised the need to stay away from speculative narratives that would draw focus away from the actual matter at hand.
President Hichilema said the public was treated to some unnecessary and emotional drama on social media before Drug Enforcement Commission addressed the press on their findings.
He appealed to members of the public, media to report what is correct, and ask questions to relevant institutions on the ground in-order to not to mislead the public.
“I saw footage of someone who said the plane and cash is missing, but when you as media went to the airport you found the plane, so how is that someone was able to do that ,maybe we must be careful more responsible so we feed the nation with the truth.’ Said President Hichilema.
“If we read stories that are meant to divert us from the main case at hand, you may mislead yourself or mislead your readers and that could lose us the opportunity to broaden the network of criminals that need to be brought on board because now you start chasing the wind instead of chasing the real crime and criminals.
Meanwhile President Hakainde Hichilema has commended the Drug Enforcement Commission for the transparency manner in the way, they dealt with the issue of the aeroplane impounded at KKIA.
He said that he was happy that DEC led journalists to the airport to show the media and prove that the plane reported to have flown out is still at the airport.
@ The Falcon