Maravi

Shamenda urges state institutions to restore public confidence

Shamenda urges state institutions to restore public confidence
By Patson Chilemba
Fri 27 Aug. 2010, 11:00 CAT

FACKSON Shamenda yesterday observed that the state institutions should strive hard to restore public confidence in them because they are currently in a mess. Commenting on the performance of public institutions such as the office of the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), police and the judiciary, Shamenda, who is former Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president, said the performance of state institutions in the country left much to be desired.

He questioned the conduct of the DPP for refusing to appeal former president Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal, the police for failing to move swiftly on gender deputy minister Lucy Changwe, the Attorney General for failing to appeal against Chiluba on the London judgment and Lusaka High Court judge Evans Hamaundu’s decision to refuse the registration of the London High Court judgment against Chiluba and others.

“I think we are in a mess, for lack of a better word. I think we are in a mess and we need to quickly start rebuilding confidence which we had before because we are embarrassing even the hardworking innocent judges, those who are principled, the hardworking policemen who are principled,” Shamenda said.

“If we are not careful we are drifting in a very dangerous waterloo. We can cause problems for our country.”

Shamenda said the present conduct of state institutions undermined the principles of democracy.

“Democracy is now not going out through the window but through the main door. You can see the undemocratic tendencies where you can clearly see that you cannot draw a line because the independent institutions of a democratic government are being compromised. You can’t talk about proper democracy, it is not just a matter of holding elections, free and fair as they might be,” he said.

Shamenda said there should be a shakeup in the manner the state institutions were operating.

He said people running these institutions should go back to being professional rather than taking political considerations, especially those that were in the interest of the ruling party, in their discharge of duties.

Shamenda said politicians should let go of state institutions.
He justified assertions that going to court in cases where the government had an interest was now just an academic exercise.

“You can’t blame people for having that perception. I am beginning to think that that is my thought. I used to have a lot of respect in all our institutions. The police, they are the people we run to if we have got a problem. The judiciary, they are the habitat,” Shamenda said.

“But if what we are seeing is anything to go by, any person of average intelligence will have that view.”

Shamenda said the happenings in state institutions were frightening.

He said once people had lost trust in these institutions, as was the case, it became very difficult to rebuild public confidence in them.

Shamenda said people now had suspicions about the operations of state institution.
“So as a result once you erode the confidence of the people, it becomes very dangerous for a country because that is what creates tensions in a lot of countries,” said Shamenda.

Labels: DPP, FACKSON SHAMENDA, JUDICIARY

posted by MrK @ 5:13 PM