Malama is new IG
By Bob Sianjalika
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has appointed Copperbelt police commanding officer Martin Malama as the new Inspector General of police and Amos Malupenga as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism.
The president has also retired Zesco Managing Director (MD) Ernest Mupwaya in national interest and replaced him with Cyprian Chitundu. Mr Mupwaya had been Zesco MD since May 2010.
Dr Malama takes over from Francis Kabonde who had been in office since March 2009 while Mr Malupenga, who until his appointment was the managing editor for the Post Newspapers, takes over from Sam Phiri, who was appointed Information PS towards the end of last year.
The president said Mr Mupwaya was employed corruptly and should, therefore, not be kept at ZESCO. Mr Sata instructed the new police command to work extra hard and root out corruption in all public offices including at State House.
He said it was saddening that most Zambians were unable to get better services from the Government because of the rampant corruption going on. Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony at State House yesterday, President Sata said he did not want any corrupt money for the ruling Patriotic Front campaign but wanted all Zambians to benefit from their resources.
Others sworn-in yesterday were Laban Mwenya (Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication), Fredson Yamba (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance), Elywin Chomba (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health), Ing'utu Suba (Permanent Secretary, Southern Province), Evaristo Mwila (senior private secretary in the office of the vice-president) and Alfred Chipoya (senior private secretary).
Mr Sata said the levels of corruption in the country were alarming because even some people guarding him as Head of State were involved in some corrupt activities. “We need to sweep out the corruption. Even some people guarding me have benefited from corruption,” he said.
Labels: FRANCIS KABONDE, INSPECTOR GENERAL
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Kabimba opposes Kabonde's ‘no bond' directive
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 16 Sep. 2011, 13:55 CAT
FRANCIS Kabonde's decree that persons accused of electoral violence should not be given police bond will lead to abuse, according to Wynter Kabimba. In his letter to Kabonde, the Inspector General of Police, dated September 13, 2011, Kabimba, a Lusaka-based lawyer of WM Kabimba and Company, described the directive as arbitrary.
"On Wednesday 7th September 2011, while addressing police officers in Lusaka you issued a directive to the effect that no person arrested for an offence relating to violence during the run-up to the 20th September 2011 elections should be granted police bond by the police. Although police bond is granted at the discretion of the arresting officer, once the suspect has shown that he is of fixed abode and unlikely to commit the same offence or tamper with witnesses, police bond is almost a matter of right under our legal system," stated Kabimba, who is also secretary general of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF).
"Your decree is, therefore, arbitrary and will only lead to abuse and unreasonable exercise of police discretion against individual liberties as provided for in our constitution."
Kabimba copied his letter to the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission.
Zambians will hold presidential, parliamentary and local government elections next Tuesday.
Labels: FRANCIS KABONDE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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HRC indicts MMD cadres on Chongwe violence
By Maluba Jere
Sun 11 Sep. 2011, 13:59 CAT
MMD cadres from Lusaka perpetrated the political violence in Chongwe last weekend, the Human Rights Commission has established.
In a letter to Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde dated September 8, 2011, Human Rights Commission director Enock Mulembe stated that their findings were that the MMD cadres were allegedly ferried in different buses.
Mulembe reiterated that the Zambia Police had a solemn duty to protect people against acts of violence regardless of who the culprits were.
He stated that unless this was done in the fairest and most unprofessional manner, public confidence in the police would continue to be eroded and that it would not augur well for the maintenance of law and order, which he said is the main ingredient for the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by all.
Mulembi stated that the Commission is gravely concerned at the rate of political violence during the campaign period.
He stated that it was particularly concerned at the seemingly dangerous trend of using weapons such as machetes, knives and other similar items in the fighting.
Mulembi advised that unless something drastic is done to address the violence, the country risked being plunged into a situation that may be difficult to recover from.
"Inspector General, sir, you have the solemn duty to act more vigorously to curb the violence. We, in particular bring to your attention the recent occurrences in Chongwe. Instead of relying on press reports, the Commission undertook its own investigations to establish the credibility of what was being reported," Mulembe stated.
"Our findings were that MMD cadres from Lusaka perpetuated the violence. The cadres were allegedly ferried in different buses. One minibus registration number ABK 405 was identified as being used. We wish to advise that your good office looks into this matter seriously. Individuals have been named and we believe it is in the best interest of the public that they be questioned about their involvement."
He urged the Zambia Police to demonstrate clearly that all acts of violence, no matter who instigates them, are properly and exhaustively investigated.
Mulembe stated that this was the only way the police service would remove the perception that dealing with political violence was being selectively undertaken.
Mulembe's letter to Kabonde was also copied to the Secretary to the Cabinet, the Human Rights Commission chairperson and home affairs permanent secretary.
Last weekend, MMD Lusaka Province chairman William Banda and his cadres physically attacked villagers in Chongwe's Waterfalls' area for supporting the PF. Several people were beaten up and severely injured. The cadres also smashed windows of two Landcruisers belonging to Chongwe PF parliamentary candidate Sylvia Masebo in full view of police. And Banda, in an interview with Radio Phoenix on Tuesday, said he and President Rupiah Banda were at the centre of the political violence being experienced.
On Friday police summoned Banda and recorded a warn and caution statement from him.
Labels: CADRES, FRANCIS KABONDE, HRC, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Police to engage political parties ahead of polls
By Bright Mukwasa
Mon 13 June 2011, 07:20 CAT
INSPECTOR General of Police Francis Kabonde says the Zambia Police Force will engage political parties ahead of this year's elections to ensure a violence-free poll. Kabonde said the police plan to involve all stakeholders in the electoral process to mutually iron out concerns in order to lay ground for a violence-free election.
“In fact, on this same issue we are preparing to work with political parties and other stakeholders, including the media,” Kabonde said during the commanders workshop which ended on Thursday.
“Having evaluated the level of preparedness by all the provincial commanding officers, we are confident that we are getting ready to police the 2011 tripartite elections free of violence. However, we appeal to members of the public to cooperate with us and ensure that this year’s elections are peaceful.”
Kabonde said after a thorough scrutiny by the commanders, a handbook entitled ‘Policing elections in Zambia’ had been adopted which would be used to retrain police officers in election duties.
Labels: FRANCIS KABONDE, POLICE
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Detention caused my husband’s amputation, insists wife
By Mwala Kalaluka in Mongu
Fri 15 Apr. 2011, 04:01 CAT
THE wife of the 70-year-old Mongu man whose leg has been amputated insists that detention at the hands of the police is the cause of her husband's condition. And intelligence officers have been frequenting the man’s bedside at Mongu's Lewanika Hospital male ward in a bid to establish the people behind the picture that appeared in Wednesday’s Post edition showing his amputated leg.
Reacting to Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde's claims at a press briefing on Wednesday that former Lozi treason-accused, Mwiya Sihope's amputation had nothing to do with his detention at Lusaka Central Prison, Inonge Sihope, 54, stuck to her earlier position.
During the press briefing where he announced the dispatch of 600 police officers to Mongu to police this year's Kuomboka Ceremony of the Lozi people in the area, Kabonde accused The Post of trying to link Sihope's amputation to his detention to gain mileage by writing inflammatory stories.
Kabonde said Sihope, who is asthmatic, was also an outpatient for a long time and that the gangrene condition that led to the amputation of his right leg had nothing to do with his detention because he was released with his two legs.
But Inonge in an interview at Lewanika General Hospital yesterday afternoon said the reaction from Kabonde as published in the Zambia Daily Mail and broadcast on radios and television stations was just the government’s efforts to save its brutal face.
“How can I lie about my husband when I am the person who is closest to him and knows him better?” Inonge asked as she prepared to take food to her husband. “If he was in that condition before he was detained, they would not have arrested him in the first place.”
Inonge further wondered how asthma and gangrene were related for Kabonde to say that her husband was a known asthma patient.
Inonge said the position that she gave to The Post that the medical condition that led to her husband's amputation occurred whilst he was in detention was the correct one.
“I am not lying and this is why even the family is very angry because they knew that my husband was a smart man before he was arrested,” she said.
Inonge said people that were detained together with her husband in Lusaka attested to the same position.
“The very day he arrived from detention in Lusaka that is when his body got paralysed. I want the government to compensate me because I am looking after my husband all by myself,” she said.
Inonge also revealed that Sihope had been taken to the hospital's Intensive Care Unit on Wednesday but was taken back to the male ward yesterday morning.
“The condition is very bad. He tries to talk at times but it’s like today things are not very good,” she said.
According to hospital sources, gangrene, which is a condition that develops when the flow of blood is disturbed, was in no way connected to asthma.
The sources said there had been a sharp reaction from government agencies following the publication of Sihope's picture in The Post.
And Inonge said some people that she thought to be hospital officials had gone to Sihope's bedside immediately after his picture was published to find out the people that took the picture.
“They came to ask my husband's nephew Ngenda Mubu but he told them that there were so many people that visited Sihope and that he did not know who took the picture in question,” said Inonge.
Meanwhile, Vice-President George Kunda arrives in Mongu at 14:00 hours today to attend this year’s Kuomboka ceremony in place of President Rupiah Banda.
Labels: BAROTSE FREEDOM MOVEMENT, FRANCIS KABONDE
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MLC challenges Kabonde to substantiate ‘fanning violence’ claims
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 13 Oct. 2010, 04:50 CAT
THE Media Liaison Committee (MLC) has challenged Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde to prove that the media in the country has been fanning violence in by-elections.
Responding to Kabonde's accusation at a press briefing on Monday that the media were to blame for the violence that rocked most by-elections across the country, MLC spokesperson Amos Chanda urged Kabonde not to blame journalists for reporting facts.
He challenged Kabonde to arrest the MMD cadres whom the police knew had attacked others in the recent Chilanga by-election nominations.
"Mr. Kabonde should not blame journalists for reporting facts as they happen. If there is violence in Solwezi, in Mufumbwe and now Chilanga, journalists have a duty to inform the nation about the situation on the ground.
This does not mean that journalists have caused that violence, nor does it mean that they celebrate," Chanda contended.
"In fact he should prove that journalists fan violence in by-elections. In the recent violence in Chilanga his own men were there and they know that it's MMD cadres who attacked their colleagues in the UPND.
Why is he beating about the bush? He should just be brave and blame the MMD cadres for acts of violence which they are known for. And if he has any proof that some journalists are behind such violence let him arrest and have them prosecuted."
And Chanda has expressed worry about Kabonde's statement that investigations into the violence would be confidential.
He argued that making such a serious thing confidential could undermine the very purpose of the inquiry.
"We appeal to them to try as much as possible to make those investigations and the outcome public. This is because acts of violence are committed on members of the public and they deserve to know," said Chanda.
Addressing the media on Monday, Kabonde charged that the media were to blame for the violence because of the manner in which they reported about by-elections.
Labels: FRANCIS KABONDE, MEDIA LIAISON COMMITTEE (ZIMBABWE), POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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MLC challenges Kabonde to substantiate ‘fanning violence’ claims
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 13 Oct. 2010, 04:50 CAT
THE Media Liaison Committee (MLC) has challenged Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde to prove that the media in the country has been fanning violence in by-elections.
Responding to Kabonde's accusation at a press briefing on Monday that the media were to blame for the violence that rocked most by-elections across the country, MLC spokesperson Amos Chanda urged Kabonde not to blame journalists for reporting facts.
He challenged Kabonde to arrest the MMD cadres whom the police knew had attacked others in the recent Chilanga by-election nominations.
"Mr. Kabonde should not blame journalists for reporting facts as they happen. If there is violence in Solwezi, in Mufumbwe and now Chilanga, journalists have a duty to inform the nation about the situation on the ground.
This does not mean that journalists have caused that violence, nor does it mean that they celebrate," Chanda contended.
"In fact he should prove that journalists fan violence in by-elections. In the recent violence in Chilanga his own men were there and they know that it's MMD cadres who attacked their colleagues in the UPND.
Why is he beating about the bush? He should just be brave and blame the MMD cadres for acts of violence which they are known for. And if he has any proof that some journalists are behind such violence let him arrest and have them prosecuted."
And Chanda has expressed worry about Kabonde's statement that investigations into the violence would be confidential.
He argued that making such a serious thing confidential could undermine the very purpose of the inquiry.
"We appeal to them to try as much as possible to make those investigations and the outcome public. This is because acts of violence are committed on members of the public and they deserve to know," said Chanda.
Addressing the media on Monday, Kabonde charged that the media were to blame for the violence because of the manner in which they reported about by-elections.
Labels: FRANCIS KABONDE, MEDIA LIAISON COMMITTEE (ZIMBABWE), POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Mumbuna dropped from prosecuting PF MPs honking case
By Mwala Kalaluka
Tue 07 Sep. 2010, 04:30 CAT
LUSAKA Division Prosecution Officer (DPO) Frank Mumbuna has been replaced from prosecuting the honking case involving two PF parliamentarians after he exchanged words with chief resident magistrate Charles Kafunda in court last week.
And Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde yesterday said his office has received correspondence from Lusaka Police Division pertaining to Mumbuna’s dismissal from magistrate Kafunda’s court for unruly conduct.
This is in a matter where two PF parliamentarians, Jean Kapata of Mandevu and Mumbi Phiri of Munali are in court for allegedly hooting unnecessarily contrary to Section 233(1) and (2) of the Road Traffic Act number 11 of 2002. They are also charged with the offence of conduct likely to cause the breach of the peace.
Mumbuna was last Tuesday dismissed from prosecuting the case after he made rude remarks against magistrate Kafunda.
When the matter came up for continued hearing of the defence yesterday, another police prosecutor, Dennis Manda, took up the cross-examination of witnesses from where Mumbuna had left after his dismissal.
And Kabonde said in an interview yesterday that his office had received correspondence from Lusaka Police Division relating to Mumbuna’s dismissal from court by magistrate Kafunda.
“But you know that officer (Mumbuna) is under Lusaka Province. He has a CO (commanding officer). That is the man who can take action,” Kabonde said.
Asked if he was officially aware of the matter, Kabonde said: “Like all of us read in The Post and there are some correspondences. So we are waiting from the commanding officer. We read about it and correspondence from Lusaka Division. They have written to us that they are handling the matter.”
But when reached to comment on whether Mumbuna’s replacement by Manda in the honking case meant he had also been replaced as Lusaka DPO, Lusaka Province police commanding officer Greenwell Ng’uni described the issue as administrative.
“That is an issue of administration we can’t discuss to the press,” Ng’uni said.
When told that his office had written to the I.G’s office over Mumbuna’s dismissal, Ng’uni expressed surprise over the revelation.
“Who has written? I am not aware. Lusaka, we have written the I.G! No, no, who has written?” Ng’uni asked. “I was supposed to write.”
However, when told Kabonde had just confirmed that his office has received correspondence from Lusaka Division over Mumbuna’s matter, Ng’uni reiterated that the issue was administrative.
“These are administrative issues,” said Ng’uni.
Efforts to get Mumbuna proved futile as his phone went unanswered. Last Tuesday, the Lusaka Magistrates’ court room was stunned by the drama between Mumbuna and magistrate Kafunda.
When the defence witness, Phillias Phiri, who is Mumbi’s son, was being cross-examined by Mumbuna, there was some noise from the holding cells within the court premises.
Magistrate Kafunda alerted Mumbuna that there was noise in the court premises and he should do something about it. But Mumbuna said it was not his responsibility to stop people from making noise.
However, magistrate Kafunda reminded Mumbuna that as DPO, he was in charge of the court premises and it was therefore his duty to stop the people from making noise around court premises.
Magistrate Kafunda further reminded Mumbuna that it was his duty as DPO to ensure that court proceedings were not disturbed.
But Mumbuna said if magistrate Kafunda wanted that done, he should have addressed him in chambers and not in open court at a time when he was cross-examining.
The exchange continued with Mumbuna saying he was not going to allow magistrate Kafunda to humiliate him the way he was being humiliated.
However, magistrate Kafunda advised Mumbuna not to get into a heated exchange with him.
Magistrate Kafunda said he was not going to condone the rudeness that Mumbuna was exhibiting in open court since he was a senior prosecutor.
But Mumbuna said he could not allow anybody to humiliate him in front of all the people and to disturb his cross-examination.
When magistrate Kafunda told Mumbuna that in his arguments with him, he was failing in his duties of making sure that the proceedings were not disturbed, Mumbuna replied that he had never failed in his duties and that was why he had been appointed DPO.
This prompted magistrate Kafunda to dismiss Mumbuna from prosecuting the case until another prosecutor was found.
After the pronouncement was made, Mumbuna parked his bags, thanked the magistrate and walked out of court before saying: “I can’t allow anybody to humiliate me.”
Mumbuna’s stunt with magistrate Kafunda left everybody in the courtroom bewildered and the accused didn’t know what to do.
Magistrate Kafunda stood down the case and went back to his chambers.
A few minutes later, the court marshal came and informed the people that the case had been adjourned to September 6, 2010.
This is the second time that Mumbuna is being dismissed from court for misbehaving.
In 2004 Mumbuna, as North-Western Province DPO, was dismissed by a senior resident magistrate in Solwezi from prosecuting cases.
He was later transferred from North Western Province to Lusaka.
Labels: CHARLES KAFUNDA, COURTS, FRANCIS KABONDE, FRANK MUMBUNA, GREENWELL NG'UNI, JEAN KAPATA
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Kabonde transfers Mutentwa over blocking of Vice-President
By Kabanda Chulu and Abigail Chaponda in Kitwe
Mon 09 Aug. 2010, 04:10 CAT
COPPERBELT police chief Antoneil Mutentwa and two other senior officers have been transferred to Lusaka for allegedly failing to prevent the ‘blocking’ of Vice-President George Kunda’s motorcade by the Patriotic Front (PF) in Ndola last week.
But Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde has said the immediate transfers of senior police officers are a normal routine in the police service.
Well placed sources revealed that Mutentwa, together with two of his senior officers Stella Libongani and Danwell Kasonde, had been transferred to Lusaka due to allegations that the trio failed to control PF president Michael Sata and his cadres from ‘blocking’ Vice-President Kunda’s motorcade.
The sources said Mutentwa was moving to Force Headquarters to replace Medical Services director Dr Martin Malama, who was now Copperbelt police chief while Ndola district officer commanding Libongani would be replaced by spokesperson Bonny Kapeso.
The sources said Copperbelt head of criminal investigations Kasonde had also been moved to Lusaka and would be replaced by Mhlakeni Zulu.
“It is very sad that Mr Mutentwa is going to Lusaka to take over from Dr Malama and Dr Malama is taking over from him but this is a way to frustrate him since he will be in charge of medical services, and he is not a medical doctor while other senior officers Libongani and Kasonde are also going to Lusaka though we are not sure the positions they will occupy but Kapeso is taking over from Libongani while Zulu is taking over Kasonde’s place,” the source said.
The sources said in order to make the transfers appear to be routine procedure, Kabonde had indicated that other divisional senior officers would be transferred as well.
“Northern Province commanding officer Charles Lungu is moving and he is going to be replaced by Sam Chewe and Western Province commanding officer Vaels Muzwenga is going to paramilitary and the one to replace him is Mr. Mweemba and Protective Unit commanding officer Mary Tembo is going to Airport Division to swap with Sakubeta Sakubeta,” the source said.
“It is like more transfers will be implemented in order to make it appear routine but what I can tell you is that all this has happened because PF leader Sata blocked the Vice-President and also police operated professionally without getting orders from MMD cadres during the recent Chifubu by-elections.”
But Kabonde in an interview confirmed some changes in the police service although he refused to name the officers who had been transferred.
“I can confirm that there are some people moving because of being transferred and these are normal and routine transfers in the police service but I cannot give you the names of the people and where they are going. As the police, we don’t publicise our transfers. But yes, there are people who are moving,” said Kabonde.
Vice-President Kunda’s motorcade was last week blocked as Sata’s convoy headed to Chifubu grounds, where he was scheduled to hold a rally.
Labels: ANTONEIL MUTENTWA, CORRUPTION, FRANCIS KABONDE, GEORGE KUNDA
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Rupiah orders cops to respect citizens’ rights
By Moses Kuwema
Fri 30 July 2010, 10:00 CAT
Malawian President Bingu Wa Mutharika on arrival at the Lusaka International Airport where he was welcomed by his Zambian Counterpart Rupiah Banda. Bingu is in the country to officially open the 84th Zambia Agricultural and Commercial Show. Photo taken by Thomas Nsama on July 29, 2010.
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has directed police officers to respect the rights of citizens when discharging their duties.
And Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde has said Zambia’s police officer to people ratio stood at one officer servicing 850 people instead of the internationally accepted one officer to 250 people.
During the pass out parade for 589 constables at Lilayi Police College yesterday, President Banda said the Constitution of Zambia contained a Bill of Rights, which should be protected by the police and other members of the defence forces in the country.
“It does not matter whether the people you are handling are foreigners or Zambians, they all enjoy the same rights. As Commander-in-Chief, I expect you to be hardworking, professional, loyal to your government and disciplined as you discharge your duties,” President Banda said.
He said the government had resolved to do away with the direct supply of mealie-meal to police officers because the method had proved to be unreliable.
He said they had instead started giving all officers mealie-meal allowances.
President Banda also directed the Inspector General of Police and his command to take advantage of programmes in the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) which were aimed at enhancing the welfare of police officers.
“Regarding equipment, I am proud to announce that some operational equipment which my government has bought is on the way into the country. This equipment, which includes water cannons and bulletproof vests, is meant to help our police service minimise the use of firearms, especially when dealing with public order such as riot control,” he said.
President Banda said the government was also working on modalities to improve the career prospects in the police service, adding that in future, high-performing young police recruits would undergo specialised training abroad.
And Kabonde said the graduation of 1,500 recruits this year would increase the manpower to 14,000 police officers countrywide.
However, Kabonde said the number was inadequate because the population of Zambia stood at over 12 million.
“It means that the ratio is one police officer to about 850 people. The internationally accepted standard ratio is one police officer to 250 people. In this regard, we earnestly appeal to your government to allow us recruit annually so that we can reach the strength of at least 27,000 by 2015,” he said.
Kabonde said unlike past recruitments, this year’s was unique because it was national in its composition.
He said recruitment was done from all the districts, and the officers represented the 73 tribes of Zambia.
“We also took into consideration the issue of gender, out of the 589 recruits on parade, 211 are women representing 36 per cent which is above requirement by our national gender policy,” he said.
Kabonde said the police command would continue to be gender-sensitive in future recruitments and promotion of women officers to decision-making positions.
He said currently, there were 2,304 female officers against 12,678 men.
Kabonde also said the police command planned to extend the period of training for police officers to one year so as to adequately prepare the officers to respond to the challenges of fighting modern crimes such as terrorism, cyber crime and piracy.
Meanwhile, Lilayi Police College divisional commander, Richard Mweene advised the recruits to always remember that they had a great role to play in national development because no country could progress if law and order were not well maintained.
Mweene urged the recruits to always bear in mind that they were the constant and usual link between the police and members of the public.
Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, FRANCIS KABONDE, HUMAN RIGHTS, RUPIAH BANDA
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S/Province cops bemoan salary anomalies, demand Kabonde' removal
By George Zulu in Monze
Wed 30 June 2010, 04:00 CAT
SEVERAL police officers in Southern Province have complained of serious anomalies that have occurred to their June salaries.
The police officers complained that some police officers only received K350,000 as their June salaries instead of their normal ones.
They complained that some officers were getting as little as K150,000 while others were getting as much as K7.1 million, a situation they said was de-motivating on their part.
They called for the removal of Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde for failing to address the problems in the police service.
“It is really sad that our IG has turned us into beggars. How honestly can you pay K150,000 to an officer? And does this man want us to be thieves? Kabonde has really done us bad. Let him just resign if he has failed because he is a disgrace to the police. He has failed to look after his own officers, some are even getting K7.1 million and on the payslips they are saying over-payments must be reported. This guy Kabonde has failed us,” they complained.
The officers said they did not owe any institution money to deserve such treatment and deductions, adding that people in Zambia were no longer interested in seeing police officers complaining about their welfare.
“This ill-treatment will one day backfire. It has moved now from Lusaka and it has come to Southern Province. He Kabonde should tell us where our money is. Such deductions are uncalled for and we shall not accept. Is he telling us that our money is going to be used for another by-election in Chifubu and Luena? This is unacceptable. Let him direct his human resource director and the accounts to pay us our money,” said the officers.
And some teachers and health workers also complained of similarly strange deductions on their salaries, accusing the government of wanting to divert the money to the forthcoming Chifubu and Luena by-elections.
Labels: FRANCIS KABONDE, POLICE, SALARIES
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IG is a suspected criminal – TIZ
By Agness Changala
Fri 11 June 2010, 08:00 CAT
TRANSPREACNY International Zambia has said Inspector General of police Francis Kabonde is a suspected criminal.
And Lungu has said Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) Chalwe Mchenga has exhibited high levels of incompetence in the case where health deputy minister Dr Solomon Musonda shot at and wounded a PF cadre in his constituency.
In an interview yesterday, TIZ executive director Goodwell Lungu said Kabonde was a suspected criminal because he was being investigated by the state.
“The biggest problem is that Kabonde is a suspected criminal himself who is suspected of stealing and as a result he is being investigated by the state,” he said.
Lungu said it was for this reason that Kabonde was trying to cover up for the double standards and unprofessionalism that was being exhibited by his officers.
He said the political favours that Kabonde was seeking would soon catch up with him because he had put many Zambians’ lives in danger. Lungu observed that the police had become extremely desperate.
“Zambians will be pushed to take the law in their own hands because of failure by the police to act professional,” Lungu said.
He said there were a lot of professional police officers who could make a difference adding that Kabonde belonged to the unprofessional ones.
He called on President Rupiah to restore order in the police service because it was becoming a danger to society.
And Lungu said Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) Chalwe Mchenga had exhibited high levels of incompetence in the case where health deputy minister Dr Solomon Musonda shot at and wounded a PF cadre in his constituency.
Lungu said when police recorded a warn and caution statement from UPND Solwezi member of Parliament Watson Lumba, police did not seek Mchenga’s consent but just effected an arrest.
“We are seeing matters involving pro-government people not being arrested while those with different views from the government, we see people being arrested with hasty speed,” Lungu said.
He said Dr Musonda should be arrested as soon as possible because police had every right as provided for by law.
Lungu said Mchenga’s duty was to prosecute and not effect an arrest.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FRANCIS KABONDE, GOODWELL LUNGU, INSPECTOR GENERAL, TIZ
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Kabonde orders search of journalists’ phone numbers at Zain
By Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 09 June 2010, 08:10 CAT
SOURCES yesterday revealed that police officers under the instructions of Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde went to Zain and searched phone numbers of some journalists in the private media to check for their sources of information about power struggles in the police.
And sources said police deputy commissioner Dr Martin Malama is a wrong person to defend the deliberations of the meeting Kabonde had with senior police officers because he did not attend.
The sources said Kabonde had instructed some junior officers to search for contacts of journalists in the private media last week.
“The police officers did the search at Zain. Since they couldn’t find the numbers of the sources of information, the IG proceeded to prepare that list of suspects whom he intends to have retired. You can even ask Zain. If management is honest and has integrity, it will not dispute this information. The search was conducted last week but it was fruitless,” the source said.
“It’s strange that the internal wrangles in the police command could lead to this kind of behaviour of searching journalists’ phone numbers; it’s strange that Zain could allow such things. I think it’s important that you as the media protest to Zain over its conduct.”
When contacted last week when The Post first learnt of the intended search, police spokesperson Bonnie Kapeso had said Kabonde told him that there was nothing like that going on.
“The IG has assured me that he has not instructed anybody to search phone numbers at Zain,” said Kapeso.
But sources at Zain confirmed a search was conducted.
“The officers got a list of numbers,” the source said.
Meanwhile, other sources said Dr Malama did not attend the meeting Kabonde had with provincial commanding officers, some deputy commissioners and senior assistant commissioners on Thursday May 27, 2010.
“We are surprised that he is the one answering when in fact he was not in that meeting at Force Headquarters. I hope this confirms to you the friction in the police high command,” said the source.
“Why didn’t commissioner of police Mr Graphael Musamba hold a joint briefing with the IG? Instead, the IG used Dr Malama to propagate his lies. These are problems you have in security wings when you have a President who is aloof; he is ever travelling.”
Recently, sources told The Post that Kabonde was grilled by provincial commanding officers, some deputy commissioners and senior assistant commissioners over the violence that rocked Mufumbwe prior to and during the by-election. The sources also said Kabonde planned to recommend Musamba, Kapeso and some other senior officers for retirement on suspicion of working against his leadership. But Malama dismissed the reports, saying there were no divisions in the police command.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FRANCIS KABONDE, MARTIN MALEMA, POLICE, PRESS FREEDOM, ZAIN
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Zambia’s justice system has collapsed - Hichilema
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sun 06 June 2010, 04:02 CAT
PF-UPND PACT LAUNCH: PF leader Michael Sata and UPND president Hakainde Hichilema (circled) during the launch of the Pact at the Freedom Park in Lusaka yesterday - Picture by Thomas Nsama
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema yesterday said Zambia’s justice system has collapsed. And Post editor Fred M’membe has said from Chimbokaila (Lusaka Central) Prison that he is as fine as anyone could be.
Meanwhile, Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) vice-president Amos Chanda yesterday said the media body regards M’membe as a prisoner of conscience who deserves the support of all those that cherish the cause of freedom of expression.
In an interview after he visited M’membe in prison, Hichilema said it was good to see M’membe looking positive. M’membe was on Friday sentenced to four-months imprisonment with hard labour by senior resident magistrate David Simusamba for contempt of court.
Hichilema and his entourage, which included Siavonga, Mwinilunga East and Mazabuka Central UPND members of parliament Douglas Syakalima, Stephen Katuka and Gary Nkombo respectively, arrived at Chimbokaila prison at 10.00 hours.
They were immediately ushered inside the prison where they met M’membe for over thirty minutes.
“We came to see Fred. We came to see Mr M’membe and we are grateful to the prison officers for allowing us in as this is not the official visiting hour,” Hichilema said.
“We saw Fred. He is looking positive. He is talking positive, which is very good for someone who is in this place. It is clear in our country that we don’t have one justice system. We have a dual justice system.”
Hichilema said he was of the view that the contempt of court matter upon which M’membe had been sent to prison was a frivolous one and that things should not have been that way.
“Definitely we understand that everything is political,” Hichilema said. “The magistrate could have looked at things from one way.”
Hichilema said although the above could have been the case, the magistrate was probably under extreme political pressure.
“This is a bailable offence. Why wasn’t bail granted on Friday?” Hichilema asked. “The conviction was on Wednesday and ruling was deliberately reserved to Friday so that they could lock up Fred. Obviously, they just want to embarrass Fred.”
Hichilema said while M’membe and other ordinary citizens were in Chimbokaila, people like health deputy minister Dr Solomon Musonda who shot at a PF cadre in Serenje was not.
“Solomon Musonda shot a young person with intention to kill and Solomon is out. He is not here. Is he?” Hichilema wondered. “A person shoots someone to kill and is not in the cells!”
Hichilema said Dr Musonda was trained to serve lives but that he was the first one to attempt to save life.
“Then there is Kajilo Muzungu (son of MMD losing Mufumbwe parliamentary candidate Mulondwe Muzungu who caused the death of three children through dangerous driving after his father lost the election). I think you are aware of his activities in Mufumbwe,” Hichilema said.
He said it was a confirmation of the country’s dual justice system that Kajilo Muzungu who drove his vehicle into a crowd and killed three children whilst others were still in hospital was still a free person.
“Is he in a prison in Mufumbwe?” Hichilema asked. “The MMD is protecting Kajilo and is protecting Musonda but Fred M’membe is here. The justice system has collapsed. It is a dual justice system; one for the MMD and its sympathisers and another for ordinary citizens. You can’t run a country like that. The leadership of the police is just serving the MMD. We know what (Inspector General of Police Francis) Kabonde is up to.”
Hichilema said he had already said that Kabonde must resign for professional reasons.
“That is if he has any professionalism in him,” said Hichilema.
And M’membe told Hichilema that he was fine as anyone could be.
“We are fine as anyone could be,” M’membe told Hichilema who wanted to know how he was doing and coping in prison.
Meanwhile, Amos Chanda said PAZA was saddened by M’membe’s conviction.
“…and therefore takes this moment to offer him and his newspaper its deepest solidarity and fraternity deserving of the cause he has championed over the years,” Chanda said.
“PAZA considers Mr M’membe a prisoner of conscience who deserves the support of all those who cherish the cause of freedom of expression and of the media that he, together with like-minded colleagues, champion on behalf of the silent majority.”
Chanda said at this moment of tribulation, PAZA offered M’membe its deepest solidarity and the fraternity freely shared by advocates of freedom of expression and the media.
“We also encourage journalists at The Post and beyond to work even harder in their struggle to overcome the various pressures that have been mounting against media professionals in recent times,” Chanda urged.
“As law-abiding citizens, we respect the independence of the judiciary but at the same time we reserve our right to disagree with some of its decisions like this one, which is why we support the grounds of appeal defence lawyers will lodge before the High Court next week.”
Chanda described M’membe’s conviction as a setback that must not dissuade The Post from pursuing the sound values it espouses given that it operates in a political environment that is so hostile to media freedom.
“The practice of journalism has become a constant daily struggle against a myriad of legal and political landmines,” Chanda bemoaned. “When the case is fully discharged by the courts of law, PAZA will give a comprehensive position on contempt laws that affect media freedom and other restrictive laws generally called ‘insult laws’ in the media advocacy parlance.”
The Zambian Roman Catholic Church leadership has also pledged to stand shoulder to shoulder with The Post and M’membe in what they described as a trying moment.
“We respect the court’s decision. However, we are aware that the persecution of Mr Fred M’membe is meant to humiliate him,” Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) spokesperson Fr Paul Samasumo said in an interview.
“We as a church and as Catholic Media, The Post is a very important institution because it is only The Post that usually gives us space as a church. So we can only express our solidarity with The Post in this trying moment and that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with them.”
MISA Zambia chairperson Henry Kabwe expressed sadness at M’membe’s conviction and subsequent sentencing to four months imprisonment.
Kabwe stated that MISA Zambia respected the decision of the court but would like to state that the sentencing of an editor of a renowned and well-established media that could afford legal representation would undoubtedly have a chilling effect on the media in Zambia.
“We wish to state that an independent and vibrant media has the ability to act as a conscience or beacon for society that highlights both good and ills of society,” Kabwe stated.
“The media must not be viewed as an enemy of society. Instead it should be viewed as a trumpet that sounds the daily happenings of our society.”
M’membe calmly entered Lusaka Central Prison at exactly 13.40 on Friday after attempts by his lawyers to secure bail pending appeal for him failed.
M’membe was on Friday sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour as accused number one and four months imprisonment simple imprisonment as accused number two (The Post) in a matter where he and The Post stood charged of contempt of court.
The contempt charges arose from an article published in The Post edition of August 27, 2009 titled ‘The Chansa Kabwela case: A comedy of errors’ authored by US-based Zambian professor of law, Muna Ndulo.
Labels: AMOS CHANDA, COURTS, FRANCIS KABONDE, FRED M'MEMBE, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, PF-UPND
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Cops’ double standards alarming, annoying - TIZ
By Moses Kuwema
Sun 06 June 2010, 04:00 CAT
TRANSPERANCY International Zambia chapter (TIZ) president Reuben Lifuka has said the double standards in the way the police are discharging their functions is alarming and very annoying.
Commenting on health deputy minister Dr Solomon Musonda’s shooting and wounding of PF cadre Jackson Musaka, Lifuka said the police seem to only act on political stimulus.
“I mean there are so many times that we have said the police seem to only act on political stimulus. They don’t seem to act on their own professional analysis of the cases. This is not the case that is even up for debate,” Lifuka said.
“The law is very clear. In an event of this nature - attempted murder and use of a weapon - the deputy minister should have been picked up. What the police are doing is that they are creating two justice systems for this country; one for the politicians and the rich, one for the poor and the unconnected Zambians.”
Lifuka said it was time the police became more professional in their work.
“The Zambian people will only gain confidence in what they are doing if they can see that they act, not by political stimulus or impulse but they act out of their own professional analysis of events and they do their work which is above board and they are willing to take responsibility for the action that is taken,” Lifuka said. “Clearly what we can read from this scenario is that probably they are waiting to brief the President about this incident before they move in to act. But that’s not the way we should administer our laws. Our laws should be administered fairly and equally. We should not have a law that favours ministers and the one that does not favour the ministers.”
Lifuka urged the police to move in and move in very quickly.
“If the trend is allowed, impunity sets in and what will stop ordinary Zambians from equally picking up weapons and doing what the deputy minister has done and challenging the system that why should they be picked up because it was in self defence?” Lifuka asked.
“I think we need to realise that even the violence we have seen in the political sphere is coming from the actions or lack of actions from the police or politicians themselves. If politicians took a strong stance against violence and demonstrated by being good examples themselves, we would not see this strain of violence which is creeping into the country.
We see the MMD cadres led by Mr William Banda threatening everyone, threatening people who are just expressing their views as the case was with honourable Ng’andu Magande recently. So does the government say we should also group together and protect ourselves from the militia activities of Mr William Banda and their cadres? No they can deal with this violence by taking leadership. Leadership is what is needed.”
Labels: CADRES, FRANCIS KABONDE, MMD, TIZ
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Explain Kabonde’s presence in Mufumbwe, HH challenges Rupiah
By Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 02 June 2010, 04:01 CAT
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema yesterday challenged President Rupiah Banda to explain to the Zambians why he commanded Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde and paramilitary police officers to go to Mufumbwe Constituency and brutalise people. And Hichilema said Kabonde has put the police in an awkward position and must resign.
Commenting on Kabonde’s revelations to senior police officers during a meeting last Thursday that President Banda sent him to Mufumbwe ahead of the April 29 parliamentary by-elections, Hichilema said President Banda must explain his actions as Commander-in-Chief in relation to the Mufumbwe violence.
“The President owes the Zambians an answer; he is the Commander-in-Chief, he commanded the paramilitary police and regular police to go and beat citizens in Mufumbwe. He has used that position as Commander-in-Chief to abuse the citizens, so he must answer. He must answer why he did instruct the police to brutalise the citizens. In 2011 Zambians must open their eyes,” Hichilema said.
He said The Post story about Kabonde’s revelation to the senior police officers that he was sent by President Banda confirmed what he Kabonde told a pre-election meeting in Mufumbwe.
“The day before they put me under house arrest on the polling day, there was a meeting which was attended by the Electoral Commission of Zambia ECZ chairperson, of course, some electoral officials, Kabonde was present there, MMD and UPND was represented by Watson Lumba and Jack Mwiimbu our legal chairperson,” Hichilema explained.
“In that meeting, amongst other things, Kabonde indicated that the following day Hakainde should not move out of the house. So Mwiimbu asked, ‘why should he Hichilema not move? And what law are you using?’ Then Kabonde said, ‘it’s not about the law, it’s an instruction from above.’ That is what he said. So when you bring out this information in your article, it is confirming what he Kabonde said in a formal meeting. So when Mwiimbu asked him that, ‘what law are you using? You cannot detain someone without offence.’ Kabonde insisted that, ‘this is not a matter of law, it’s a matter of instructions from above.’ You can get witnesses and confirmation. Mwiimbu and Lumba walked out of that meeting.”
Hichilema explained that the following day voting day, Kabonde led a group of police officers around 06:00 hours and detained him.
“I think he was in front of the violence in Mufumbwe together with the MMD. When Kabonde came to Mufumbwe the violence increased, which means that his mandate obviously was from the President to beat the citizens into submission. I think Kabonde ought to resign. He has put the police service into a very awkward position,” Hichilema said.
“Many Zambians now believe that the police is a department of the MMD. So how will they provide peace and tranquility in our country since the police now under Kabonde are clearly part of the MMD? How will 2011 elections be conducted under Kabonde?”
However, he said the Zambia Police Service still had good police officers but needed good leadership.
“If his own senior officers can question him, it means that there are good policemen and women out there. But for those good policemen and women to be led by Kabonde, I don’t see how the two will work together because Kabonde seems to work on instructions that are partisan even when he knows that the law does not back him to carry out those instructions,” Hichilema said.
He wondered why Kabonde could just be implementing instructions, even unlawful ones.
He said Kabonde did not deserve to be Inspector general of Police because of his bad conduct.
“I put it to the people of Zambia, if Kabonde does not resign on his own, the people must get him out because they are the owners of the police service. It is not owned by Kabonde or Rupiah Banda. There is enough negative stuff on the table for Kabonde to resign,” Hichilema said.
“We can’t have Kabonde as Inspector General of Police into 2011 elections, even into Luena and now unfortunately into Chifubu, may the soul of the departed honourable Bwalya rest in peace. We can’t have Kabonde in charge of the police.”
Hichilema wondered why the police had not arrested known MMD cadres that assaulted UPND spokesperson and parliamentarian Charles Kakoma.
Last week, sources revealed to The Post that police provincial commanding officers, some deputy commissioners and senior assistant commissioners on Thursday grilled Kabonde over the Mufumbwe violence and demanded a postmortem to avoid the repeat of the bloody fracas.
The sources said Kabonde told the police commanders that President Banda had ordered him to travel to Mufumbwe Constituency during the by-elections in April.
The sources also revealed that home affairs minister Mkhondo Lungu had queried Kabonde why he did not appropriately advise President Banda about the implications of his going to police Mufumbwe by-elections.
But police deputy spokesperson Ndandula Siamana, on behalf of Kabonde, said while it was true that the meeting took place on Thursday last week and at the reported time, the meeting generally looked at the operations of combat unit.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, CADRES, FRANCIS KABONDE, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Bite the bullet over Mufumbwe boob, Syakalima tells Kabonde
By Chibaula Silwamba
Tue 01 June 2010, 04:10 CAT
FRANCIS Kabonde must just bite the bullet over the Mufumbwe boob, Siavonga UPND member of parliament Douglas Syakalima said yesterday.
And Syakalima said it was good that commanding officers and other senior police officers were now questioning inspector general Kabonde over his trip to Mufumbwe during the by-elections.
Commenting on revelations that Kabonde told senior police officers during a meeting that President Rupiah Banda sent him to Mufumbwe ahead of the April 29 parliamentary by-elections, Syakalima said Kabonde’s behaviour in Mufumbwe was unprofessional.
“Even his argument that we should blame provincial commanding officer Fabian Katiba but immediately he went there Katiba was nobody, he was a nothing. That is how security works. There is no way now that Kabonde can now start blaming Katiba. That day when Kabonde was there, I called Katiba, said, ‘Katiba look at the way we worked in Solwezi’.
When Katiba would not do anything, I would phone Kabonde in Lusaka, then he would direct the command but now we had no recourse anymore,” Syakalima said.
“I had called Katiba myself and asked, ‘what is happening there’ but there was nothing that Katiba could have done because the Inspector General was there and he Katiba answered me rightly that, ‘the inspector general is here sir’.
Let him leave Katiba alone. Katiba behaved himself in Solwezi by-elections in 2009. Whenever he couldn’t do anything, you can ask Kabonde, I used to call him to say, ‘see what your officers are doing’. So it was not Katiba’s fault. Immediately he Katiba told me, ‘the IG is here’, I knew what he was talking about. So what Kabonde did in Mufumbwe was very unprofessional.”
He said the fact that Kabonde was in Mufumbwe meant that all the queries from the opposition political parties had to be channelled through him and not Katiba.
“Kabonde took over the command. There is no way that they can blame Katiba now; he must just bite the bullet and if indeed his commanders are questioning him, they are right because that is how professionals work and I am glad that his commanders are blaming him. That is how professionally he should behave,” he said.
“You look at the footage we saw on Muvi TV where himself was ducking from stones from MMD cadres who were stoning. He has squared the blame on himself, he cannot tell us that it’s the President who told him to go there.
Yes, we know he is the commander in chief of the armed forces but he should have explained to him that it is not normal for himself, the entire police command to go in a small area, meaning that all he was saying was that the country was under siege. That is what he was portraying.”
He wondered why Kabonde did not properly advise President Banda.
“He must tell us the truth as to who exactly told him to go there. Is it President Banda or it was Mangani? If it was President Banda, then Banda himself was risking the country. Since now he has now realised that it was a lapse, professionally he couldn’t have done that, if he starts now saying he was told to go there against his professional etiquette then he must resign. The only thing he can do is to tender his resignation because we have no confidence in him anymore,” Syakalima said.
“Internal security is very important because you don’t know the enemy within and if himself can behave like that then the whole country is shaky and the whole country must start questioning whether we are safe. His behaviour was a danger to national security. He should not have gone to Mufumbwe.
Just when he went there, violence increased. So what does that entail for the country if people were doing extreme violence under the nose of the inspector general of police? So who is safe?”
He said in a normal country, Kabonde could have resigned a long time ago.
Syakalima said police officers must be non-partisan.
Last week, sources revealed to The Post that police provincial commanding officers, some deputy commissioners and senior assistant commissioners on Thursday grilled Kabonde over the Mufumbwe violence and demanded a post-mortem to avoid the repeat of the bloody fracas.
The sources said Kabonde told the police commanders that President Banda had ordered him to travel to Mufumbwe Constituency during the by-elections in April.
The sources also said Kabonde had directed police provincial commanding officers to assign intelligence officers to sniff around and find out who the presidential candidate for the PF-UPND Pact and other opposition parties would be in the 2011 elections.
The sources also revealed that home affairs minister Mkhondo Lungu has queried Kabonde why he did not appropriately advise President Banda about the implications of his going to police Mufumbwe by-elections.
But police deputy spokesperson Ndandula Siamana said while it was true that the meeting took place on Thursday last week and at the reported time, the meeting generally looked at the operations combat unit.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, DOUGLAS SYAKALIMA, FRANCIS KABONDE
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Kabonde tells senior cops that Rupiah ordered him to travel to Mufumbwe
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sun 30 May 2010, 04:10 CAT
POLICE provincial commanding officers, some deputy commissioners and senior assistant commissioners on Thursday grilled Inspector General Francis Kabonde over the Mufumbwe violence and demanded a post-mortem to avoid the repeat of the bloody fracas.
And Kabonde told the police commanders that President Rupiah Banda ordered him to travel to Mufumbwe Constituency during the by-elections in April.
Meanwhile, Kabonde has directed police provincial commanding officers to assign intelligence officers to sniff around and find out who the presidential candidate for the PF-UPND Pact and other opposition parties would be in the 2011 elections.
Well-placed sources disclosed that Kabonde was at pains to answer the questions from commanding officers, some deputy commissioners and senior assistant commissioners during an emergency meeting held at Zambia Police Service’s Force Headquarters in Lusaka around 15:00 hours.
“Mr Kabonde yesterday Wednesday called for an emergency meeting today Thursday morning but the meeting only started at 15:00 hours. The meeting was attended by Copperbelt provincial commanding officer and his intelligence officer, Lusaka provincial commanding officer and his intelligence officer, Paramilitary Unit commander and his intelligence officer, Protective Unit and intelligence officer, Mobile Unit Kamfisa and intelligence officer and some directors of various departments among others,” the source said.
“He Kabonde was trying to ask commanding officers to put in place intelligence to monitor opposition political parties and know what their plans are ahead of the 2011 elections and to know the candidates; yes the candidate for the pact, to sniff around. But the commanders were against him except for one deputy commissioner, Mr Lungu. It was a bad day for him Kabonde, everyone was against him.”
The sources said the commanding officers and other police high command officers told Kabonde that they were unhappy with the public perception about the police service.
“The commanders were not happy with the performance of the police and the outcome of the Mufumbwe by-elections. They told the IG Mr Kabonde that, ‘we police officers are degraded, and people have lost confidence and respect for the police because of our poor performance in Mufumbwe’. They said even when the police was doing something right, people would still say, ‘you are MMD cadres’.
They suggested to the IG to conduct a postmortem by calling all provincial commanding officers and heads of different units for a workshop on the code of conduct in elections,” the source said. “They also suggested to the IG that he should ask the Minister of Home Affairs Mkhondo Lungu to institute an inquiry into what happened in Mufumbwe, concerning the violence and police conduct.
They really grilled him. They wanted to know why when he was there in Mufumbwe there were increased reports of violence, but he said he tried his best to control the situation but he was given instructions by the President Banda on what to do. Today Thursday, he was under pressure. The commanders had no kind words for him. For the first time, they grilled him. When pressure intensified, the IG said, ‘don’t blame me, blame your colleague, the commanding officer for North Western Province Fabian Katiba because that is his area of operation’. But the commanders insisted that he must ask the minister to institute an inquiry to ascertain why us as police, we failed to perform in Mufumbwe so that that incidence doesn’t recur.
“The commanders also told the IG that, ‘you must get ready to answer questions from lawyers since this matter has gone to court’. You must know how you will answer, why you allowed violence when you were there as IG. That was when he started pushing the blame on Mr Katiba.”
Other sources revealed that during the same meeting, the officers queried Kabonde over the failure to get police escort vehicles and motorbikes from South Africa’s Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) despite part of the money having been paid.
“They asked him why the motorbikes had not been delivered. At the moment, State House has no motorbikes, those bikes they are using were donated by the World Bank to RTSA Road Transport and Safety Agency for traffic patrols to reduce accidents. They are for law enforcement on roads and not for escort of the Head of State.
They are using those bikes because they have failed to get the bikes from South Africa,” the source said. “The bikes at State House are not fit for presidential escort; they are small 750 CC but those that were purchased in South Africa but not yet delivered are 1300 CC, they are big bikes for VIP or presidential escort. The IG failed to explain why the bikes and vehicles have not been delivered. The police command is divided, the IG is not supported. He left the office just after the meeting. He knocked off early and went home.”
Last January, a combined team of Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Zambia Police and Zambia Security Intelligence Service (ZSIS) officers recorded a warn and caution statement from Kabonde in connection with unaccounted for K1 billion overpaid to Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) for the purchase of police escort vehicles, motorbikes, bullet-proof presidential cars and traffic equipment.
In 2006 ahead of the September presidential elections, the Zambia Police under then inspector general Ephraim Mateyo and Kabonde as commissioner of police ordered 20 VIP escort vehicles, 20 VIP escort motorbikes and three armoured/bullet proof BMW X5 vehicles for the President from Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) but only 10 vehicles, 10 motorbikes and one armoured BMW X5 vehicle were delivered despite overpaying the firm by K1 billion.
Kabonde is alleged to have signed for some payments in this transaction.
But Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) Limited owner Phineas Manthata told The Post last January that the Zambia Police Service owed him over 84 million rand and allegations that his firm was overpaid were “nonsense.”
Therefore, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) Limited, has refused to release the remainder of vehicles and motorbikes to Zambia Police Service.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FRANCIS KABONDE, RUPIAH BANDA
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Kabonde is unprofessional
By Editor
Thu 27 May 2010, 04:00 CAT
RUPIAH Banda and Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha are defending Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde because they have interests to protect.
We say this because there are enough reasons for Kabonde to be excluded or even suspended from the Zambia Police Service. There are investigations being conducted by the law enforcement agencies on the police command over the irregular procurement of VIP police escort vehicles and motorbikes and three armoured BMW vehicles for the President.
And Kabonde has been among those interrogated, the investigators have even recorded a warn and caution statement from him over this matter. This man is being investigated by his juniors and one cannot help but wonder how they are working since he is their boss.
But Kabonde’s continued stay in office is not an oversight. It is deliberate because he is serving Rupiah and Shikapwasha’s interests. Given this background, you can’t expect such a policeman to be fair and objective. Kabonde is hanging on at Rupiah’s discretion, so he is not in a position to be objective. His behaviour shows in all matters and it was glaring in the recent Mufumbwe by-election. In Mufumbwe, he was nothing but an extension of the MMD.
He is a danger to national stability but they are keeping him because he is serving them. However, the consequences will be too ghastly because it might lead to a breakdown of law and order. Our police service is too small to manage the country’s population of over 12 million Zambians in the event that people decided to take the law into their own hands. If half the population of Lusaka or people in all our country’s districts decided to engage in civil disobedience, the police cannot manage to do anything. Rupiah and his friends need to learn from other countries where people have marched to presidential palaces with the police watching helplessly, countries where conflicts have broken out. There is need to listen to people’s concerns.
What the people are saying is not out of malice against Kabonde, it is a question of being concerned about the safety and security of our country. We cannot have a police chief who is prepared to compromise security and encourage lawlessness all in a bid to ingratiate himself to his political masters. But this is what Kabonde has been doing. His conduct in Mufumbwe was so shameful that a self-respecting professional would have resigned on his own. It is clear that the violence that characterised the Mufumbwe by-election was state-sponsored and happened under the protection of Kabonde.
We say this because there were some very disturbing things that happened in Mufumbwe that have never been properly investigated. Kabonde’s lack of professionalism has been clear for all to see. This newspaper carried disturbing pictures of an injured Charles Kakoma who is opposition United Party for National Development member of parliament for Zambezi West. But what has Kabonde done about that particular incident? We have not heard any pronouncements about anyone having been arrested in connection with the unprovoked and clearly politically-motivated violent attack on Kakoma.
It was not only Kakoma who was assaulted. There were many others. The Solwezi Central United Party for National Development member of parliament Watson Lumba was also assaulted. No one has been arrested or even questioned in connection with these assaults. There are many low-ranking opposition party cadres who were brutally attacked for whom no justice has been solved. It is also publicly known that the son of the losing MMD candidate in the Mufumbwe by-election bashed and killed three people, who were celebrating the opposition victory. But what have the police done about this? To them this is not an offence that needs to be acted on. And yet we saw the fanfare that characterised the arrest of Lumba on allegations of creating violence in Mufumbwe. Why is it that there is no MMD cadre arrested over the violence that happened in Mufumbwe? Is it because they were not responsible for the violence? We don’t think so. It’s all a question of Kabonde’s lack of professionalism. This is why he is useful to Rupiah Banda, because we do not think that Rupiah would tolerate the arrest and prosecution of party cadres who were involved in trying to secure a win for his party.
But this is not the correct use of our judicial processes. To use the police and Kabonde in particular to fight MMD political fights will not help our country at all. As we have said before, this will lead our country into anarchy and Rupiah must stop this nonsense forthwith or bear responsibility of the consequences. Our people have felt cheated about too many things and should not be expected to always accept being short-changed even on things that are straightforward. If Kabonde was being professional, no one would be calling for his removal.
As we said earlier, Kabonde is now a lame duck inspector general of police. He is facing what appears to be very credible and very serious allegations of abuse of authority. Even on that score, Rupiah’s government has been defending Kabonde. Why should the government insist on working with somebody who has clearly failed in his job and on top of that is facing criminal charges?
There was something that Frederick Chiluba used to do that was interesting to observe. It was cynical and a cruel way of dealing with another human being. Observing Chiluba, one could not avoid seeing that on many occasions he wanted to work with people that had problems. If they did not have problems when he started working with them, he found problems for them.
And in this way it was easy to manipulate otherwise descent people into doing things that many have lived to regret. Chiluba gave favours, which left people indebted to him in one way or the other. It is not surprising that many people that worked with him abdicated their professional responsibilities and simply did what Chiluba wanted or what they thought he wanted.
We see a similarity in the way that Rupiah is dealing with the Kabonde issue.
Because Kabonde feels grateful for being kept in a job where he should not be, it seems he is quite prepared to do whatever he believes is going to please Rupiah. This is what explains his shameful conduct in Mufumbwe. The whole Inspector General of Police running for cover together with opposition leaders as MMD cadres attacked the police station where he was and yet no one was arrested. What was Kabonde doing in Mufumbwe anyway? Why did the entire Inspector General of Police go to cover the by-election in Mufumbwe? Why was he not covering Milanzi? This is why we say the whole violence in Mufumbwe was orchestrated and from the way Kabonde has been behaving, he was right in the middle of it. This is why he has failed to move against the known MMD cadres who were bussed into Mufumbwe to cause mayhem. But Rupiah should not cheat himself that a lame duck police chief is useful to him. Those who surround themselves with unprincipled spineless advisors end up committing atrocities for which they pay very dearly. This is more critical in the area of law and order. Everybody needs it, government and opposition. A failure in the law and order of our country will affect everybody. Rupiah should reflect on this matter very carefully. What happened in Mufumbwe could happen elsewhere and Rupiah will only have himself to blame for the consequences that flow to him if he refuses to act above partisan interest. Kabonde is unprofessional and cannot be relied upon to lead our police force in ensuring public safety for all.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FRANCIS KABONDE, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Lifuka accuses police of double standards
By Ernest Chanda
Thu 27 May 2010, 04:01 CAT
TRANSPARENCY International Zambia (TIZ) president Reuben Lifuka has charged that police are playing double standards when applying the law. In an interview, Lifuka said police were quick to caution and arrest people deemed to have offended those in the ruling party and government. He said cases where people had complained against those in government or the MMD had been buried without any action.
"Transparency International Zambia has observed with dismay, the double standards or indeed the selective application of the law by the Zambia Police Service. We have noted that
cases involving the ruling party and government leaders, are expressly dealt with while cases involving the opposition political parties and perceived opponents of government, do not receive similar attention. A case in point is that of the attack on Zambezi West UPND parliamentarian Hon. Charles Kakoma. The Zambia Police have not acted swiftly in apprehending the suspected attackers like they did in the case of Solwezi Central UPND parliamentarian Hon Watson Lumba - a matter that is already before the courts," Lifuka said.
“Additionally, we have seen the Police record a warn and caution statement from Fr Frank Bwalya on the allegations of defamation of the Republican President and yet similar action has not been taken on the complaints Fr Bwalya brought against Mr William Banda – the MMD acting provincial chairperson. Again, we wish to register our concern that in Zambia, we seem to have two systems of justice, one for the poor and unconnected and another for the rich and well-connected. This is a recipe for anarchy in the country and we can only urge the Zambia Police to act in an impartial and fair manner and bring all culprits to book, notwithstanding the political sensitivities surrounding some of the cases."
Lifuka called on the Zambia Police to redeem itself from the public perception that it is not neutral.
"We have no doubt that Zambia Police Service has a good number of well qualified and experienced officers who can serve this country with dignity if given the support and latitude to do their work,” he said.
“Political interference is taking away the trust and confidence that people have in the Police Service and we want to urge the government and particularly the new Minister of Home Affairs to ensure that professionalism is restored and upheld in the Police Service."
In November last year, Lusaka Province MMD youth chairman Chris Chalwe and others threatened to gang-rape Forum for Democracy and Development leader Edith Nawakwi. When asked to take action, Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde said threatening violence was non-criminal offence. Despite Nawakwi lodging a complaint at Lusaka Central Police over two months ago, no action has been taken.
And during the Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election campaigns last month, Kakoma was attacked by MMD cadres who badly injured him.
But immediately after the MMD lost that election, the police quickly arrested Solwezi Central UPND member of parliament Watson Lumba for alleged abduction of a police officer, among other charges.
Last week, opposition UPND women's league matched to force headquarters calling for the removal of Kabonde. But chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha dismissed the call, saying those asking for Kabonde's dismissal were dreaming. Last Monday, police in Luanshya recorded a warn and caution statement from Fr Frank Bwalya for the alleged defamation of President Banda.
Labels: CHARLES KAKOMA, EDITH NAWAKWI, FRANCIS KABONDE, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, REUBEN LIFUKA, TIZ
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