By NOEL IYOMBWA
IT has been observed with concern that there is a growing tendency of political party cadres storming police stations with impunity as has been the case in the recent incidences recorded in Lusaka and the Copperbelt provinces, Inspector general of Police Kakoma Kanganja has said.
In a statement Mr Kanganja said that invasion of radio stations by political cadres whenever a political figure is being hosted has continued with the recent one being in Mufulira district of the Copperbelt province. He said that Zambia is a democratic country which has laws in place adding any person who may feel aggrieved by the conduct of another should follow the due process of the law in lodging their complaints as opposed to abrogating provisions of the law.
“I want to warn all those who think they are above the law that being a law enforcement agency, the Zambia Police shall not sit and watch the unruly conduct of political party cadres take its toll. The tolerance which my police officers have been exercising should not be taken for weakness.
“We shall not at any point tolerate any misconduct or thuggery behavior by anyone irrespective of their political affiliation and i am calling on all police officers to ensure that such criminal conduct comes to an end.
“I also want to remind political players that police stations are not play grounds for them hence any disrespectful conduct towards the police by any individual will be met with the full wrath of the law. Provisions of the police act, criminalizes any discreditable conduct at a police station and as such, any action by the police in this regard should not be taken as intimidation, “he said. He stated that the role of the police is to ensure that law and order prevails hence anything to the contrary will not be entertained.
Mr Kanganja advised that any person who may feel offended by content of any interview should follow the due process of the law by registering their grievances to the police or other relevant authorities and not taking the law into their own hands.
I He further advised individuals without cases at courts of law to stay away especially this time when the country is faced with the Covid-19 pandemic.
