Law enforcement agencies compromised-Msoni

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:11:15 +0000

The law enforcement agencies have been highly  compromised to the extent that they no longer command public confidence even from the people that are using them, says Nason Msoni.

Mr Msoni, a former MMD presidential aspirant charged that institutions such as the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and the Zambia Police (ZP) could not act independently if their investigations were instigated by politicians in government.

He said that because of government’s interference in the operations of these institutions, investigations carried out by such institutions would always leave doubts in people’s mind who would in turn perceive to be untrue.

Mr Msoni said it was time these institutions redeemed themselves from the hands of the politicians and operate within the frame work of the law.

“ACC, DEC and Police are no longer fit for purpose. If the recent conduct in these institutions is anything to go by it is apparent that their role as law enforcement agencies has greatly or highly been compromised to the extent that they no longer command public confidence from our people.

“The problem is that they are working under instructions from the politicians who in most cases target fellow politicians. They have watered down their own credibility by allowing themselves to be used by politicians,” Msoni said.

He noted that it was unprecedented in the history of this country for police or indeed any law enforcement agency to issue political statements that were punctuated with open threats in defence of the regime in power.

“The recent statement by the Inspector General of Police Ms Stella Libongani openly threatening opposition leaders clearly points to the direction from where the police are drawing their instructions.

“This is what happens when institutions of state become a private family affair and that why we call upon these institutions to free themselves from this political bondage,” he said.

Mr Msoni said to address this conduct and unbecoming behaviour by law enforcement institutions, there was absolute need for proper constitutional reforms especially in the appointment of the heads of these agencies.

He said the appointment of these heads of institution should not be political based because someone would be compelled to obey the appointing authority and turn down the service for the people.

The concerned citizen said it was sad the persons running these institutions were only concerned to work with the people that put them in office and opt to forget that Zambians needed their service much more than the political leaders.