Police Complaints Commission embarks on sensitization

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 10:05:59 +0000

BY JACK MAPAPAYI

THE Police Public Complaints Commission (PPCC) has embarked on a vigorous country-wide sensitization campaign to make known its existence, says chairperson James Mwanakatwe.

Mr Mwanakatwe said the commission was a police oversight board established under article 237 of the Constitution which was previously known as the Police Public Authority.

But following the enactment of the new Constitution, it was transformed into a commission.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Nation, Mr Mwanakatwe said the challenge the commission faced was lack of public awareness of its existence as an institution of governance.

Mr Mwanakatwe said the majority of the people especially in rural areas were not aware that Government had set up an organ where they could go and lodge complaints if they had been victimised or if they were not satisfied with the quality of the service that the police had rendered.

“For this reason the commission has embarked on a vigorous sensitization programme throughout Zambia to educate our people that first and foremost they have the right to complain if they are victimised and that there is an institution where they can go to seek redress if they are aggrieved about the conduct of any officer,” he said.

He called for partnership with stakeholders such as traditional leaders, civic leaders, head of departments and controlling officers if its objective of reaching out to the masses was to be achieved. He said people needed to know and understand that if they had issues with the police they should lodge complaints which should be investigated in an efficient manner.

He explained that the vision of Government was to transform the police into a law enforcement board that was professional and respected by the community.

“I want to appeal to the public that when they are victimised by the police, they should not remain quiet because it is incumbent upon each and every citizen to report any case of misconduct,” he said.

He also said the commission had plans to decentralise its operations which would make it easy for the people to access its services.