By GIDEON NYENDWA
THE continued violence by UPND cadres despite government orders that there should be law and order in the country is proof that the police are inept, New Heritage Party President Chishala Kateka has said.
Ms Kateka said it was sad that the police had failed to protect citizens despite being given the authority and leeway to deal firmly with unruly cadres.
She said in an interview that it had become clear that the police need to be retrained if there was to be change in the manner they conducted themselves.
“This behaviour brings to mind an experiment with an elephant that is tied to a strong iron post for a long time. When it is tied to a weak wooden peg it will not try and move because it is psychologically defeated,” she said.
Ms Kateka said it was worrying that the police were not changing their behaviour despite being given autonomy to operate freely.
She said the continued attacks by cadres on citizens was proof that the police had failed to do their job.
Ms Kateka said the police inspite of being given the leeway to do the right thing by President Hakainde Hichilema had failed to handle lawlessness firmly.
She said they were concerned that the UPND cadres had captured bus stations and markets right under the nose of law enforcement agencies.
Ms Kateka said some bus drivers who had been reporting harassment to the police were being turned away.
“When drivers from five bus-stops went to report to the police at the Central Police Station they were referred somewhere else,” she said.
Ms Kateka said the President seemed very emphatic about what he said regarding cadres.
And Economic and Equity Party President, Chilufya Tayali, said it was rhetoric for the UPND government to call for professionalism in the police service when they had not been professional in making appointments in the service.
“The new Inspector General of Police, Lemmy Kajoba became clearly a political activist, he is UPND to start with so when UPND won the elections he was appointed IG.
“Kakoma Kanganja was one of those people who helped Edgar Chagwa Lungu during wrangles with Guy Scott after late President, Michael Sata died,” he said.
Mr Tayali alleged that the failure by police to act when need arose was political.
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