Letters to the editor

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 14:06:11 +0000

Police Service must be revamped

Dear Editor

The court acquittals of prominent political cases is a result of deliberate shoddy investigation and deliberate sabotage of evidence presented in court. Zambians should not be surprised if more acquittals are entered by courts.

There is no reason to blame Magistrates and Judges for throwing out cases which are framed in a manner that is intended to achieve acquittal to embarrass the Government and portray an impression that Government is being vindictive and undemocratic.

 There is no way that Judicial officers can record a conviction when no proper evidence is adduced by the Police who should prove the case beyond all doubt.

I therefore agree with your correspondent that senior police officers are not loyal to the Government and will do everything possible to embarrass this Government and therefore demoralise those that support it.If the Police command can fail to bring to book the traffic section what hope is there for the service?

I would like to agree with the appeal to the Minister of Home Affairs to take a comprehensive sweep of the service to uproot those who are obviously conflicted because of competing loyalties.

If it is not possible to undertake a complete overhaul of the Police force starting with the corrupt traffic section then the Government can expect to meet a very resistant electorate in 2021. People are tired of paying bribes and the impunity with which these bribes are solicited by people who should be enforcing the law.

The Government must immediately reform both the Police and the Anti-Corruption Commission to bring integrity to these very important institutions of Governance.

Unless these measures are taken the traffic Police will even get more corrupt and Government can expect to suffer more humiliating defeats.

Frighton Kamhuza

LAZ continues to amuse the nation

Dear Editor,

I am shocked with the reaction by our LAZ over the court decision to bar one of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s  lawyers, Mr Gilbert Phiri for whatever offence he may have committed.

Its president Linda Kasonde admits in one vein that the courts have inherent right to deal with practitioners that err and in another she thinks the matter should first have been referred to LAZ. Why did she not wait to hear the reasons for the court’s action instead of rushing to the Press to protest that actin? Is it because the lawyer involved is representing Hakainde Hichilema in the treason case and the rest is deva vu?

That is the tragedy with our current LAZ. It has become politically inclined at the expense of serving Zambians and as long as the current executive remains in office, Zambians can forget anything reasonable coming from this association which some of its senior members actually have regretted their membership.

LAZ should not behave like that stubborn flea that was buried along with the dead dog because it refused to admit that the  canine it was sucking blood from had died. It is just a matter of time. Our current LAZ will be exposed for its shady connections it has with politicians. – Joseph Nyongani

Kambwili should sober up

Dear Editor,

My earnest appeal for expelled Roan MP Chishimba Kambwili is that he should show humility because the current route he has taken of insulting the PF leadership, including President Lungu, will land him in serious problems one day soon.

It all appears easy and cleverer when you are playing to the gallery but frankly speaking, the end is always not good.

There are living examples of Guy Scott, Miles Sampa and many others who run after UPND but are now languishing in political emptiness.

The best Kambwili should do is to go back (indeed eat his own vomit) and plead with PF leadership, especially the National Council of PF to hear him.

But to behave like a bird that has been released from a cage will not help him in many ways. At the end he will be a big loser.

Even his boasting that the kind of money he is making as a supplier to the mines can make him fly to London for a cup of tea and quickly fly back is hardly something to brag about when some of his voters in Luanshya are going hungry every day. What type of leadership is he exhibiting?

That does not reflect good and mature leadership at all,

In fact I have always wondered about some Zambians who boast of  having billions but which they put under their pillows instead of behaving like Aliko Dangote of Nigeria who shares with the poor by coming up with companies which employ thousands.

May be they are not that rich after all. I know people with real big money hardly say anything about it.

Like the Americans, say that you are not a millionaire if you can count your millions.

Better still, those who think they have money which is not showing, please enjoy it quietly, after it is all yours.

Daniel Malekani,

Chilenje