POLICE must be commended over the arrest of five people in Lusaka for allegedly shooting and circulating a video on social media in which they were brandishing offensive weapons while agitating violence.
While the whole nation is praying for peace during this election period as the August 12 polls inch closer, it is ironical that there are some people agitating for turmoil.
According to Zambia Police Service spokesperson, Esther Katongo, the suspects were picked up on Tuesday around 03:00 hours in Lusaka’s Chazanga Township.
She explained that the five would be charged with proposing violence contrary to section 91 (a) and (b) Cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.
In a video which went viral on social media, the five were seen proposing violence while brandishing offensive weapons.
Ms Katongo said that one suspect was still on the run and a manhunt has since been launched.
Why some people would want to cause unrest in the nation is anyone’s guess and we hope the police will delve deeper into the activities of the five people arrested.
As for the other one who is on the run, we appeal to the public to ensure that he is fished out from where ever he is hiding and answer for his deeds.
Zambia’s peace should not be taken for granted. It is something that Zambians have worked hard to attain and anyone who wants to tear the country apart must not be spared.
Some ordinary Zambians are already apprehensive about their security owing to some skirmishes among cadres belonging to the competing different political parties.
They have a valid reason to be jittery because they value the peace that the country has enjoyed since its attainment of independence in 1964.
They do not want to have their lives turned upside down by miscreants who do not seem to appreciate their freedom.
The five obviously thought that they would not be found because they were on social media.
Their arrest, if anything proves why the government was right to enact the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act and why it should be defended.
We are well aware of some sections of society, especially some civil society organisations which allege that the Act seeks to facilitate wide scale and interception of private communications with insufficient safeguards for constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms.
But they have been proved wrong in this instance.
And we cannot agree more with the Police spokesperson for her caution against those wanting to misuse social media.
“We would like to warn the public against committing offences on social media thinking they cannot get caught,” she said.
She warned that all those that would want to commit offences through social media would be smoked out to answer to charges.
People ought to appreciate that social media is not meant to destroy, fan trouble or injure others. It should be used to build.
What the five people now in police custody were agitating for is against public order especially when the country’s two largest political parties have even signed a pact to ensure there is peace before, during and after the August 12 election.
They should therefore face the full wrath of the law so that anyone who thinks they can misbehave on social media can learn it does not pay.
No one must toy with peace, it is serious business.
