ZAMBIA: Bishops Decry Police Brutality after Loss of Two Lives in Zambia
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Catholic bishops in Zambia have condemned the violent act by law enforcement officers that recently led to loss of lives due to a protest that took place outside the police headquarters in the Zambian capital city, Lusaka.
“We hereby condemn in the strongest terms possible the killing of two citizens by the police who acted against their key mandate of safeguarding the lives of Zambians, irrespective of their political, social, cultural and religious affiliation,” the Church leaders said in a statement dated Thursday, December 24, 2020, after the death of two citizens in the country.
According to the bishops, Zambia is a country that embraced multi-party system thus tenets of democracy including freedom of assembly, speech, demonstration and access to information should guide the nation.
“Those given the responsibility of protecting and defending people’s rights are the very people who are apparently abusing and abrogating them and seriously sowing seeds of disunity. This is indeed a matter of great concern to all well-meaning citizens,” Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) lamented in relation to the brutal acts by the police officers who “allegedly shot at unarmed people who gathered to show solidarity with the opposition leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), Mr. Hakainde Hichilema.
In their collective statement signed by the ZCCB President Bishop George Lungu of Chipata Diocese, the Prelates have appealed to the head of State President Lungu “to rise above partisan politics and provide the much-needed leadership as a statesman.”
“He (referring to the president) must ensure that the provisions of the Republican Constitution are strictly adhered to by all institutions of governance, including the Zambia Police Service,” the bishops highlighted.
They further asked the government concerning the death of the two citizens, to immediately carry on investigation and act accordingly.
“We call upon the Presidency to ensure that a detailed investigation is immediately launched to ascertain both the person behind the command to use excessive force to shoot and the officer that executed the said order and bring the culprit to book,” they noted.
The Bishops reminded the Minister of Home Affairs and the Police Command, whose primary mission is to protect the lives and property of all citizens, “Ensure that within the rank and file of the Zambia Police Service, there is high level of professionalism, which includes the determination of the kind of force to use against unarmed and peaceful citizens (and) allow the police to perform their duties without waiting for orders from politicians and without fearing the wrath of political cadres.”
Additionally, the Church leaders appealed to all political leaders to “always act within the confines of the law, to use a language which builds rather than inflame tension in the country.”
“We call upon you to be channels and instruments of God’s peace in the nation,” the Bishops told the political leaders adding, “Do not close the door to dialogue. Be ready to engage in genuine dialogue aimed at reconciling nation.”
