Zambia's Police Chief Speaks Out Against Officers' Indiscipline

Deputy Inspector General of Police Malcolm Mulenga inspects
a Guard of Honor mounted by graduating Police officers
at Kamfinsa in Kitwe. -Picture by Melody Mupeta

By Paul Shalala

Of late, videos of drunk police officers in uniforms have gone viral on social media, with many observers worrying about the levels of indiscipline in the Zambia Police Service.

Last year, an armed Police officers who was captured on video, seemingly drunk, coaked his AK 47 rifle while having an argument with Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo at a filling station in Lusaka.

"Nikulasa, ndiwe ndani (I will shoot you, who are you?" said the officer as he moved around the filling station while holding his Russian made rifle in a ready-to-fire position.

The video went viral and that was not the last one.

Several others showing Police officers drunk, lying on the grown or walking unsteadily have become common.

               

Similarly, pictures of female Police officers in tight skirts or trousers while on duty have also become common especially on Facebook.

Officers innocently share these photos on Facebook and Instagram but cyber bullies and some blogs re-post them to make funny of the men and women in uniform.

This has on several occasions left the Police Public Relations Office to issue statements to either protect the officers or guide on the approved dress code.

But no senior Police officer has ever condemned this behavior in public.

Until now, the public has been left to wonder whether the officers are rebuked silently or are left to enjoy their freedoms.

But yesterday, the silence was broken by Malcom Mulenga, Zambia's second highest Police officer.

Mr Mulenga, who boldly took on officers to the shock of many high ranking Police officers, disclosed that discipline is going down among the law enforcers and there is urgent need to ensure that officers start working according to their code of standards.

Speaking when he officiated at the pass out of 99 Police officers at the School of Public Order Maintenance in the mining town of Kitwe yesterday, Mr Mulenga said the indiscipline levels have reached a point where members of the public are now filming drunk Police officers.

"These days, we see pictures of drunk Police officers being shared on social media. They even say bwana amwa (the officer is drunk). You are even smiling. That is bad, we need to protect the Police Service and we can only do so if we maintain total discipline," said Mr Mulenga.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police also showed his displeasure among the graduating Police officers who were wearing old, torn and faded colours of uniforms during the pass out parade.

He said he was disappointed that officers who were graduating were wrongly dressed and warned that if this repeats itself next year, he will postpone graduations until officers look smart and well dressed.

"Some of you are wearing uniforms which are old, like they were bought in 1964. Am disappointed, you look dirty. You look like you have just come from the jungle and were told to come and form up on this parade," said the visibly annoyed Police chief.

Due to some unprofessional conduct of its officers over the years, the Zambia Police Service has started retraining its serving officers.

Last year, a total of 1,700 officers were retrained following the Police High Command's decision to conduct refresher courses for all officers every after five years.

And this year, 3,000 officers from the rank of Constable to Chief Inspector are earmarked for refresher courses.

"Of the 99 grandaunts we have today on this parade, 84 were males while 15 were female. These officers come from all the 10 provinces of Zambia," said Patrick Bili, the Divisional Commander at the School of Public Order Maintenance in Kitwe which is popularly known as Kamfinsa.

Among the many topics the officers learnt were crowd control, gender based violence, criminal law, counter terrorism and child protection.

These refresher courses, which are being held at Sondela in Kafue, Lilayi in Lusaka and Kamfinsa in Kitwe, take one month and are aimed at helping the officers to improve their professionalism.

This is hoped to help reduce the sharing of pictures and videos of Police officers who find themselves in awkward situations.

Eight S.O.D. Members Appear In Kitwe Magistrates Court

By Paul Shalala

It was an unusual day for eight teenagers of Kitwe’s Bulangililo township.

The tears in their eyes spoke volumes.

What was sad was that most of these teenagers are pupils at Ipusukilo Secondary School.

The group is suspected to be part of the Sons Of the Devil (SOD) criminal gang which has been terrorising Kwacha, Bulangililo and Kamitondo townships.

The group, which numbers in the 30s, is suspected of being behind some killings, school break-ins, beatings and other crimes.

The eight suspects appeared in the Kitwe Magistrate's Court on Friday for aggravated robbery.

These are Alick Mvula, Elvis Chola, Gift Chiyembe, Fashio Haluna and Saviour Mumba, among others.

It is alleged that on 13th January, 2018  whilst acting together and armed with offensive weapons, the eight stole K100 each from Benny Machinko.

Earlier, the teenagers pleaded with the court to grant them bail because schools are opening on Monday.

But the court refused them bail because the charge they are facing is not bailable and can only be tried in the High Court.

Meanwhile, there was drama at the court as some parents of the accused.

This was when the teenagers were being taken to Kamfinsa Correctional Facility after the matter was adjourned.

The parents, most of whom were female, could not control their emotions as they wept uncontrollably.

The matter has been adjourned to February 2, 2018 as the court awaits  instructions from  the  office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for committal to the High Court.

This is the second time suspected members of the SOD are being arrested and taken to court.

In 2015, 16 members of the notorious gang were arrested and convicted by the Kitwe Magistrate's Court.

However, they were given suspended sentences as most of them were scheduled to write their Grade seven examinations.

Moses Luneta: Chavuma's Little Known Freedom Fighter

Mr Chilemu and Mr Lufupa at the gravesite of their comrade

By Paul Shalala in Chavuma

Perhaps the history books on the struggle for Freedom in Zambia are unfair or even selective because there is so much that happened which has not been documented.

Or, it may be that some of those who sat down to document this history were not privy to certain information or occurrences in some areas.

Of course, it is also true that not everything that happened......has to be inscribed into the annuals of these journals.

But there were instances, incidents or events which cannot be ignored like the one concerning Moses Luneta and his contribution to the Freedom Struggle.

Thankfully Luneta has not been forgotten in his home town of Chavuma in the North Western Province.

In Chavuma, Luneta has been immortalized.

The author seated at the spot where Luneta capsized in 1961

This isolated burial site now a National Monument lies opposite the District Commissioner's office and just about 300 metres from where he drowned and died in the Zambezi river.

But he does not lie here alone.

Seven police officers who came from Kamfinsa in Kitwe to arrest him, also lie buried here.

The story of Luneta is a sad tale of an ultimate sacrifice on his part as he paid with his life.

No wonder the name Luneta is now a folklore of the independence struggle here in Chavuma where it is revered.

Friends and relatives, visitors and inquisitive minds come here now and again to pay homage to this gallant son taken away so young.

85 year old Peter Chilemu was a childhood friend of Luneta.

And so was Ison Lufupa who is now 78 years old.

It was in these waters on that fateful day on August 29,  1961 when Luneta along with eight Northern Rhodesia Police officers drowned when their boat capsized.

For Chilemu, Luneta was a classmate.

Rodgers Sakuwuka (left) during the interview at his residence

"He was in Standard four and i was in Standard two at Chavuma Secondary. After that, he went to Chitokoloki where he got his Standard six. And then from there, he went to Livingstone where he joined the struggle for independence. He was born in 1930, he had a wife, he left three children," said Mr Chilemu.

Lufupa remembers Luneta differently as they held various positions in UNIP.

Luneta was said to have been instrumental in organizing civil disobedience in Chavuma which annoyed the British colonialists.

Days before he died, Luneta is said to have organised a strike which incensed the last British Governor of then Northern Rhodesia Sir Evelyn Hone who travelled all the way to Chavuma to quell the unrest.

According to historical records, the colonialists sent a platoon of Police officers from Kitwe to arrest the ring leaders in the border town.

The plaque at Kamfinsa 

"The British arrested Nelson Kapaku who was UNIP Constituency Chairman, arrested Benua Sandu who was our Constituency Treasurer then Brian Mulungisi our Branch Chairman for Chingi. Then they crossed the Zambezi river to Makingila where they picked Luneta and his brother July Masumba who was our Branch Chairman for Makinjila Branch. On their way back, they capsized. He died with seven Policemen including a white Inspector," said Mr Chilemu.

Rodgers Sakuwuka is another freedom fighter who recals the exploits of Luneta.

He served as Member of Parliament for Zambezi, Provincial Minister,  Zambia’s first Tourism Minister and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly.

For him,  Luneta’s sacrifice should be recognized countrywide.

"Can you imagine, he was caught, chained, put in a boat crossing the Zambezi and the boat capsized and thats how he died together with some Police officers. A man like that dying for the country but unfortunately, i don't here anybody including during Africa Freedom Day to talk about Luneta. Obviously he was a great young man who fought with his life for the nation," said Mr Sakuwuka.

A sign post for one of the schools named after
 Luneta in Chavuma

As a way of remembering the fallen freedom fighter, government maintains this memorial site in his honour.

Even major local government functions are held at this site.

"Luneta is being remembered in so many ways. During independence day, everytime we normally have the celebrations near the memorial site where our elder brother was put to rest," said Chavuma District Commissioner Benjamin Mufunga.

The eight Northern Rhodesia Police Officers who perished along with Luneta have also been honoured elsewhere.

Seven of the officers who drowned in the Zambezi river  were from the School of Public Order at Kamfinsa in Kitwe.

A plague has been erected in Kamfinsa in their memory and a clinic there named Chavuma, in their honour.

As for Luneta, much more has been done in his home town of Chavuma to keep his legacy alive.

Two schools, a primary and secondary school carry his name.

Today, Luneta maybe dead but his legacy lives on and generations to come will keep learning about this youth from a small town who died in the most cruel way for the sake of freedom.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video version of this story was aired on TV1's Morning Live program on 25 May 2017 and it can be watched here.

Army Worms Invade Kitwe, Destroy Maize Fields In Kamfinsa

Agricultural officers checking the worms

By Paul Shalala

Army Worms have resurfaced in Kitwe and destroyed maize in much of Kamfinsa area.

The worms have so far attacked and eaten maize in five farms.

These little creatures have wrecked havoc in the area and farmers are crying.

Moving from one field to the other in their thousands, these creatures are leaving a trail of destruction.

Kitwe District Agriculture Coordinator Dr. Raphael Muyaule says the outbreak is not very widespread and should not alarm the farmers.

                          

"We have sent officers on the ground and i can tell you that the army worms have not invaded the whole of Kitwe but a few areas. They are actually in the early stages of their invasion," said Dr. Muyaule.

He says the worms are hatched from eggs laid by moths and the larvae grows into the destructive army worms.

"Because of the short dry spell we had, the eggs have hatched and the army worms have been born. But we are lucky because the rains are falling and this reduces the spread of these creatures."

Dr. Muyaule has further advised farmers across Kitwe to report any suspicious looking creatures in their fields to the nearest agriculture office.

And the farmers who have been hit hard by the army worms are crying.

"I live in the Police camp and i have a farm in this area. For the past one week, these army worms have destroyed our crops. Am appealing to government to help us with chemicals to kill them," said Aliness Mwanza.

Other farmers are already predicting a poor harvest due to the army worms.

Last year we had bad rains and we did not harvest well. This year we thought we were free but these creatures may just wipe out our crop and leave us in poverty," said John Ngambi, another farmer who has lost his crop to the army worms.

The army worms have also been spotted in the neighbouring districts of Luanshya and Ndola. 

Zambia first experienced the destrution caused by army worms in 2013.

In that year, the army worms destroyed maize fields in various parts of the country.

The creatures were spotted in all the 10 provinces and caused irreparable damage to the country's staple food.

According to Wikipedia, the African Army Worm, whose scientific name is Spodoptera Exempta, is capable of wiping out grasslands and fields in a matter of weeks.

It adds that the army worm is a moth which increase in numbers during a dry spell.