Sergeant Marjory Moyo Happy With Her Promotion

By Paul Shalala

A photo of Sergeant Moyo which went viral

Sergeant Marjory Moyo, the female Police officer who was run over by a speeding mini bus driver in February this year, has expressed surprise after being informed that she has been promoted.

According to Nicky Shabolyo, the First Secretary at Zambia’s High Commission to South Africa, Sergeant Moyo says she would have loved to celebrate her promotion with dance to show how appreciative she was to the Government.

Mr Shabolyo has stated that the female officer could not believe the news of her promotion and that she is profoundly grateful to Government for continuing to care for her and the family.

“Is it true. I have just been getting stories and I hope it’s true. First it was my aunt who called me and then my brother also told me. Please tell me,” an excited Ms. Moyo pleaded.

My advocacy on Twitter

After being told that Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Davies Mwila announced her promotion during a radio programme on the Copperbelt, Ms. Moyo quipped: “Iyeee!. I will start dancing. I wish I could dance just to show how thankful I am to this government.”

She said Government has been on her side from the time she met her calamity. “Look. They are here helping me. I don’t even know who is paying for my treatment and now they want to promote me. I am so happy,” said a jovial Ms. Moyo.

Sergeant Moyo is this week expected to undergo skin grafting.

“I am very fine and I think only one thing, which is skin grafting, as the doctors told me, is remaining.”

Ms. Moyo was flown to South Africa’s Milpark Hospital on 2^nd March, 2016 for specialist treatment after she was run over by a driver at a road checkpoint in Marshlands on the Great East Road.

The campaign on Facebook

Sergeant Moyo, a traffic officer at Ben Mwiinga Police Post in Lusaka’s PHI area, was run over by a minibus on 27^th February and was left in a pool of blood.

She was rushed to Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital where she was initially treated before being flown to South Africa for specialist treatment.

After her plight was shown through videos and pictures on Facebook, this reporter embarked on a social media campaign using the hashtag #PromoteTheWomanConstable to raise awareness and urge the authorities to promote the young lady.

Over a one month period, this reporter posted messages with the hashtag on Facebook, Twitter and on his blog.

And yesterday Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila promoted Ms Moyo from the rank of Constable to Sergeant after the successful #PromoteTheWomanConstable campaign.

Finally Home Affairs Minister Promotes Injured Police Officer Following #PromoteTheWomanConstable Social Media Campaign

The newly promoted Sergeant Marjory Moyo

By Paul Shalala

On 1^st March, 2016 I launched the #PromoteTheWomanConstable  social media campaign to attract the attention of the authorities and consider promoting Constable Marjory Moyo to Sergeant following her unfortunate accident where she was run over by a speeding mini bus in Lusaka.

A few days earlier, Marjory in the company of other Police officers from Ben Mwiinga Police Post in PHI, mounted a checkpoint at Marshlands where they impounded a minibus but unfortunately, its driver decided to drive off and in the process ran over the young officer.

Videos and still pictures showing her in a pool of blood went viral on social media as she was being transferred to a hospital at the back of a canter provided by a good Samaritan.

She was later evacuated to South Africa where she is now being treated.

Her condition was last time described as stable by Zambia’s envoy to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba.

In launching the #PromoteTheWomanConstable campaign, I wanted the authorities to appreciate the role this lady played in ensuring that our roads are rid of unlicenced and careless drivers.

As a person who runs a minibus company, I know how careless and dangerous unlicenced drivers are and how they drive without regard.

This campaign was to help Constable Moyo get state recognition and be treated as a hero who was injured in the line of duty.

For a number of weeks, i kept posting the hashtag #PromoteTheWomanConstable on Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness.

This morning as I was at the District Administration in Kitwe to replace my damaged National Registration Card, I met Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila in the carpark just when he was about to get in his vehicle to go and officiate at the ground breaking ceremony for housing units in Kawama area.

The Minister had just paid a courtesy call on Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe as per procedure for any visiting government delegation.

“Paul good morning. Am sorting out your issue today,” said the Minister.

I didn’t know what the minister meant and i stood still watching him as he drove off.

At first I thought I had committed a crime but Mr Mvula, a messenger who works at the District Administration told me: “Just call him later, am sure he has something for you.”

I remained shocked and went ahead to replace my NRC which i managed to do within 20 minutes.

At around 11:30, my colleague Clinton Masumba from Flava FM who went to cover the groundbreaking ceremony, called me saying the Minister had recommended the promotion of Constable Marjory Moyo to sergeant.

I jumped in excitement and to me, the words from the minister now made sense.

The minister actually meant my social media campaign #PromoteTheWomanConstable when he met me in the carpark.

Marjory Moyo being transported to the hospital
after the accident

Finally, I feel happy, our hero will now wear three chevrons on her shoulders instead of the blank epaulette she had.

She was injured while trying to save people’s lives.

On Twitter and Facebook when I kept calling for her promotion, I was met with serious opposition.

People called the Police corrupt, uneducated and all sorts of things.

But i kept my faith knowing that one day the young lady will be appreciated.

But am now happy that my social media campaign has achieved its purpose: attracting the attention of the authorities.

According to the rules in the Police, the Minister has powers to promote officers upto a certain level.

Sergeant falls within that category while commissioners are only promoted by the President.

May I now take this privilege and rare honor to wish Sergeant Marjory Moyo a quick recovery and safe return home. 

Mr Police IG #PromoteTheWomanConstable Marjory Moyo

By Paul Shalala

Constable Marjory Moyo

The country was on Saturday in shock when social media was inundated with videos and pictures of a  female Police officer who was ran over by a minibus at Mashlands area in Lusaka along the Great East Road.

Pictures and videos of the injured officer went viral, as Zambians either blamed the Police for their numerous road blocks or blamed the unlicenced minibus driver for hitting the officer.

Some bloggers complained and said unpalatables to a 'good samaritan' who offered his canter to transport the injured Police officer in the vehicle's trailer to the hospital while others lashed out at those who took the images.

The young lady, Constable Marjory Moyo, was part of a group of traffic officers who regularly mount a checkpoint at Marshlands but on the fateful day, luck was not on her side.

"The minibus driver identified as Steven Phiri was stopped and found wanting, he had no licence and no road tax. He was asked to park but he decided to drive on. He hit our officer and ran over her. He sped off but other motorists blocked him and we arrested him," said Zambia Police Acting Spokesperson Esther Katongo.

At first, the injured officer was taken to the Intensive Care Unit due to her condition but a day later she was taken to an ordinary ward at the Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital.

She underwent surgery and is currently in a stable condition but still under the watchful eye of doctors at the Chainama-based health institution.

Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja, who visited the officer on Sunday, disclosed that the suspect had been charged with attempted murder.

Constable Moyo's case has raised alot of questions about Police checkpoints and why they are mounted indiscriminately.

However, several high profile people have visited her but the media has been kept abay.

This author has taken the initiative to launch the #PromoteTheWomanConstable social media campaign to attract the attention of the Police High Command in order for Constable Moyo to be promoted for her dedication to service.

This hashtag campaign is running on Facebook and Twitter and so far it has raised alot of interest from people online.

In other countries, Police officers or soldiers who are either kidnapped or injured while on national duty are considered heroes and honored, but why not in our country?

Constable Moyo deserves to be honored because she was trying to clean the roads of unlicenced drivers and unfit vehicles which are both a danger to the public.

These excited drivers cause dozens of accidents in the country which claim lives and leave people injured.

It is officers like Constable Moyo who are in the forefront fighting to save our lives and spare us from the road carnage caused by these untrained drivers.

Therefore, The Inspector General of Police must #PromoteTheWomanConstable.