Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) – Zambia’s Home Affairs minister, Stephen Kampyongo, has criticised Lusaka Provincial Minister Bowman Lusambo for whipping people who ignore presidential directives on measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.
Kampyongo said that as Home Affairs minister, he cannot instruct the Police to beat up people or arrest them for any reason.
He said Police Officers know whose instructions to follow when there is an operation order and certainly not from politicians.
Lusaka Provincial Minister Bowman Lusambo has come under intense criticism from stakeholders, including the Human Rights Commission and the Law Association of Zambia, for allowing the Police to use excessive force on people violating the presidential measures to curb COVID 19.
Lusambo recently resorted to whipping patrons he found at drinking places. He also interrupted a wedding ceremony involving Indians in Emmasdale area of Lusaka where over 60 of them had gathered against the allowed 50 people.
Kampyongo said even when it is necessary to invoke minimum force, strict and lawful instructions must be given by the Police command which officers must strictly follow.
He reminded the Police to ensure that there is balance in the enforcement of the measures pronounced by the president to ensure that people are not injured in the operations.
Kampyongo, however, pleaded with Zambians to adhere to the measures to avoid coming into conflict with the law.
-0- PANA MM/AR 15April2020
