Inspector General of police, Ephraim Mateyo has directed that police officers should surrender the guns when off duty.
Mr. Mateyo has since instructed officers in charge of police stations and police posts to ensure the directive is effected and adhered to.
The police chief told the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in an
interview that Police Officers in Charge have been directed to also ensure accountability of the withdrawn weapons.
Mr. Mateyo has also issued a stern warning that officers who mishandle weapons by shooting innocent people would be severely dealt with.
He said any police officer, regardless of his or her rank found wanting, would be dealt with according to the law.
Mr Mateyo said weapons availed to police officers are strictly meant for official duties of ensuring law and order in the country.
And on the shooting of a five year-old boy of Chawama Compound last Sunday, Mr Mateyo said he was still waiting for a report from Lusaka province commandingofficer Wazakaza Ng’uni.
A police officer on Sunday shot a five-year-old boy of Chawama compound under unexplained circumstances.
Personally I give credit to the IG for the various steps he is taking to try and bring sanity in the Police. But the shootig of innocent civilians is becoming too ranpant and there is need for the Police to go for training on the use of fire arms. There is also need for more work to be done to curb the issue of corruption in the Police service. Our Police officers believe in being paid extra for them to do their job.
All in all I think the IG is trying to d a good job and he sould be supported.
What Zambian policemen and women need is not just training in the use of firearms. They also need and deceive decent salaries, housing and proper uniforms. The money Zambian leaders spend on fruitless foreign trips, luncheons, medical treatment abroad, and by-elections would go a long way in alleviating the plight of men and women in uniform.
What Zambian policemen and women need is not just training in the use of firearms. They also need and deserve decent salaries, housing and proper uniforms. The money Zambian leaders spend on fruitless foreign trips, luncheons, medical treatment abroad, and by-elections would go a long way in alleviating the plight of men and women in uniform.
I completely concur with Chama Mulenga.Our police force is under equipped, under-paid, and berated. The only time we ever think positively of the police is when they rescue us from potential danger. I believe the IG is doing what others in the past have failed to do.Corruption only emerges when a person is disgruntled or feels unappreciated.More funding is needed. There are many police officers still living in tents, and many a retired officers with no proper benefits for their long service. Compare the size of the police force in relation to the population.There are not enough officers. But there’s no incentive these days to go to Lilayi School with such poor benefits.Funding is the key. Its ironic that we say that police officers would rather be paid to do their jobs. wouldn’t you????
Its common knowledge that our police are receiving a raw-deal by the government. I was totally amazed to hear that our officers have certain allowances pegged at less than K100.00 (hundred kwacha), amounts clearly set-out some decades back. A friend tells me these amounts even reflect on the officers’ payslip – K5.00 for uniform, K10.00 for shoes, K50.00, etc. Wouldn’t the police officers then be stressed as they think of where to get money for kids’ school, or to dress themselves properly? In any job, people get stressed about issues of money, and without improvements in remunerations of officers and indeed other government departments, I do not see the stopping of shootings at civilians (I do not support shootings), and the stamping out of corruption.
shooting of civilians has no morla justification to it, whatsoever.A couple of years ago, a good friend of mine, Tom Chirambo(MHSRIP), was gunned down at point blank range by a police officer in the Kamwala area for no apparent reason, while walking home from coaching his basketball team, the NAPSA HURRICANES.Does anyone know any information about how the trial of the officer involved ended??? As a zambian living abroad, its nice to have a forum such as this to interact with other zambians. The issue of the police is very close and dear to my heart as my late father served with the police for over thirty years.Burchell, you are right about those so-called allowances. And yet, our government now talks about curbing “casualization of labour”. this amounts exactly to that!!! You cant put someone in a high-risk job and pay them peanuts!
BRIAN MAKAI, KOH SAMUI, THAILAND.
+660869506523
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