In response to growing concerns over the alarming rate of gun ownership and related incidents, President Hakainde Hichilema has issued a directive to the Ministry of Home Affairs to urgently review the issuance of gun licenses.
The President emphasized the need for Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, and other relevant authorities to treat this matter with utmost urgency.
The Head of State said the rate at which people are in possession of guns is alarming.
President Hichilema made the remarks during the church service for the late Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha held at Mulungushi International Conference Center in Lusaka.
President Hichilema said if not addressed urgently more lives may be lost.
He explained that the directive has nothing to do with the death of the late Shikapwasha but that he has noticed the trend is becoming worse.
“ Let me take this opportunity and direct Mr Mwimbu to review the act of issuing gun shots. I have heard and seen this happen so many times these days. But this has to stop,” President Hichilema noted.
Mr Hichilema further observed that he has seen people attending parties with firearms and wonders why they carry them.
President Hichilema said relevant authorities should relook at the permits and processes of who should own a gun and why.
He noted that people use money to buy bullets instead of fertilizer or seed.
“ Why should they use their money to buy bullets instead of investing in fertilizer or seed? Once you buy these things at least you are guaranteed food. But why bullets,” the President said.
President Hichilema further added that it is high time that people feel safe in their country and not to live in fear.
The story should have been ”RESOLVING DOMESTIC ISSUES AMICABLY DESIPITE PRESSURE” for me i think that should have been the topic because conflicts will always be there and shooting will continue hence matters must be dealt with amicably.
Kusabaila….gun ownership is very easy in Zambia because of corruption. ….you just bribe someone and you will get your gun license
I think the current Law on firearms is adequate. Those of us that have undergone the process think that it should even be relaxed. However, just like many other Laws, the challenge is professionalism by enforcement agencies. Officers in the armoury aren’t in the passage of cash, so the only way they can make a bit of money is through quick facilitation of guns sale. When you’ve money, they’re the ones that even entice you to own a firearm. They even act as agents for those selling. After all their colleagues in other departments make money everyday. The President needs to understand these things
Ayatollah, you are right.
Ayatollah
Well said by you. !!!
The gun laws are indeed adequate. The problem in this matter was not the gun finding itself in the wrong person due to relaxed gun laws in the country, but the mindset of the wife who took a shotgun and pulled the trigger. {MHSRP} he gave his service to the nation.
This directive by HH is just a talking point at the funeral and it appears no one had prepared a better speech for HH on what to say about the Late Lieutenant General.
Mathafaka, the statistics show that the proliferation of guns leads to more gun homicides. Japan has very strict gun laws, which all but outlaw guns. In 2023, there were 9 cases of gun violence in 1245 million people of that country. The 340 million Americans have some of the weakest gun laws in the world, where people in states like Texas now walk around with guns on their hips like their ancestors did in the Wild West. The number of gun deaths, never mind the much higher number of gun cases, was almost 49, 000 in 2021. In 2023, it reduced to just above 40, 000 thanks the constant allusion to the need for more gun control laws among Democrats. What you say about guns is irrelevant. HH is going to take guns from all you and make the country much safer
You are all talking rubbish. The more the guns in a country, the more gun homicides. In the US where they have 494 million guns, circulating, they have between 40 000 and 49 000 gun deaths, and hundreds of thousands of crimes committed with guns, every year.. The rate of children killed by guns among peer industrialised countries in as follows-US:6.0, Canada: 0.6, Austria: 0.3, France: 0.3, Switzerland: 0.3, Australia: 0.2, Belgium: 0.2, Sweden: 0.2, Germany: 0.1, Netherlands: 0.07, UK: 0.05, Japan: 0.03. The average is 0.2. Canada suffers from having a long border with the US through which guns filter, and leads to the rate being higher. HH needs to ban guns in Zambia to make the rest of us safe from you criminals
Why does the President issue such orders only when some political heavyweight is a victim? Too close to his home or office? Lusaka Times has millions of stories about spouses killing partners. We didnt hear any similar orders when those kidnapped women were found by some heroic citizen in Lusaka
HH is right this time. There is no way he will die from gun shot wounds from his wife, unless poisoning with cotton chemicals.
But no one will be surprised if accident happened with ECL.
Totally agree with Ayatollah on this one!
People have been killed by guns in zambia for many years..just because a high profile person is shot doesn’t mean the law should be changed. More evidence of hh being incompetent and unqualified to lead a country. You don’t just decide to review policy because 1 high profilrc person has died. Don’t tamper with my gun ownership
Why should always want to change the law each time something happens. It’s not the laws that are weak, it’s the enforcement that lacks. As for the for the unfortunate incident involving our late General… it’s not like the General got this gun yesterday…. he’s been a soldier…a top one at that.
The president should stop acting on impulse… better for him to simply console the family.
As usual you are talking nonsense. The US is the most overpoliced countries in the world. You have the FBI and the ATF which cover the whole country. You have state police for each of the 50 states. You have an independent police departments which belong to the counties (districts); you have independent police forces which belong to each city. You have independent police forces which belong to school districts. You have independent police for hospitals. You have independent police for each university. When I say independent, I mean that they answer to their employers only all have full police power, and can maintain their on jails. There more than 700, 000 police officers in the US, but the 40- 49 000 every year are still murdered with guns.
Each time something happens to those within his circles
Have respect when responding. Only an uncultured person calls other people’s contribution as nonsense. Go back to the Upnd run Zambians watch dog where you insult others.
@Deja Vu that is the bum who hates Kaizar now posting under the penname “S” He thinks dirty American lingo is gonna impress Zambians.
My comment has been blocked by sensitive scared Lusaka times
That is not enough, let them block your stinking and stretched anas (from being pounded by Lebanese men) be barred and banned from posting on LT, Kalya-Nyoko
The proliferation of arms which was rampant during the PF era needs to be checked . Otherwise Zambia will end up like South Africa or even the USA with high incidences of gun violence and crime.
-Ownership of firearms which can be concealed(such pistols etc) should be banned.
-Civilians should not be allowed to own military grade firearms
-A new register for long guns must be established.
Because in all likelyhood its a lie like your visiting the funeral house of the Lt General
A friend asked the family whether you had been and the answer was NO !!!!
Last year, there were 627 shooting in which more than 4 people were shot or killed in the US. In other words, each day, there are are almost 2 of these mass shootings every day. In the US more than 110 people are murdered with guns every day, which works out to about 5 people murdered with guns every house. The cost to the US is not only in human lives; it is also on an economical toll of more than US $230 billion every years. The police do not even stop killings. In Uvalde Texas, the police waited outside a school, going as so far to prevent parents from intervening, while an 18 year old gun man murdered 17 elementary school children and their teachers, and injured 19 more.
“…..He explained that the directive has nothing to do with the death of the late Shikapwasha but that he has noticed the trend is becoming worse……”
Another death by a firearm and the constant news of shots being fired carelessly , sometimes in public………..
careles prandishing of firearms in public has prompted this concerened speech by the president……….
If not to tighten the gun laws, this should see to carelessly handling of firearms in public………
HH is too reactive wanting to look like he is doing something. What gun laws?
Why gun laws? It was an incident in which gun laws played little if any part. If a knife or poison were in the vicinity perhaps she would have used them. And then would we be reviewing our knife laws? Dont decree from the heart
………
“…..He explained that the directive has nothing to do with the death of the late Shikapwasha but that he has noticed the trend is becoming worse……”
We hear of people letting off shots in public all the time……..this is dangerous
Guns licence laws need updating if this is not emphasised at licencing.
You have people brandishing guns in public. This is illigal in most countries.
Your surety is chickening to be in cells, so fakes sickness. Reckless statements will eventually lead you in prison. This is not Petty fools party
He doesn’t know how difficult it is to get a firearms licence in zambia today. Now the next step will be to just ban the issuance of licenses unless you are somebody well know like a politician or a cadre.
It is a directive to review and not to suspend. Mwaletmwa ifitala
The hate in HH makes other people blind to what is common sense. How did the guy who shot his friend go into a nightclub with a gun? What is the Law when it comes to carrying a weapon in public spaces? I bet it’s not very clear like our constitution.
Forget about the contracts you got from PF. Use your common sense. Anyone can be a victim of gun violence, even an innocent bystander would have been killed that night.
How can you justify refusing a firearm to a former general who was once responsible for leather weapons? The man was qualified to drop bombs and possibly fire high caliber weapons.
lethal
To you mathafakaz who think guns are a joke, here is a man who went to the house of his ex somewhere in Texas, to pick up his son . The current lover of his ex told him to get lost. He refused, demanding to get his son. This is how it ended, and no the mathafaking ex got off scott free: https://twitter.com/i/status/1749175823658025394
@S
The problem of too many deaths through firearms in the US is not a problem of too many guns. It is a problem of the Second Amendment of the US constitution that makes the carrying of guns a right and the lack of strict background checks for the acquisition of firearms which has seen even ordinary American citizens to acquire automatic assault weapons needed in war.
Due to the lack of strict background checks, even someone with a history of emotional instability can acquire automatic assault weapons in the US. Bear in mind, too, that the Second Amendment of the US constitution gives American citizens the right to carry arms. That is why there is a proliferation of arms in the hands of wrong people in the US and mass shootings not seen in Zambia.
We are in Zambia not in the US mwebantu!
They are enslaved negros who worship whltes like hh
Guns kill people ,ban them for civilians asap.Only legal for our Zambian security forces.
There is no gun culture to warrant stricter gun license issuance, contrary to Mr Hichilema’s view. Mr Hichilema should avoid saying things just because Joe Biden says them. Context matters.
It’s just a question of making sure the current laws are enforced and certain people don’t move drunk to clubs like Chrismar so they can start letting off shots in the car park. That is not legal, for example. And cades don’t have licenses sure