instructions to plain-clothed officers as another armed officer keeps
vigil at the Patriotic Front (PF) Lusaka District Office
THERE are some “wrong elements” in the police, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Solomon Jere has said.
Dr Jere said the police do not get any instructions from politicians but that some police officers are just overzealous.
“We have wrong elements in the police. Some officers are just overzealous in executing their duties and end up doing wrong things,” he said.
Dr Jere was speaking yesterday when he appeared before the parliamentary committee on legal affairs, governance, human rights, gender matters and child affairs.
He was responding to concerns raised by Lufwanyama member of Parliament (MMD) Annie Chungu, who said the police are actually perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV).
Mrs Chungu gave a personal experience as an example of the police perpetrating GBV.
“I was arrested as an MP in Kitwe and made to share a cell with men and was later taken to Kanfinsa, where I spent a night with convicted murderers,” she said.
Mrs Chungu said the police officers that arrested her told her that they were working under instructions from Lusaka.
Dr Jere also submitted to the committee that women are increasingly becoming violent.
“The statistics we have indicate that there’s more violence against women but the trend now is that more women are killing their spouses even through poisoning,” he said.
And Dr Jere says there is no militia in the PF as being purported by some sections of society.
“We don’t tolerate anyone forming a militia. Sometimes these cadres just want to show their mightybut we have the capacity to handle them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Jere says the police command has written to police officers who are prosecutors to choose between remaining in the police service and joining the newly-established National Prosecutions Authority.
Due to time constraint, committee chairperson Jack Mwiimbu (UPND, Monze Central MP) asked Dr Jere to appear again before the committee as issues were not yet exhausted.
And earlier, Caritas Zambia, a Catholic-led non-governmental organisation , said the Church has deliberately stayed away from politics.
Unit Head for Programmes at Caritas Eugene Kabilika said: “The Church wants to stand aloof to issues of politics.”
Mr Kabilika said the Catholic Church sometimes speaks the same language with the Government or those in the opposition but that does not make Catholics politicians.
He was responding to a question by Mwandi MP (MMD) Michael Kaingu, who alleged that when MMD was in Government, the Catholic Church was outspoken.
This woman is lying, you are afraid of the politicians period you don’t want to lose your job so you play along in the end you look bad, and in denial, when facts are otherwise
@China
Are sure? “This woman is lying”
He does not, except from Maureen
Solomon Jere the fact is police get instructions from politicians, we are not children for you to tell us fibs.Now answer the Mps question why was she arrested and made to share a cell with men and under whose instructions were the police operating?You seem to be doing a very bad job of running the police service.As for PF militia – we saw them for ourselves on Muvi TV.They even confessed to crimes the police are ‘under instruction’ to NOT investigate.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Solomon Jere is under instructions too!
His orders are – tell PF lies – or be fired!
More BUFI!
Perspectives
If Mr Jere is telling the truth, then this command is the worst we have had in recent years. Is he saying letting PF run around the city with pangas, harrassing opposition political parties including party presidents, denying so-called ” permits” to opposition and allowing PF cadres demonstrate anytime they wish on any issue is being perpetrated by overzealous police officers.
If politicians do not order him around then his command is highly incompetent.
Kikikiki….Bwana Jere playing the BUFI song…..
Sata as ‘lead’ Vocalist, Chella doing the backing vocals and Jere on the DRUMS!!
Jere, Jere, Jere Jere!
Solomon be serious for once, yes, I have heard before that you are a comedian from the people who have worked with you but this is not time for Comedy man! You are the same police officers who were working in the MMD regime and if you are still operating under the same environment (without political influence) why are you conducting yourselves differently, so tell me what has changed? Is it your leadership deficiencies or political influence, to me those are the only two things that have changed. Solomon you and your top leadership at Zambia Police Force are a mess. You ought to be careful this is now a Zambia of intellectuals. We are documenting every happening.
Then Jere is a party cadre because he was appointed by the president to charge the duties. Every political appointment post has an impact to only respect the appointed authority.
So what are you say Solo? Are you telling the committee, the public and God almighty that you are incompetent, inept and ill suited for your position or are you speaking “tongue-in-cheek” to save your narrow ass at the expense of us all.
Com off it Solo!?