Africa-Press – Zambia. United party For national Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has asked the Human Rights Commission of Zambia to investigate the Extra-judicial killings and gross Human Rights Violations by the State police.
In his letter dated Monday, January 4th, 2021, delivered to the Commission and copied to The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, the Council of Churches in Zambia, the Law Association of Zambia and Non-governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC), Hichilema says the recent killing of two citizens when he appeared at police Force Headquarters must be a source of concern to all well meaning Zambians.
The Civil Society for Constitution Agenda (CiSCA), Chapter One Foundation, Our Civic Duty Association (OCIDA), the Public Protector, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chief Justice, the Police IG, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Justice are among other institutions the UPND President has copied his letter to.
In the same letter, Hichilema states that neither him nor any other citizen will be showing up at police stations when summoned for fear of being killed as was the case on 23rd December, 2020 when a State Prosecutor Nsama Nsama and UPND supporter Joseph Kaunda were shot dead in cold blood by the police.
”Until the relevant authorities can guarantee our supporters’ safety while exercising their rights as enshrined in our Constitution, it is unreasonable for me or indeed anybody else who has been subjected to similar treatment I have received to respond to frivolous police callouts in future. This is necessary in order to avoid the needless loss of innocent live including the obvious attempts to assassinate me in the confusion that arise in such situations,” states Hichilema.
”This pattern of extra-judicial killings and gross violation of human rights by the Zambia Police is tarnishing the country’s image, which was once an oasis of peace in the African region, placing it on a path towards autocracy and lawlessness. This trend can only be arrested and stopped if institutions like the HRC play their Constitutional role effectively and stand up in favour of human rights, liberties and freedoms.”
The UPND leader further says his party is ready to assist the Commission with evidence of these extra-judicial killings as material is in abundance.
”We trust you will thoroughly investigate the extra-judicial killings and gross human rights violations that occurred on 23rd December 2020. The UPND and its leadership are available to provide evidence to the HRC to enable it to undertake this task smoothly.”
