Police and Immigration officers spreading falsehoods on social media will be disciplined, Zambia Police Service Commission chairperson Peter Chingaipe has said. Mr Chingaipe urged the police command to immediately institute disciplinary action against officers who spread falsehoods on social media.

He said this when he addressed officers from Zambia Police Service and Immigration Department at Chipata Central Police Station on Monday.
“There is a tendency by some officers to involve themselves in falsehoods and other vices through social media. Warning to you: if you are caught, you will be disciplined accordingly. This is a timely warning,” he said.
Mr Chingaipe said the commission is now a constitutional and statutory body mandated to provide human resource functions to the Zambia Police Service and the Immigration Department.

He said officers are expected to strictly observe the code of ethics for the public service which, among others, requires them to be loyal to the government of the day regardless of one’s political, religious, social and cultural beliefs.
He said the code of ethics espouses and inculcates values of honesty, objectivity, impartiality, loyalty, respect, accountability, excellence, confidentiality, integrity and selflessness for the good of the country.

Mr Chingaipe said promotions in the service will be done according to one’s performance, besides qualifications and experience.
He said self-discipline and dedication to duty are attributes of an efficient and effective police service, and this enables officers to maintain law and order in the country. Mr Chingaipe urged the officers to refrain from corrupt activities.
He warned that those found wanting will be shown the door out of the service.

“It must be remembered that corrupt management is characterised by bribery, favouritism, getting rewards, tampering with or destroying official records, illegal use of official documents, among others,” he said. Mr Chingaipe said national unity begins and ends with the men and women in uniform embracing national values and principles under a banner of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’.

On retirement, he said delayed payment of retirees’ benefits will not be accepted because it goes against the constitutional requirement which states that a retired officer should be paid on the day of retirement.
He said many officers have been made to continue working after attaining their retirement age because of such delays, while in some cases, officers have reached retirement age without being confirmed.