We want to warn Home Affairs Minister, Stephen Kampyongo to freely allow the police to conduct their work without undue interference from the PF government.

We have had enough of his gimmicks of interfering and using police to intimidate voters and opposition political parties during campaigns and the voting day.

It is sad to note that Political influence and interference in the Zambia Police by the PF has led to Police failing to act as a first line of defence for human rights.

The police have instead been turned into a conveyance of law breaking. This is an assault on human dignity by an institution mandated to instil law and order in the country.

This has further led to electoral conflicts whenever we have elections in Zambia.

Without respect for Human rights, Police officers cannot be effective or professional in their approach to preventing crime and maintaining public order.

Uttermost respect for human Rights is important because elections must be conducted in a free and fair environment. This ia to guarantee voters a right to vote for a candidate of their choice without any influence or coercion.

To Inspector General, Kakoma Kanganja, we call on you to take charge as a professional and ensure your police help create a peaceful environment for voters to freely express themselves without any inducement and manipulation from the PF.

We shall hold Police accountable as a source of electoral-conflict should you allow politicians who are ignorant to issue directives that you know are unlawful.

Stop making decisions for the sake of safe-guarding your job when you are there to serve the nation and not self centered tered politicians.

Ensure that your officers are professional in their personal appearance and not masked so that they are approachable and accessible to voters and candidates during elections. If possible let them wear name tags for easy identification.

Zambians are aware of the Patriotic Front clandestine devise maneuvers. We know they exert political influence and interference in the electoral policing as a formular to sustain their hold on power. They also use this to induce the fake victories they have been enjoying.

I call upon all other political parties and their members, citizens and other stakeholders to take interest and protect the will of the people by stopping political gimmicks that the PF have devised to induce fake victories.

Am calling upon all Zambians in all areas where elections will be taking place to vote without fear and favour because voting is what determines the kind of life they want to live.

Voting is an opportunity no one should ever miss.

Zambians have suffered enough. The time has come for all of us to take charge before the country totally retrogresses and collapses. The power is in our hands.

Issued by:

Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (Dr)
*Vice President – UPND