LETTER TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE GRAPHAEL MUSAMBA
LETTER TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE GRAPHAEL MUSAMBA
TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (IG)
Dear Sir,
I write this letter as a concerned citizen who knows and believes that in order for law and order to take its course and for democracy to thrive in our nation, the police service has a critical role to play.
I understand how political the environment you operate in has become but my humble appeal to you is to remain professional and advise these politicians you work for accordingly. We can’t run away that the nation is divided on political lines but it is the duty of not only politicians but the police to unite us.
We only have One Zambia, politicians come and go. Political parties come and go but the police service remain and you guys went to school and you were trained to execute your duties diligently and professionally, and without fear or favour.
Recently Zambia has witnessed alot of political drama from the police and this stems from the days of PF where the police lost its professionalism due to political inertia and our hope was that UPND will restore it but the opposite is the case.
The police have taken the path of politicians when it comes to dealing with issues of a sensitive nature. Where you are supposed to show professionalism, that’s where you want to make names as if you are also vying for political office.
We know you are acting on instructions from politicians but you also need to advise politicians according to what your code of conduct demands and also what is transpiring on the ground.
You guys gather intelligence reports which these cadres who issue instructions to you are not privy to so before you act, advise them. And tell them the consequences of certain both politically and democratically.
Tell them that PF tried to us in the similar fashion but they lost power because they were not following our advice. Public figures like ECL commands a huge following so when dealing with him, be very professional.
The moment you act politically, it means you have messed up the situation. I was so disappointed to read a press release by ZP through Rae Hamoonga reacting to the remarks of ECL shortly after he was blocked. Remember you are professionals and the uproar from the politicians is usually based on emotions and political differences not professionalism.
Please ba Police namipapata, don’t be quick to run to the media to issue statements against politicians without thoroughly investigating and interpreting the consequences. Don’t be quick to please your appointing authority.
Be quick to defend your professionalism. Let not governing parties find it easy to use you to cripple democracy in our land. Let them not use you to divide us. Let them not use you to destroy our peace. Study the matter and gather intelligence reports and then issue statements.
Seek audience with Dr Solomon Jere since Dr Ephraim Mateyo and Brenda Mutemba are no more and hear how they managed to professionally run the police force in the midst of political pressure.
We don’t want you to be acting like politicians or just be doing what politicians tell you to do without properly looking at the consequences. Tell them the guns made PF lose power. The teargas made PF unpopular.
The unnecessary arrests of political opponents, made HH popular. So if they also want to lose power in 2026, advise them that we will work according to your instructions but if you want to remain in power, let us work professionally.
The police, the Judiciary and the legislature have a role to play in uniting Zambia. The moment these three try to play politics that’s the moment we become more and more divided. Deal with sensitive issues in a sensitive manner. Don’t jeopardise our peace, our democracy and our rule of law.
Thank-you,
Elijah Tembo.
Peace loving Zambian.