By Given Mutinta
THE DANGERS OF PRESIDENT HICHILEMA’S PARALLEL INTELLIGENCE
Since its independence, Zambia has relied on a unified state intelligence and security service with enabling legislation.
This institution has historically served successive administrations, from Kenneth Kaunda to the current President Hakainde Hichilema.
However, reports suggest the existence of a parallel intelligence security apparatus operating alongside the official wing, reportedly staffed by individuals loyal to President Hichilema and often drawn from his ethnic group.
Such a development presents significant dangers to the stability, rule of law, and democratic principles of Zambia.
The establishment and reliance on a parallel security service, particularly one characterized by ethnic patronage, undermines national cohesion, erodes institutional integrity, and fosters an environment ripe for abuse of power and corruption.
The primary danger of President Hichilema’s parallel intelligence security service lies in its inherent undermining of the established, constitutionally mandated security apparatus.
The parallel entity was established because President Hichilema does not trust the formal service wing.
He also found the formal wing rigid and bureaucratic, so he formed his own to circumvent official channels in pursuit of both official and personal objectives.
This has led to a dilution of authority and a breakdown in the chain of command within the legitimate intelligence service.
Reports indicate that professionals within the official service feel demoralized, sidelined, or even threatened, leading to a decline in morale and professionalism.
Furthermore, President Hichilema’s parallel service is operating outside formal oversight mechanisms, making it a tool for his political machination and less accountable for its actions.
This has resulted in intelligence gathering and operations that are driven by partisan interests rather than national security imperatives.
The reliance on loyalists, particularly those from the Tonga ethnic group, further exacerbates this problem, introducing bias and exclusivity into intelligence operations, which should ideally be objective and representative of the nation as a whole.
This has alienated segments of the population and created an “us versus them” mentality, which is antithetical to good intelligence service and governance.
Many intelligence security experts believe that staffing a parallel intelligence service with loyalists and tribal kinsmen is a particularly dangerous practice that is contributing to the escalating ethnic tensions in the country.
Zambia has diverse ethnic groups, therefore the perception or reality of an intelligence arm being dominated by one tribe is fostering deep mistrust and resentment among other communities.
Furthermore, it is leading to a sense of marginalization and disenfranchisement, potentially creating fertile ground where it can be difficult to handle social unrest in case of such an event.
Instead of serving as a unifying force, the current intelligence apparatus has become a tool that deepens societal fault lines.
The parallel system is inherently promoting a patronage network, where appointments and operational decisions are based on personal connections and ethnic affiliation rather than merit, competence, or loyalty to the state.
This is one of reasons that has led to serious corruption of intelligence processes, where information is filtered, distorted, or suppressed to serve the interests of the ruling clique, rather than to provide impartial advice to the government.
Furthermore, the parallel intelligence service is operating with limited oversight and driven by loyalty to President Hichilema, which is one of the reasons for a grave threat to the rule of law and democratic principles.
His parallel intelligence service is being used for clandestine political purposes, such as surveilling political opponents, intimidating critics, and influencing electoral processes, all without the checks and balances that legitimate state institutions are meant to provide.
According to reports, this parallel intelligence service is responsible for the attacks on Gary Nkombo and other independents in Southern province.
This has created an environment where power is concentrated in the hands of a few, operating beyond public scrutiny and legal accountability.
The existence of parallel structures have also lead to a blurring of lines between state security and partisan political activities, effectively turning intelligence agencies into instruments of the President and his ruling party.
This has eroded the separation of powers and the fundamental tenets of democratic governance, where all state institutions must operate within the framework of the law and be accountable to the public.
This explains the rampant abuses, such as arbitrary arrests, illegal surveillance, and suppression of dissent, that have become significantly higher because intelligence operations are conducted by an unaccountable parallel entity.
It is imperative that, after August 13, the existence of a parallel intelligence service is investigated and that the country’s intelligence apparatus operates within the bounds of law, transparency, and accountability, serving the nation as a whole rather than narrow interests.