2 cops nabbed for partisan politics

By ALEX NJOVU TWO police officers have been arrested and detained for practising partisan politics, Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde has confirmed. “We have arrested two police officers, one from Eastern Province and the other one is from Southern Province for engaging in politics. Investigations are still going on and when we are through, action will be taken,” Mr Kabonde told a consultative meeting with political parties at Kitwe’s Moba Hotel in Kitwe. Under the Zambia Police Service Act, it is a criminal offence for any police officer to engage in active politics, Mr Kabonde said, and warned that he will dismiss any officer found on the wrong side of the law. “It is a serious offence for police officers to wear the attire of any political party. Please, when you see any officer flashing a symbol of any political party, let me know, and I will fire them. I will dismiss them instantly because it is unprofessional and unethical for an officer to engage in politics,” he appealed to members of the public. And Zambia Police Service director of medical services Antonneil Mutentwa said the Police Service is concerned with the negative attitudes being displayed by political parties towards each other, citing it as a breeding ground for clashes. “We would not be having the problem of violence and insults among politicians if they worked in harmony. They should learn to collaborate because at the end of the day, we are all Zambians. It is also a source of concern to us for political parties to fail to adhere to the requirements of the Public Order Act,” Mr Mutentwa said. The former Copperbelt police commanding officer called on politicians to desist from making unsubstantiated allegations against each other, saying the Police Service would not attend to such claims. “We are calling on politicians to condemn their cadres who engage in violence. Law-abiding citizens will be protected while those who dare the law will be put away in the police cells,” Mr Mutentwa said. And police in Chingola have detained four people in connection with the theft of 168 lamps belonging to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ). Mr Malama, who confirmed the arrests in an interview, said the lamps “were stolen from a vehicle on Monday, and four suspects have so far been arrested”. Of the 168, 40 lamps have so far been recovered after a “woman detective masqueraded as a customer and bought one lamp at the shop of one of the suspects”. He said the suspects will appear in court soon.