HH Criticises Police Whipping to Enforce Covid-19 Measures

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has criticised law enforcement officers who are whipping and beating citizens to ensure they comply with government measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19. 

Mr Hichilema said that offenders had a constitutional right to be tried in court, and that extrajudicial punishment was not the solution to enforcing Zambia’s quarantine measures.

“Law enforcement is based on the principle of ‘innocent ’til proven guilty’. We don’t have to see people getting killed extrajudicially before we speak about this behaviour”, he said. 

The opposition leader went on to say that a civilised society must function by the rule of law, and that if Zambia is to aspire to higher levels of development and governance, its leaders must begin to behave in a more civilised manner. 

Mr Hichilema’s comments come after Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusmabo vowed to continue whippings for those who defied the presidential directives on Covid-19, even threatening to whip those who challenged the action on human rights grounds. 

The measures, implemented by President Lungu last month, call on Zambians to remain indoors and for all non-essential businesses, such as bars, nightclubs, casinos and gyms, to close their doors. 

On Monday, the Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja, said that some officers had been using excessive force in administering the new measures and called on supervisors to monitor the situation closely.