CiSCA Demands Release Of Police Station Shootings Report

The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) has demanded that the government release its report into the police killing of prosecutor Nsama Nsama and UPND member Joseph Kaunda, who were shot outside Police Force Headquarters on 23 December 2020. 

It comes after President Lungu confirmed yesterday that he had received a report on the investigation into the shootings from Police Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja. The president said he had since handed it over to the director of public prosecutions. 

In a statement to the media, CiSCA chair Judith Mulenga said her organisation was baffled as to why the president had not yet disclosed the contents of the report, asserting that Zambians had a right to know who gave the order to open fire on civilians. 

The statement noted that the right to life is a fundamental human right, to which all individuals - including Nsama Nsama and Joseph Kaunda - are entitled under Zambia’s Bill of Rights. 

CiSCA added that it seemed suspicious that the government was holding back the details of a public inquiry, observing “in trite law, whenever a document is concealed, the content is not favourable to the concealer”.

The civil society organisation said such a coverup was yet another “compelling reason” for enacting the “long overdue” Access to Information Bill, which has been pending on the statute books for over 20 years. 

CiSCA called for the bill to be made law before the end of the current parliamentary session.

The statement concluded: “the public deserves to know the truth. Nsama’s and Kaunda’s families and loved ones need to know the truth.”