Lusaka Police Commissioner Gave Orders To Shoot Civilians - HRC

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has revealed that Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Nelson Phiri gave the order for officers to open fire on protestors at a rally outside Police HQ in December 2020, resulting in the deaths of two civilians. 

Nsama Nsama Chipyoka, a state prosecutor, and Joseph Kaunda, a supporter of the United Party for National Development (UPND), were killed by police while attending a protest in support of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, who had been summoned to Police HQ for questioning. 

The order to shoot these protestors is now believed to have come directly from Lusaka’s most senior police officer, Nelson Phiri. 

The Human Rights Commission’s chairperson Muford Mwandenga said his investigation had further revealed that police fired teargas canisters and live ammunition to disperse the unarmed crowd. 

The investigation also indicated that senior politicians and members of the national executive facilitated the shooting by encouraging police to take a firm line against protestors. 

According to the HRC, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo issued a statement a few days before the shooting saying that anyone who came near Police Headquarters would be met with force. 

Even more shockingly, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo is revealed to have specifically told Phiri to ‘deal with’ anyone who offered solidarity to Mr Hichilema as he came in for questioning.

Mr Mwandega said the HRC “strongly believed” that these statements contributed to the deaths of Nsama Nsama and Joseph Kaunda. 

He concluded his remarks with a stern warning to the Zambia Police Service.

“The Zambia Police Service should also desist from taking actions which are likely to result in the gross violation of human rights such as extra-judicial killing, arbitrary arrests and detentions and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of participants in assemblies whether lawful or not,” he said.