LET PEACE PREVAIL

IT is not surprising that all eyes are on Police Inspector G en eralKako ma Kan ganja that he brings sanity to the growing political despondency in the country. There is justifiable fear that failure to rein in political cadres could plunge the nation into chaos, ending the country’s peace and stability that is often taken for granted. That is the last thing that law-abiding citizens want to see in the country, where their daily lives are disrupted by some political misfits. Yesterday, Patriotic Front Lusaka Province chairperson Paul Moonga called on the police chief to pull up his socks to stop lawlessness in the country. Mr Moonga said it was prudent that Mr Kanganja was on top of things so that law and order prevailed. Mr Moonga’s call was timely coming against a backdrop of Monday’s lawless behaviour by youths from the United Party for National Development (UPND). The UPND cadres marched through Lusaka’s central business district from Kanyama Township carrying the coffin of their colleague who died in the Kaoma by-election campaign violence. What has angered the public was the failure by Police to take control of the situation. Instead, the UPND cadres were allowed to roam freely through the city centre disrupting business. “Our lives are in danger because of what is now happening, this should be curtailed and it is the job of the Inspector General to ensure that we are safe,” Mr Moonga said. Mr Kanganja must up his game for sanity to prevail because lawlessness being perpetrated had potential to cause mayhem, Mr Moonga said. We note that even during the campaign in Kaoma, President Edgar Lungu went out of his way to direct Mr Kanganja to ensure that there was peace and sanity by ending the violence that threatened to get out of hand. In the Kaoma political mayhem, one person was shot and killed while another sustained a gunshot wound. The case is now in the court. Mr Kanganja must get to the bottom of the violence and engage the main political players – the leadership from the ruling Patriotic Front and UPND. He must ensure that he persuades them to take charge of their cadres, that they do not engage in violent acts so that even when police move in against them, they would have no one to blame. Police must be firm but fair in the manner they deal with the political cadres. It is unfortunate though that there are senior officials in the UPND who are not helping calm the situation by supporting unruly behaviour. What do you expect foot soldiers to do when their leaders advise them to retaliate if they are attacked? We know that police are under extreme pressure to preserve the country’s peace and only the naïve could fail to see the dangers looming. While we commend the police for arresting 11 people on Tuesday for being in possession of offensive weapons contrary to section 85 of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia, we ask them not to relent. Who knows, those weapons discovered could just be a tip of the iceberg. We urge the police to delve into the source of the offensive weapons. Clearly, the people who concealed these weapons do not mean well and the law should take its course against these culprits. Zambians must realise that their peaceful lives are in danger because some politicians want nothing but civil strife to thrust them into government. They must therefore thwart their evil intentions by working with the defence and security wings to ensure that peace prevails. If there has to be regime change, let it be through the ballot in 2021 – under their terms.