Police warn cadres.
ZAMBIA Police has warned political party cadres from both ruling and opposition to behave or risk having their legs broken.
Deputy Inspector General of Police for operations Bonny Kapeso warned yesterday that he would not allow cadres to misbehave and warned the PF not to overrun the magistrate court again because police would be ready.
Mr Kapeso has also cautioned citizens to accept that there is only one President in this country, and that is republican President Edgar Lungu while others are mere political party leaders.
He warned during a Millennium radio programme that what happened in Monze was unacceptable because impeding a presidential motorcade was dangerous as someone could be shot.
Political leaders who are not yet in power should respect the sitting President no matter the atmosphere there in. Featuring on Millennium radio Law and Order program, Mr Kapeso said that the current President was not imposed by the people, but voted into office hence the need to give him the respect he deserved.
Mr Kapeso charged that the police will not allow anyone disrespecting the Head of State adding that the job of the Police is to protect the President in power.
“A political leader cannot be compared to a sitting President no matter the atmosphere they are in, so people should respect the republication President.
“Even if a President won by one vote, anywhere you go the President should be respected and we are not going to tolerate anyone disrespecting the Head of State,” Mr. Kapeso said.
Mr. Kapeso stated that no cadre is above the law regardless of their political affiliation adding that Police will deal with anyone without being selective.
Mr. Kapeso has also warned political cadres who escorted Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya to court on Thursday and disrupted sessions that his team will make sure that it is at the court at the next session.
“I saw what happened at court on news, Thursday morning when Dr Chilufya went to appear. I will talk to the Commissioner Nelson Phiri so that I go there with my crack squad during the next session. Inkabafuna amolu” (I will break their legs) and I will be paid to disable you.
“We need to bring sanity in this country, if it happens at court what more other places,” he said.
He advised political leaders to tame their cadres by giving them limits when they were escorting them.
Meanwhile Mr Kapeso has charged that it is unacceptable to think that the Zambia Police are scared of political cadres.
Mr. Kapeso said that it is un acceptable to think that the police are powerless when it comes to handling cadres.
He clarified that only the Minister of Home Affairs is mandated to give instructions to police, adding that no other person or minister is mandated to instruct the police.