from ARNOLD MULENGA in Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Bureau
LUSAKA, (CAJ News) – ANXIETY has gripped Zambia ahead of elections in August after the police force reportedly recruited thousands of so-called officers secretly.
Critics and the opposition accuse the government of training the 7 000 individuals as a “secret combat” force to terrorise citizens leading to and during the watershed polls that are projected to be a tight contest between the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) of President Hakainde Hichilema and the main opposition Patriotic Front (PF).
The recruits are said to be UPND diehards.
A total of 3 000 have reportedly been deployed, and another 4 000 are to report for “duty” next week.
This is a violation of public sector regulations and the Constitution on the recruitment of public sector workers.
Unlike previous cycles, where public advertisements were the norm in police recruitment, reports have emerged of the Zambia Police Service drafting and sending officers to training colleges like Kamfinsa, Lilayi and Sondela without public notice.
“When recruitment mirrors a mobilisation for conflict, and we see reports of abductions, police brutality and the censorship of free expression, the ‘monster’ is no longer hiding. It is arming itself,” Thandiwe Ngoma, a government critic, said.
She was referring to the prevalence of these violations in recent days and growing criticism that Hichilema has morphed into a dictator despite pledging democratic reforms when he came to power as an opposition candidate in 2021.
Churches have raised concern.
“This form of recruitment, regardless of the circumstances, raises serious questions about transparency and accountability,” Rev. Allan Kasungami, Executive Director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), said.
“EFZ, therefore, urges the Zambia Police Service to immediately withdraw this private recruitment exercise and instead utilise the correct, transparent channels that safeguard its own integrity and equity in public service.”
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) concurred.
“Additionally, there remains uncertainty regarding the total number of individuals reportedly recruited under this process,” Rev. Father James Phiri, CCZ General Secretary, stated in a note to the media.
A Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) member, Hichilema has been on a collision course with leaders from some religious missions, accusing him of running Zambia with an iron fist.
Seeking a second term, he has been on the campaign trail countrywide, in the process earning a number of honorary degrees from universities keen to side with his administration.
He has received three this year alone, comprising two doctorates and a PhD.
This brings to seven the doctorates and PhDs he has received since coming to power.
Said to be the richest man in Zambia, he is campaigning under the “Salt Sana” motto, meaning he is a top-tier candidate.
Speaking in the capital, Lusaka, at the UPND General Assembly, where he was elected unopposed, Hichilema acknowledged that authorities were aware of the issues around police recruitment.
“We’ve heard what is happening with the police recruitment, and I can assure you that we are working on it right now,” he said.
The Zambia Police Service has defended the recruitment exercise.
Godfrey Chilabi, police public relations officer, said this was due to retirements, attrition and resignations among personnel, which culminated in the service seeking and obtaining the necessary authority to fill the resulting vacancies.
“In this regard, internal advertisements were issued mainly to qualified civilian employees within the service, giving them an opportunity to transition into the regular police (mainstream) establishment,” he said.
Chilabi argued the “internal exercise” was necessary to strengthen manpower capacity, especially in preparation for upcoming national assignments.
“The Zambia Police Service remains a professional institution committed to fairness and integrity in all its operations, including recruitment,” he assured.
Zambia police are earning a reputation for cracking down on opposition members and their rallies.
In 2023, police banned former president and Hichilema’s predecessor, Edgar Lungu (now late), from his weekly morning jogs.
This was branded as “political jogging” and “unlawful assembly,” as his supporters joined.
– CAJ News