Police IG Warns UPND Against Lawlessness
Police Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja has warned the UPND against continued lawlessness following the opposition party’s attacks on officials conducting mobile national registration card issuance in Lukashya.
Mr Kanganja stated that the action by the UPND to attack registration officers was uncalled for.
“I wish to sound a strong and timely warning to the suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) Cadres who stormed a registration centre in Chitamba village in Lukashya of Northern Province on 13th September, 2020 and destroyed some machinery being used during the on-going mobile National Registration card (NRC) exercise, stealing some equipment as well as beating up officers they found at the centre. As Police , we strongly condemn the action taken by suspected UPND Cadres. We are all aware that the mobile registration exercise is not a hidden process because there has been maximum publicity about this activity way back before this process was commenced. Further, this exercise is being done in broad day light and not at night,” Mr Kanganja stated.
“Therefore , the action taken by UPND cadres to ransack the registration office and steal equipment is a bid draw back to this process being undertaken countrywide and cannot be condoned. If there are any suspicions or concerns, police are open and ready to receive complaints from anyone concerned regarding the exercise.”
He stated that the mobile issuance of NRC has no bearing on the by-elections currently taking place in Lukanshya and Mwansabombwe Constituencies as it was being done in preparation for the 2021 general elections.
“It is therefore disheartening to note that Political Parties that pledged to maintain peace during and after the by elections are the ones in the forefront perpetuating violence. I wish to warn that police will follow this matter to the latter and will take punitive action against all those found wanting. Let us respect Government workers who have sacrificed to perform this noble task of serving members of the public through issuance of National Registration Cards unlike victimising them,” Mr Kanganja stated.