NGOCC Engages the Inspector General of Police

In the meeting, NGOCC raised concerns around the unbecoming behaviour of some police officers who had become a threat to society, especially women and girls.

NGOCC also took time to deliberate over prolonged detentions of suspects, the need to enhance gender parity at all levels in the Police Service and the irregularities around the application of the Public Order Act (POA).

“It is in the public domain that several police officers have been involved in committing crimes such as rape and defilement of women in the custody of police. Even worse is that some of these sexual crimes are committed right in police stations against defenceless detainees, some of whom are teenagers” Ms Katebe said.

“We are also very concerned by the cases of prolonged detentions of suspects. This is a direct assault on the Bill of Rights, which the Zambia Police Service is mandated to observe” she added.

“In our engagement with the Service, we are aware that you have several gender tools, including the Gender Checklist for Gender Mainstreaming and Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting, amongst others. Our hope is that these frameworks are being used effectively to ensure gender equity and equality even in the allocation of leadership positions in the service”

In response, the Inspector General of Police, Graphel Musamba, assured NGOCC that the police were doing everything within their mandate to also expose any criminal activities in the service to clean the police of bad elements. He added that some of the prolonged detentions are also attributed to matters beyond the police as it works with other institutions within the judicial system.

“You are spot on. I must assure you that we are determined to expose any such police officer and put them behind bars like we have shown so far. I must also mention that the police do its work with a deep sense of seriousness in the interest of public order and safety. We act on reports brought to us as the law permits,” said Mr Musamba.

“May I also add that while we are making progress on gender parity in the Police service, women are fewer because of the historical background. In the past it was not fashionable for women to join the police and therefore, there were few women, but we are doing all we can to ensure we bridge the gender parity and inequalities in our institution” he added.

The two institutions agreed to strengthen their collaboration, especially in curbing Gender Based Violence (GBV) and ensuring gender was mainstreamed in the Police Service.

The Police IG was in the company of senior police officials while the other members of the NGOCC team were Zambia National Association of Women with Disabilities (ZNADWO) Coordinator, Ms. Bwalya Chilufya, Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) Executive Director, Ms. Sharon Williams, Young Women in Action (YWA) Acting Executive Director, Ms. Bwalya Mukuka and Community for Human Development (CHD) Chairperson, Ms.Charity Mulongoti.

NGOCC Secretariat led by the Executive Director, Ms. Anne Mbewe Anamela included Programs Manager, Ireen Malama Mukete, and Mr Samuel C.C Mwanakatwe, Acting Coordinator for Communications.