Minister promises more beatings

NOEL IYOMBWA writes

WE will continue beating until people start adhering to the directive to stay home, Lusaka province minister Bowman Lusambo insists.

And the minister has described the call for him and the police to observe human rights as disappointing.

Speaking when he featured on Hot FM Breakfast Show, Mr Lusambo said despite public warnings some people have continued locking themselves in bars and liquor shop to drink beer.

Over the past few days social media and news reports have been full of images and videos of the Provincial minister accompanied by armed policemen whipping and rounding up members of the public found at various Lusaka venues including car wash parks, liquor stores, lodges and bars.

Mr Lusambo lamented that some stubborn residents have turned car parks into drinking places adding that the authorities will not sit idle and watch people breaking the directive which was given by the Head of State.

“People should not accuse the police of harassing people when they are merely protecting their lives,” Mr Lusambo said.

“Let me find the same Human rights in a bar, I will deal with him.”

Mr Lusambo said that people should not politicize the fight against Covid 19 by condemning law enforcers.

“Pantu abantu tabalefwaya ukwikala kumayanda naifwe  Twakulalopola ngatwaba sanga muma bar (since people don’t want to stay at home we will be whipping when we find them in bars),”he said.

The Human Rights Commission has called for observance of respect for human rights during the enforcement of guidelines on preventing the spread of Corona virus.

HRC spokesperson Mwelwa Muleya said that the commission is making the call against the background of numerous complaints it has received and its own observation on actions and public statements by some public officials advocating violation of human rights against individuals failing to comply with the guidelines on Covid19.