The Drug Enforcement Commission must explain to the nation why it arrested and dragged Civil Rights Activist Brebner Changala to court on a non-bailable offence of drug trafficking which it later abandoned, says NAREP president Elias Chipimo.
Chipimo wondered why the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) arrested, charged and took Changala to court when it knew that it could not successfully prosecute the case.
Chipimo said that it was appalling that security wings such as DEC, the police, intelligence and the Anti-Corruption Commission could be the ones bidding for their appointing authority to harass government critics.
“We are appalled at the treatment of an established civil rights activist Brebner Changala who is doing a gallant job for the country and the people of Zambia by demanding that there be proper checks and balances to this government.
We don’t expect that when the PF is unceremoniously booted out of government in 2016, Brebner Changala will stop his sense of activism, he must continue because it is voices like his that should never be silenced,” said Chipimo.
Chipimo observed that Changala had raised important issues which any listening and responsible government should take note of and address in the best interest of the nation.
“Our view as NAREP is that institutions of governance should not be disbanded but encouraged to attach professionalism in order to serve a greater good rather than be used against political opponents and other critics of government.
They should serve their intended purpose in an accountable manner and not like the way they are now conducting themselves now by bidding for the appointing authority. There is no doubt that the case involving Changala was merely politically driven,” he said.
He challenged DEC to come out categorically and deny that it was not being used by the appointing authority to harass and arrest Changala.
” Let them deny that the allegations we are putting forward are not true, let them explain what transpired, we want to know what they got from Brebner Changala’s home, why the allegations went ahead and why they entered a nolle prosequii,” Chipimo said.
He said that Zambia was in an era where the people should demand certain things from their leadership to offer credible checks and balances adding that leaders had the responsibility to govern and not to fan trouble.
“We are seeing impunity being practiced by the PF leadership; we are seeing arms and organs of the state that should uphold the law and protect individual citizens, turning a blind eye and deliberately choosing to punish those that have different views about governance,” the NAREP leader said.
Chipimo said that the day PF starts silencing voices such as Changala, Zambia will be doomed and spiral into serious political and economic crisis.
He said that what had killed the PF government was lack of a plan for the country and having consistently resorted to harassing, intimidating and attacking people and politicians for being critical.
The PF goons planting drugs in opponents homes. I’m told they want to plant cannabis and s.e.x pills in Fr Bwalya’s home to discredit him and destroy his political career that he peddles in drugs and takes ecstasy pills.
The drama has just started.
Chipimo, challenge yourself first and your party’s future
The ship is sinking…. 2016 will be sweet
Ukwa the captain jumped ship along time ago passengers soon will start fighting for the raft boats….
Unless Sata, GBM & Scott have decided to form a different party. Their vision of the “poor” has been dented by Kabimba, Nchito & Mmembe’s thuggery.
More nonsense than sense again chipimo
Thanks
Ba mushota,
somebody must have ready this article to you whilst were drunk with chibuku no wonder it seems not to be making any sense to you.
More like illicit beer. Chibuku is more like bar and restraunt (getting drunk while unyopola)
Mushota what a waste of human resource.
Are u questioning Police’s mandate to initiate investigation?An investigation can be initiated if there re clues fr crime.Worse still clue fr drug truficking & u questio legality.Its the duty to arest & investigate.
It’s investigate then arrest. Not the other way round. arrest and then investigate is equal to harassment.
If DEC can fail to differentiate Mebendazole from other drugs, then we need to remove the entire establishment.
DADA BE SHARP.INVESTIGATE FIRST AND ARREST.
Asking @Dada to be sharp is like expecting a snake to have bums. This person has always been in Group 3 even in at work. So you are asking for too much from him.
IQ of 0.00
arrest then investigate is abuse of authority, or over stepping the boundary of the mandate that is given to these governance institutions. (the police, DEC, ACC, etc)
Mushota on number 3 you are a *****, Chipimo has spoken sense, u are just a PF cadre with no vision, PF is a shame both locally and internationally! Government institutions are polluted by the buffoons called PF. At least NAREP is not an embarrassment.
Chimbwis no plan zoona
Dada how much does pf pay you to support rubbish thinking. I suspect youre corupt therefore they should arrest you then be investigated. Then you will know how it feels. Laws are there to protect you/DEC, police are there to protect you and not to harrass you..Changala should be compensated handsomely for wrongful arrest , harrassment and for drugging his honourable name and cause into the mud
Chipimo was dining with Lucifer. What are you complaining about?
And you voted for Lucifer, so what are YOU complaining about?
Realy, R U sure he had diner with Kabimba?
It’s now the right 4 Changala to challenge the DEC so that the law take its cos!
We thank God that you are out of those thorny clutches my friend, Brebner. As pointed out in my comment when you were arrested, you are a good man. I am sure all other other former St Johns College boys got worried when you were arrested but are now celebrating your victory.
As brother Chipimo has pointed out, Zambia deserves better police, DEC, ACC and all the other State paraphernalia. Whoever told some people that Zambia is just for people in govt? We all care and love this country and more patriotic.
It worries me: DEC arrests and then investigates; discovers that it was VERMOX for de-worming children and not mtototo! Now, DEC is supposed to be manned by professional personnel who can tell the difference between Panadol and kankhalamba. In the Changala fiasco, DEC messed up big time. Wina azalira ku Mkaika. Achewa onse, khali tsonga. Osacita zamanyazi povota; ngakhalenso ku Mkaika.
The morons now running DEC are more interested in intimidating their masters opponents than looking for drug traffickers. hat commission needs to be disbanded soon before they start killing innocent people.
I think it’s time Zambians did the right thing here, these mupperts will continue abusing innocent people whilst we are watching, i think what they have been doing is intimidation,wrong and criminal. The president should make a stop to this kind of intimidation or else we shall believe the instructions are coming from him.
Zambians lets unit and speak against this evil act, Chipimo is always right…. Chipimo is always right!
WE ARE UNDER POLICE STATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!