Zambian Authorities must investigate killing of two people during peaceful solidarity assembly to support Hichilema, demands Amnesty International and many local, regional and international organisations and individuals.
The Zambian government must launch a prompt, independent, impartial, effective, and transparent investigation into the killings of two people by security forces during a peaceful assembly to offer solidarity to United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema on 23 December, 29 national and International civil society groups and individuals said today.
Nsama Nsama, a state prosecutor who was buying a meal at a restaurant across his office, and Joseph Kaunda, a supporter of the opposition party who was walking nearby, were killed after police fired live ammunition to disperse Hichilema’s supporters during the peaceful solidarity gathering.
The authorities must ensure that the outcome of any investigation is made public, that anyone suspected to be responsible for the killings of Nsama and Kaunda are brought to justice in fair trials and that the victims are granted access to justice and effective remedies including reparations.
The Zambian government has legal obligations to respect, protect, and promote human rights and to investigate any allegations of violations and bring to justice suspected perpetrators.
The killings of Nsama and Kaunda and the police’s heavy-handed tactics to manage public gatheringsspeak to the growing levels of political intolerance and partisan policing in the country. It also demonstrates the contempt with which Zambian authorities continue to show total disregard for human rights, including the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.
It is deeply concerning that live ammunition was used when there was no imminent threat to life or property. We call on the Zambian authorities to desist from excessive use of force and to invest in training law enforcement officers in crowd control methods that respect human rights and dignity.
We also condemn in the strongest terms the use of threatening and violent language by the Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja, and the Minister of Home Affairs, Stephen Kampyongo, who, ahead of Hichilema’s scheduled appearance, warned UPND supporters against accompanying their leader, stating that police would “deal decisively with all those who would want to cause public disorder” and use “any means necessary to maintain law and order”.
This rhetoric has the potential to embolden police violence against defenceless people.
We call on the Zambian authorities to end attacks on human rights and to allow people to freely exercise their human rights including to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.
We also call on the international community to pay attention to the ongoing human rights violations in Zambia, and to put pressure on the authorities to end growing crackdown on human rights in the country.
The fatal shootings of Nsama and Kaunda must not be seen in isolation; they are part of a wider crackdown on individuals’ rights to life, association, movement and public assembly in Zambia.
In the last five years alone, several people have died at the hands of security forces or as a result of political violence without suspected perpetrators being identified and held criminally liable. As Zambia heads to what looks like a hotly contested general election next year, these violations may intensify or worsen, further stoking political tension and leaving the country on the cusp of large-scale violence.
Background
Hichilema, who is the main rival to President Edgar Lungu in Zambia’s August 2021 general election, had been summoned by the police to appear for interrogations relating to a farmland he acquired in 2004, two years before he joined politics and was elected the party’s leader. A small opposition party friendly to President Lungu had filed a complaint against Hichilema, alleging irregularities in the procurement of the private land.
When Hichilema presented himself at the police headquarters, several UPND supporters gathered at the nearby Supreme Court grounds to offer him support. Moments later, armed police in full riot gear arrived at the site and used teargas canisters to disperse the peaceful crowd. In the course of this action, gunshots were also fired, resulting in the death of Nsama and Kaunda.
JOINTLY ISSUED BY CHAPTER ONE FOUNDATION, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, SOUTHERN AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS NETWORK AND ENDORSED BY THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS:
1. AmnestyInternational
2. Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network
3. Chapter One Foundation, Zambia
4. Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa
5. Pan-African Lawyers Union
6. SADC Lawyers Association
7. Advancing Rights in Southern Africa Programme, Freedom House
Bring lie detectors now
Not just the shooter, kampyongo and company must be prosecuted, see the video where Kampyongo had the audacity to go to Nsamas funeral house and in their usual fashion they think they can pay people off with the money, shameful. PF and kampyongo mwalipapa kalama, aleni start talking, jail awaits you as masterminds of these 2 deaths and many others whose blood you have shed for kwacha in your pockets,
Ok let me make a prediction of what will happen if PF wins next elections. In fact, this prediction could come to pass even before the elections.
Citizens across the country will riot in protest of high food prices. This is the single one thing that will drive this protest.
Kampyongo, or who ever Lungu will appoint, will unleash the military grade apparatus to quash the protests.
Many lives will be lost.
Vote wisely.
Add to that, the gassing and the lynchings, lest we forget.
Thanks, but this must not end with you international NGOs issuing a statement, if it means us as citizens effecting citizens arrest on the two, how do we go about it. We cannot just continue loosing lives like this and this is no longer a partisan issue. A life is a life, only the court can pronounce somebody’s death, NOT the Zambia Police Force
There will be more Vespers, Mapenzi, Frank, Lawrence, Grazia, Joseph Kaunda who would have been killed without the killer Police men being made to face justice if nothing is done . How can somebody’s life, God’s life just be taken away just like that. The Ministry of religious affairs would rather talk about people’s dressing than these heinous crimes, very sad
There is absolutely no country in the world where a Police officer can shoot somebody dead for merely escorting his leader to offer solidarity. And in any case what offence is there to kill somebody. The guy was neither armed nor riotous, what n0nsense is this surely
PF regime has killed Nsama Nsama Chipyoka “Wakayele”, killed Josephy Kaunda “Wakayele”.
You may hate us and others, you remain killers of innocent Zambians and their blood is on your hands – Kampyongo, Kanganja, and ultimately president Edgar Chagwa Lungu
The Politician who gave the order to the Police to go and kill is known, the head of Police is known, the police officers who were in the shooting area on the day can be identified, police officers who were issued with live bullets can be found out. This thing should not die next week like with all other things in Zambia please.
Investigating, then what?
Problem in Zambia no publix official resigns for criminal offences and negligence like this, meaning no one takes any responsibility for anything. The IG, the unit’s command and the minister should have resigned by now (or even just stepping down or recusing themselves) while investigations are taking place. The individuals responsible or suspect should have been stood down by now pending these investigations.
As what happens they will buy time with useless, mockery investigations knowing public anger will subside and eventually die down over time… and the nothing will happen. Being murdered in cold blood by your own people who were supposed to protect you is jist wrong, very wrong!
Whoever ordered police to deal with upnd members should be made to account for what happened.
When a regime loses its legitimacy,brutality becomes its solution
The president is not a leader. We have talked about these two useless individuals to be fired and prosecuted. But nothing seems to go through Lungu’s head.
The IG and the home affairs minister seems to know something about Lungu we don’t know…apparently these guys are untouchable. This is embarrassing.
Lungu for the love of God fire the short round fat head guy. This is making you look bad.
Nothing will be done ,
Lungu feeds off and needs this PF police and cader violence to survive.
Lungu knows without his death squads , there is no election he win……
We need action on blacks killed in America
We are still waiting for investigations then what???
Where are the gasers ?? It has been washed freely..pa Zambia kuwayawaya,No wonder the country is alphabetically LAST.
A nation must weapons to defend its citizens not to kill them.
Streetwise kampyongo n kakanja should be arrested , only then will they tell who commanded the slayings
Now that your vessels of distruction are working you are happy
Zambians just show them the way out through the ballot box because nothing is going to come out of this as long as they remain in power.
Why are we leaving Bowman Lusambo on the list of those who need to be fired and prosecuted? The list must include Kampyongo, Kanganja and Lusambo.
Bowman Lusambo also issued statements to the Police before the fateful day.
Now even the international community knows that Mr Kapolyo Kampyongo is a good fool
Regime change NGOs. These are supporters of kainde. Nothing unusual in their statement, that’s what you would expect. Waiting for report from ZP forensics as demanded by the President.
There is need to understand the difference between marching in solidarity to support a leader of their choice and demonstrating to express. frustrations… it looks like the Police IG and his boss cadre Kampyongo have got it wrong to conclude that UPND cadres were demonstrating and were a risk to the mainstream public. The best is for the duo to RESIGN NOW!!!!