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Human Rights Commission calls for the Arrest of Individual who harassed a Female Civil Servant for Belonging to UPND

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The Human Rights Commission (HRC/Commission) has called for for the immediate arrest of the individuals who invaded the government offices at the Ministry of Works and Supply and harassed a female civil servant on allegations of supporting the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND)

In a statement made available to the Media and signed by Mweelwa Muleya, Spokesperson, the Commission said that Zambia police must arrest the perpetrators and subject them to the due process of the law in order to end impunity, adding that such acts must be considered as full blown warning of potential political violence ahead of the forthcoming elections and must be immediately stopped.

Below is the full statement

14th April 2021

Press Statement
For Immediate Release

THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CALLS FOR THE IMMEDIATE ARREST OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HARASSED THE FEMALE CIVIL SERVANT AT THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND SUPPLY

The Human Rights Commission (HRC/Commission) calls for the immediate arrest of the individuals who invaded the government offices at the Ministry of Works and Supply and harassed a female civil servant on allegations of supporting the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND).

The Commission further calls upon the government to put effective measures towards the protection of Ms. Sheilly Chatugwa from further harassment or victimisation and allow her to discharge her public service functions impartially and professionally.

Preliminary investigations by the Commission indicate that Ms. Chatugwa, who is an Inspector, was hounded out of her office by suspected PF cadres apparently led by a Mr. Charles Kakula on allegations of being a UPND cadre on 13th April 2021. The cadres locked up her office and dragged her to the office of the Ministry of Works and Supply Permanent Secretary, Mr. Lenox Kalonde, where they announced that they had locked her office and threatened to burn her her office if she went back. Such criminal behaviour is unacceptable and a violation of human rights as it constitutes, inter alia, criminal trespass, conduct likely to cause breach of peace and threatening violence.

The police must arrest the perpetrators and subject them to the due process of the law in order to end impunity. Such acts must be considered as full blown warning of potential political violence ahead of the forthcoming elections and must be immediately stopped.

It is the Commission’s considered view that the harassment of Ms. Chatugwa may be the culmination of systemic violation of the rights of hundreds of public workers who have in the recent past suffered from various forms of victimisation, including retirement in the national interest on trumped up allegation of being supporters or sympathisers of the opposition parties.

The Commission wishes to caution that if perpetrators of lawlessness and violation of human rights are left scot free, such criminal conduct may worsen and spread to other public service institutions to the detriment of public service delivery during the countdown to 12th August 2021 Presidential and General Elections.

Breakdown of law and order as witnessed through the video that has gone viral on social media where the cadres have the audacity, in broad day light, to invade government offices and hound out a civil servant, has potential to cause a wide range of human rights violations.

Zambia is not a failed state as it has fully functioning systems and channels which can be used to air or redress any grievances instead of taking the law into one’s own hands. The Government has a primary responsibility, through the Police, to maintain law and order in order to enable the Government to function normally before, during and after the August elections.

The Commission is already investigating the matter and will accordingly advise the respective authority and the victim through the recommendations arising from the investigation findings.

The Commission fully understands that public service workers are not supposed to engage in or practice partisan politics but that should be distinguished from holding an opinion, provided such an opinion does not result into manifestation of partisan and unprofessional conduct in the discharge of public functions.

The commission is therefore calling on all employers be it in the public or private sector to provide a safe work environment to all their employees without any form of discrimination, including based on one’s political opinion.

Mweelwa Muleya
Spokesperson
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

15 COMMENTS

  1. Fuseke those boys didn’t attack her or put their hands on her. She was spreading tribal upnd hate within a government building. Tribalism is a crime in this country. It’s not a crime to confront tribal hate. She is lucky because in other countries she would have been lynched and stoned. Don’t waste our time with such nonsense

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  2. Nothing will happen, as the corrupt PF guys (see message #2 just above here from KZ) will stop police and the judiciary interfering. Suddenly this is about tribal upnd hate, but that the criminal PF cadres involved were much more than tribal – that’s OK? You are truly a despicable criminal cadre KZ.

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  3. Toothless HRC, the Police never act on their requests. Sometime last week they called for release or charging of the 4 UPND held in police cells without charge. The Police never acted on that request. What I want to understand is whether PF cadres had the authority to harass the young lady. From whom did the authority come? They even had the audacity to match her to PS’ office? Kaiser’ response seems to suggest they had authority to do this.

  4. We must pass this stage of cheap electioneering that allows others to cry victim. This branding of people as cadres is a source of major concern. If someone goes to intimidate others or someone why should we put premium on the political party that they belong to? If they comit a crime they are simply criminal. Anyone can rant to belong to any political party. so a lot of people even those belonging to the opposition can claim to belong to the ruling polical party and comit crinminal activities and vice versa. The term cadre is a scapegoat and must never be used especially by the law enforcement agents.

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  5. This why am not a fan of communist and socialist ideologies, because the party vigilantes are the jurors , what the difference between these cadres and hitler’s gestapo ? anyone they not in good books with or a different opinion they will blame and accuse as working against the state, We got lead of UNIP because of the economy and its vigilantes.,# DEJA VU

  6. That is expected from Panga Family Cadres. These Cadres are acting on orders from the Top in PF. Thats why we say ECL is a hypocrite. He was promising free,fair,transparent and credible Elections while his PF Cadres are harassing People and violating their Human Rights. Is it now a Crime or Sin to belong to UPND or any Political Party? Any individual has a Right to belong to a Political Party of one’s choice. The PF Leadership should educate PF Cadres that in a Constitutional Democracy like Zambia any Citizen has a Right to belong to a Political Party of one’s choice. Sishuwa was right in predicting turmoil after August 12 Elections. These are the signals of a violent, rigged and disputed Elections ahead of us. Sishuwa is already being vindicated. The writing is on the wall.

  7. Awe mwee!
    Twachula no butekobu. Lord where did we go wrong? It is time to bring fire upon the evil doers. In the name of Christianity, even the Lord himself got furious by turning down tables in the temple and called king Herold a very strong name as Fox. There are ferocious wolves in this country who when not tamed well and vaccinated by removing them with a ballot on the 12 August, Zambia will be rabbitic and every one will suffer rabbis and no cure will be available. So Lord Jesus be closer and hear the cry of your people because we are now leaving like the Babylonians who forced the Israelites to sing a song in the foreign land. Our mother Zambia is under captivity.

  8. It is a shame for a country that got its independence in 1964 practice such inferior and dirty politics. Zambia will only develop if they practice civilized politics and strengthens democratic values. These politicians that you see they are not a people you should die for or hate one another they simply use you to stay in power and they can make Your country bankrupt when you will realise it would be too late. should have love for your country or country men. For Zambia to prosper you need that very thing you hate now, competition of political parties without suppression of the other.

  9. She is lucky because in other countries she would have been lynched and stoned. ????
    Fuseke Beware of your sayings you know full well every D0g has its day ………..
    No other countries except uncivilesed one in Africa ……. You need to go back to the bush and advance slowly to your own pace

  10. Those abuses by PF thugs go on every day…….

    This one is on video , and even if on video , the PF are only crying crocodile tears because there must an uncomming international gathering soon……

    or some international dignitaries are about to visit zambia…….

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