Thursday, March 28, 2024

Garry Nkombo apologizes for his anti-Kachasu move, as Human Rights Commission condemns his actions

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Local government and Rural Development Minister Gary Nkombo has apologised to the woman and children who he forced to take the locally brewed illicit alcoholic brew called Kachasu.

He however says no compensation will be made as compensating her will mean supporting the idea of brewing Kachasu.

“My engagement with the press is first to tender an apology to the lady who we contacted this morning to try and talk to her about the trauma caused. I would like to state that I am very sorry,’’ Mr Nkombo said this when he addressed journalists in Lusaka today.

“I have searched my soul and reflected upon my action of inducing a brewer of Kachasu on her and her children who are adults, to drink the harmful beer was disproportionate to the effort of correcting a wrong on my part and I take full responsibility for that. I render my unequivocal apology to her, the children and the nation …We will continue to curb the crime of Kachasu brewing using laws while dully respecting the rights of offenders.”

He however refuted media claims that the government was targeting the vulnerable in society.

Mr Nkombo said there is no element of discrimination in relation to someone’s social standing in dealing with such matters.

“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to members of the public who are aware of this illicit trade not to forget the devastating effects of Kachasu and other drugs on the citizenry, especially the young and vulnerable to report to relevant authorities and by so doing save people’s lives,’’ said Mr Nkombo.

Minister extended the illegal punishment to the woman’s children, who might possibly be underage and that his conduct amounted to the victimisation of suspects.

Meanwhile, the Human rights commission has issued a statement describing the Minister’s actions as arbitrary and a violation of the woman’s and her children’s human rights.

The commission said that forcing the family to drink the illicit beer or face arrest amounted to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and was a violation of Article 15 of the Constitution, Chapter 1 of the Laws of Zambia.

The commission further said that the minister’s conduct further violated the rights of the woman and her children to secure the protection of the law as provided for under Article 18 of the Constitution.

The commission further said that brewing or selling prohibited beverages such as Kachasu has prescribed penalties under the law and forcing perpetrators to consume the prohibited products is not one of the prescribed punishments and must, therefore, be condemned.

The Commission also advised the minister to leave law enforcement to designated offices and officers as prescribed by the law, adding that the Minister extended the illegal punishment to the woman’s children, who might possibly be underage and that his conduct amounted to the victimisation of suspects.

Below is the full statement

27th April 2022
Press Release
For Immediate Release

STATEMENT ON ILL-TREATMENT OF A WOMAN AND HER CHILDREN BY THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

A video, which has been circulated widely on social media, showing the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Gary Nkombo, forcing a woman and her children to drink Kachasu, a local illicit beer, has been brought to the attention of the Human Rights Commission.

The Commission finds the minister’s conduct to be arbitrary and a violation of the woman’s and her children’s human rights.

Forcing of the trio to drink the illicit beer or face arrest amounted to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and was a violation of Article 15 of the Constitution, Chapter 1 of the Laws of Zambia.

The minister’s conduct further violated the rights of the woman and her children to secure the protection of the law as provided for under Article 18 of the Constitution.

The Commission is concerned that the Minister extended the illegal punishment to the woman’s children, who might possibly be under age and that his conduct amounted to victimisation of suspects.

Brewing or selling prohibited beverages such as kachasu has prescribed penalties under the law and forcing perpetrators to consume the prohibited products is not one of the prescribed punishments and must, therefore, be condemned.

The minister is, accordingly, advised to leave law enforcement to designated offices and officers as prescribed by the law.

In conclusion, the Commission finds the conduct of Mr Nkombo to be at variance with the pronouncements that have been made by the Republican President of his administration’s commitment to respect the rule of law and to the promotion and protection of human rights for all.

(Original Signed)
Mudford Z. Mwandenga
Chairperson
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

59 COMMENTS

  1. Hypocrisy at its best. Apology accepted but he must resign on moral grounds.

    Garry spoke with Hakainde and just told him to apologise because people who are poor have nothing to offer.

    Being poor is a sin to new doom government.

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  2. I thought so………….

    A quick apology on part of Mr Nkombo……..

    And correct , her children are adults……..

    Still, no need to force anyone to drink kachasu……..

    You have learned a bitter lesson nkombo……

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  3. Garry nkombo………..

    Going forward , look at working on measures to reduce unemployment and poverty………….

    While keeping the functioning of local goverment in order………

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    • If I was a policeman in this country, I would go running to Nkombo’s office with my handcuffs knowing I have a big chance to enhance my CV with such an easy conviction

  4. Mr. Garry Nkombo instead of finding the solution for the poor people, he’s adding more problems. These poor people you are treating like that, that’s where they earn their living. The move Mr. Garry Nkombo has taken is unacceptable as a minister. As a minister he was supposed to find the solution for the poor family so that they stop brewing kachasu. He has destroyed their capital and this time around they don’t know where to start from. Apologizing is not enough because they will not be eating that apology!!! If he can find something for them, then they will accept the apology.

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  5. YES INDEED SHE SHOULD REPORT THE MATTER TO THE POLICE
    WHOEVER HE THINKS HE IS HE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR SURE
    PEOPLE IN HER AREA MUST ENCOURAGE HER TO GO

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  6. Arrest Garry NkOmbo. Police commissioner, hasn’t this crime reached your table. Take steps to address this crime. If I say Ubututu you will react at the speed of light. SHAME.

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  7. Brewing Kachasu is illegal in Zambia just as having shabeens in areas not designated. In enforcing the law to stop the brew was right the problem came in to force the woman and her children to drink the Kachasu. The children are adults and probably already consume the same brew. I wonder if they could have any backlash if the lady was not told to drink the Kachasu? Anyway an apology has been rendered. Let’s not promote illegality this brew has destroyed many people’s lives in the name of earning a living.
    My encouragement to the minister is to find a proper way to deal with such isues.

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  8. If you won’t compensate her for your actions then you go there and drink the same kachasu you them to drink in the presence of everyone who was there.

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  9. Its very disappointing to say the least. Coming from a government of supposed qualified men and women, it is inconceivable to understand how the minister can find it fit to behave the way he did. Its this sort of retrogressive thinking that seems to have permeated the inner fabric of decency in Zambia. One would have thought that having a joined up approach would do the trick. How about liaising with the small business ministry or what ever the department and the School of chemical engineering at Unza or the like, to come up with a workable safe mechanism to brew the stuff? I thought what we are seeing from our people ought to be encouraged and supported so they move from illicit to legit business. It seems the minister doesn’t quite understand the role that his CDF can potentially be…

    • Really I wonder what our universities are doing in our society. This Nkombo is a graduate from UNZA and he is so daft about social morality. What did he go to do at University? Doesn’t he know his apology is a disproportionate action? He should resign. That will be proportionate.

  10. The fact that Garry has apologised has made me happy and it has proved to us all that he is the only sobre minded individual in UPND.
    Apology accepted Nkombo. It is hard to to work under a criminal and still be honourable in character.

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  11. A clear manifestation of the failure think constructively……Sue the minister i say!!….A very good case for pro bono support here.

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  12. Oh my gosh! It really does get worse! A government Minister cannot do this and remain in office. Apology – yes, but resign too, sir.

    #plant a tree please!

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  13. Abuse of office and assaulting people in front of the Camera….he needs to be fired…..this is not about UPND or PF….it’s outright wrong….Lusambo used to do it in a funny way like just for comedy sake or attention seeking but not the way Garry Nkombo did it…FIRE HIM NOW

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  14. To you our Hon minister if you can’t think of helping that family for them change then your heartless is still in you the pain of that us the poor people go through doesn’t touch you.You have not gone through this trauma because if you had once past through you can’t do such a thing ,which powers where you using to do such a thing

  15. F00Iish childish man. Let him retire and continue making silly YouTube videos with his crazy daughter and family. Trying to be clever. Who does this guy think he is.

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  16. #8 Patrick suppose you find a person defecating on a road side ( which is illegal,) would it be right to force that person to eat the fecal matter. The woman should just be sanctioned according to the law and I don’t see in our laws where it says what the Hon(sic) minister did.

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  17. I visited the family today and they have told us the pf that they will only accept apology if fooIish garry and his kids also drink kachaso on TV. How evil do you have to be to make someone’s children drink that stuff? Irresponsible f00l

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  18. NGO, you should help the woman and her children to sue heartless Garry NkOmbo. He forced them to drink lutuku against
    their wishes. Sad, this is the best HH has in his game plan to grow our economy. Glad, we have Tayali free civic education.

  19. If garry can force a woman and her Children to drink alcohol, then what is stopping him from forcing them to sleep with him. He needs to be retired. If he is not fired then hh agrees with this behaviour

  20. This is quite comical really. Yes, Gary was out of line and he has apologized for his actions. That said, brewing Kachasu is illegal and poses danger to many people, countless lives have been destroyed. Selling Kachasu is an easy way out of life and it is insulting to those marketeers who stand in the streets selling legal produce.

  21. and when they’re looking for votes they go and kneel before theb same Kachasu sellers…..i cant stand Politicians,,seriouisly am done with these scumbugs

  22. Manje ok why is she selling it to other peoples children?? Im not saying garry was right to make her drink her own urine and apologising was a good move because it looked bad.. also alot of people have died consuming these local brewed jiliz with High intoxicating percentages eating up the health of our youths in the process. Garry should also pounce on cigarette vendors the same way she did to that woman make ’em smoke the nicotine because there are more or less the same.

  23. i was at Chizongwe boys Secondary and we used to drink Kachasu on the weekends…and i can tell you these mothers suffer,,,brewing Kachasu is their only way of survival…Garry Nkombo is ruthless…..and these Kachasu brewing mothers are very good people

  24. if anything. Tujilijili, and Papas have caused more harvoc in this country than Kachasu. I’m not supporting illegality but lets apply the law fairly

  25. This nigga Nkombo has very serious anger management problems. Yes he has extremely epileptic patronizing attitude that is not fit for someone in leadership. He should know better on how difficult it is to be poor. It’s funny because it is reported that the bengwa boy was going bare footed to school and kachasu has been there since days in memorial. What an embarrassment of a muntu. So unruly behavior. Ain’t this nigga a cadre?
    His conduct amounted to hooliganism.

  26. This nigga Nkombo has very serious anger management problems. Yes he has extremely epileptic patronizing attitude that is not fit for someone in leadership. He should know better on how difficult it is to be poor. It’s funny because it is reported that the bengwa boy was going bare footed to school and kachasu has been there since days in memorial. What an embarrassment of a muntu. So u.n.ruly behavior. Ain’t this nigga a cadre? His conduct amounted to hoo.ligan.ism.

  27. @21 Garlic
    Good idea but i say let the Government pay….all those people who lost their Kachasu should be compensated and Nkombo should be fired and sent to Jail….This is a very irresponsible government…..NO TRIBAL IMMUNITY PLEASE….WRONG IS WRONG whether its commited by a Musonda or a Phiri or a Nkombo or a Kakubo

  28. This nig.ga Nkombo has very serious anger management problems. Yes he has extremely epileptic patronizing attitude that is not fit for someone in leadership. He should know better on how difficult it is to be poor. It’s funny because it is reported that the bengwa boy was going bare footed to school and kachasu has been there since days in memorial. What an embarrassment of a mu.ntu. So u.n.ruly behavior. Ain’t this nig.ga a cadre? His conduct amounted to hoo.ligan.ism.

  29. Does HH and his cabinet know the laws? How can someone do something so inhuman and still talk on behalf of his govt? Anywhere in the world this man would be prosecuted

  30. Apology, really!! Let us assume that these were rich or affluent members in society who were forced to drink Kachasu by a concerned member of the public who found them buying Kachasu, Would an apology be enough?. Rest assured that the concerned citizen would have been arrested the same day that video circulated.

    I concur with the Brooke Harrington who wrote that “Behaviors indulged in the rich are not just condemned in the poor, but used as a justification to punish them, denying them access to resources that keep them alive, such as healthcare and food assistance. Discussion of poverty has become almost impossible without moral outrage directed at lazy “welfare queens”, “crackheads” and other drug addicts, and the “promiscuous poor”

    Research has shown that the best quality for a…

  31. How bankrupt of morals we have become can be seen in a minister who has committed a crime in public going on to be this arrogant. He starts talking about compensation to detract us. No compensation will be paid. Yes no compensation is going to be made because the law should take its course. Nkombo should be ordered on what to do by our justice system. This Human Rights body should stop enganging Nkombo via media and initiate court action.It really is a morally bankrupt cabinet that thinks such a horrendous act can be swept away by a fake apology. . What is I take full responsibility for that.? How are you taking that responsibility without resigning your post? Are you saying words because you have heard them spoken in a movie? Nkombo says he knows the “devastating effects” of Kachasu…

  32. Nkombo says he knows the “devastating effects” of Kachasu on society and he still goes ahead to force a minor to drink it? If HH doesnt act he is really more toothless than Lungu. “I searched my soul and reflected upon my action of inducing a brewer of Kachasu on her and her children who are adults, to drink the harmful beer was disproportionate. Disproportionate? It was horrendous! It shows ministers dont think those who voted them into power are people.

  33. @Zennia in any civilized democracy the minister would be hounded out of office if he doesn’t resign by himself. This was a serious criminal offense and the police should have been n acting. Our police is full of cowards that act only if the offender is in the opposition.

  34. The statement by the human rights commission is very weak. This is an act not only deserving condemnation but rule of the law. They should have called for an arrest

  35. @39 Moto,
    There is some legislation in the laws of Zambia that Garry should have been familiar with like Food and drug administration ,Food and poison act when he assumed office as minister of local government and rural development.He cannot force some body to drink the so called illicit toxic liquor, knowingly it is toxic and poisonous. He has grossly erred and should just resign to save the face of UPND.Amere apology is not enough. In a democratic country he would have been fired and faced jail .

  36. This nigga Nkombo has anger management issues.
    Ain’t these niggaz public confessors of poverty stricken childhoods having going to school barefeet in the streets of bengwa and monze?
    Chap also messed up on street traders. Kachasu brewing has been going on since time in memorial. What a mess!

  37. So now in Zambia the Police pick and choose who should be arrested…..HH now is control of the Judiciary….in a normal world Garry Nkombo should have been arrested already

  38. Those of us in Lusaka and perhaps privileged to know lawyers, wake them up and tell them about this case please!
    Our friends in the US would be jumping on this case. A very straightforward case of suing the minister for violating human rights.
    Whoever represents this woman wins as a public defender and gets publicity as a fearless lawyer. Nkombo’s apology is forced and he goes on to state that he won’t compensate her, in court, he will pay millions or be forced to settle the matter out of court by paying through sweat.
    Wake up lawyers please!

  39. So he ordered the woman to report to his office in a given time frame so that he could apologize to her. That’s arrogance not an apology.

  40. Nkombo has realized he made a mistake and he has apologized. This in itself is a good gesture. many abuse their powers expecially in yester years but could never ever apologize to anyone. How people lost their lives to gassing? How many lost their business in City Market? who apologized? No one. This woman cannot report the matter to police because brewing Kachaso is illegal.

  41. People must really be fed up with this government. Imagine all Kaizar Zulu’s posts have majority upvotes! It has never happened on LT

  42. #50 Doug. The issue here is people voted for decency and this is what we get
    If you think it’s okay to misbehave because even the previous ministers were misbehaving, then there’s no need to change government… the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know.

  43. I heard that he even chased street vendors from the streets and where does he expect them get money from and they are a very people who put him in power but right now he has forgotten everything, come 2026 they will start begging people and be nice to them.

  44. I am just thinking… maybe Garry Nkombo is not happy with the ministry that he’s been given so he has to vent his frustration on this poor woman. Him and Mweeta are in a low boat

  45. Really unacceptable by Nkombo. He violated so many laws with this barbaric act:
    1) Overstepping his mandate and acting like a law enforcement agent;
    2) Forcing people to drink a beverage deemed harmful and illegal. It’s like forcing someone to drink poison or disinfectant or bleach. What if they were killed?
    3) The act above should be illegal in itself. It’s like asking someone to stop murdering people and instead asking them to kill themselves and their children.
    4) Above all he committed serious violations of human rights;
    He needs to resign or be fired.

  46. How Zambians live without High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) beats me because stories like this are the right ingredients for that condition. Ba Garry sure.

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