By Mubita Nawa
In a historic moment for INTERPOL, it is notable that each region now has a candidate vying for the position of Secretary General. After a century of leadership primarily from Europe, it is time for the organization to adopt a more inclusive approach, mirroring the leadership system of the United Nations. As Africa’s candidate for the next INTERPOL Secretary General, I believe it is imperative to address the pressing need for structural reform to better meet the challenges of 21st-century global crime.
The recent conclusion of INTERPOL’s 19th Heads of NCB meeting in Lyon, where all four candidates for the next INTERPOL Secretary General were in attendance, has brought critical issues to the forefront. While the meeting highlighted the importance of increased police information sharing and cooperation, it also underscored the urgent need to revamp INTERPOL’s structure to effectively address regional needs.
Expanding access to INTERPOL’s global police communications network, I-24/7, and sharing more criminal data through its databases are positive steps towards enhancing international cooperation in law enforcement. However, these efforts alone are insufficient to combat the multifaceted and evolving threats posed by transnational organized crime. It is time for INTERPOL to rethink its approach and incorporate a more regionally focused structure that integrates organizations like Europol, Afripol, Ameripol, and Aseanapol.
The current structure and decision-making processes of INTERPOL are outdated and fail to adequately address the diverse challenges faced by different regions. To truly combat transnational crime effectively, we must ask ourselves some fundamental questions: Is the world safer because of INTERPOL? Are the Americas, Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe safer? If not, why?
As we move forward, it is crucial to prioritize structural reform within INTERPOL to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness in addressing global crime challenges. This includes decentralizing decision-making processes to give greater voice to regional concerns, enhancing transparency and accountability, and fostering closer collaboration with other international organizations and civil society actors.
The conclusion of 2024’s INTERPOL Heads of NCB meeting signifies a critical moment in the organization’s history. It is time for INTERPOL to embrace change and adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of global crime and security challenges.
As Africa’s candidate for INTERPOL Secretary General, I am committed to leading this transformation and ensuring that INTERPOL remains at the forefront of the fight against transnational crime.
The author is African candidate for the INTERPOL Secretary General
ZP ranked120 in world!
You are at level you are because of name. Zambians know who Mubita Nawa is, not you. Even those you are challenging may think you are the chola boy of HH during campaigns. Identity theft is a crime at Interpol level.
We all wish you a loss,
Only organized crime would benefit from such a candidate securing the position. Zambia Police corruption is at every level of the Force with no accountability for their unlawful actions.
ZP ranked 1200 in the world maybe more correct
It is a free for all now with them
FADED white lines now cost K100 REALLY :))
Just because you’re “Africa’s candidate” does not make you worthy Sir. It is common knowledge the quality of personnel of Zambia Police is very very poor – Mubita Nawa included. Corruption is rampant so how would Interpol allow someone from that culture of rampant corruption at every level of the Police Force to secure the top position of that body? Disastrous consequences would follow.
Political correctness. That is all this is. We know our so called officers better than anyone else. This is an embarrassment.
If Mubita is so talented a policeman why don’t we see the results in his role as Director Administration? Why send him to Interpol when we need all the “structural reform” we can get in Zambia?! This would be a joke if it wasn’t so serious. I wonder what skeletons are going to come out of his closet, causing national embarrassment.
Boston Winter Hill Gang .. a remake from Zambia to Interpol!
It is now well accepted that this government will soon fall.. Nawa’s boss Jack Mwiimbu and his gang of thieving ministers will be on the run once their sins are incobered.. has anyone watched Departed?
Mubita Nawa is the plant inside Interpol for Jack Mwiimbu in the same way Frank Costello planted John Connolly as his mole inside Chicago Police.
Movie was based on events at Boston but I take your valid point. There is a risk of sensitive operations throughout the world being compromised if the wrong officer the is at the helm of Interpol. We just cannot be sure. Imagine if someone from former capital of ISIS in Raqa Syria was made the head of United Nations Human Rights Comission? Would we trust such a person to protect the scared rights of human beings? Neither can we trust an officer from Zambia to head Interpol!
The appointment of compromised police officers to international institutions is exactly how the major criminals are able to stay one step ahead of the Law!! In Africa, how shall we separate the innumerable shake downs by the police from genuine operations?? We cannot bury our heads in the sand in denial that our police is very underdeveloped professionally and have a deep culture of lawlessness.
If Interpol really goes the route of taking an officer from Zambia to lead it, well, organized crime shall have a jolly good time and the people of the world who need protection from criminals shall suffer. If I had a vote – I would NOT VOTE for Mubita Nawa.
Sir, we have noted with dismay the deterioration of Zambia into a semi Police State over the past two years – ZP is the go to tool of Government for any and all problems it cannot handle through normal channels. This is not a track record to be proud of Mr Nawa, let alone to springboard onto a larger global platform.
Yet somehow in an atmosphere hostile to the Rule of Law, you have consistently been promoted within ZP ranks and now even stand nominated as a candidate to lead Interpol!
Thus, you appear to be a stooge to factions within the Ruling Party with no loyalty to the Constitution or the Rule of Law. The world deserves better than what you and your corrupt colleagues in Zambia Police Service have to offer.
Mr Mubita Nawa I’ve read your piece but it is the Zambia Police Service which is not fit for purpose. Don’t embarrass yourself and the continent by talking through your hat about reform. Results matter not your fake presentation. Maybe some interest groups want to give a pat on the back to their collaborators in Africa for selling our resources to them and so may dole out a few posts to give the appearance of a world better represented but we know this is a lie and you’re just the lipstick on a pig. Interpol is now just another tool in the scramble for African minerals.
To nominate an officer from Zambia Police (which is rotten to the core with corruption and abuse of the law) into Interpol would be like ingesting a Virus on purpose. Does the patient know that what he’s ingesting will eat at and destroy his organs from within the body?! That’s how organized corruption works, Mubita Nawa is a Trojan Horse.
I am in disbelief after reading this news! In my years traveling through Zambia, my experience was extreme corruption at the border posts by the tax authorities, immigration officers available for hire to settle business scores and the outright theft of goods by the Police. My company once was offered to buy back goods stolen from our warehouse in Lusaka by the Police officers tasked to recover the goods! It became clear they were behind the theft themselves! Similar experiences abound with other local and foreign businesses. The Police are not there to solve problems but are actually part of the crime syndicates operating in the country. It would be a foolish error to promote the author to an international body coming from that background of dishonesty and theft in the country.