Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa has described the detention cells at Lusaka Central Police Station as “hell on earth,” citing conditions he says are degrading, unsafe, and unfit for human beings.
Sampa made the remarks after spending two nights in police custody over a cyber-related matter. He said the environment inside the holding cells was characterised by filth, insect infestations, overcrowding, and the absence of basic privacy.
“At night, mosquitoes swarm above you, and cockroaches crawl across the walls, floor, and even on people. These cells are hell on earth,” Sampa said.
He stated that detainees are forced to use open pit latrines without partitions, leaving inmates exposed while using toilet facilities. According to him, the lack of separation between sanitation areas and sleeping spaces contributes to foul odours, health risks, and psychological distress.
“There is no privacy at all. Everything is open. Human dignity is completely ignored in those cells,” he said.
Sampa noted that Lusaka Central Police Station remains largely unchanged from its colonial-era structure, with aging infrastructure that has not kept pace with modern custodial standards. He said the facility’s outdated design makes it difficult to maintain hygiene, manage overcrowding, or prevent the spread of infections.
His account adds to broader national concerns over the state of police detention facilities, which have recently drawn attention following reports in the press about overcrowded cells, delayed court processing, and poor custodial conditions.
Recent court-related reporting has highlighted challenges within the criminal justice system, including congestion in holding facilities, prolonged detention of suspects, and the strain placed on police infrastructure by high arrest volumes in Lusaka and other urban centres.
Sampa warned that extended detention in such conditions could result in illness, exposure to disease, and long-term health complications, particularly for detainees with existing medical conditions.
“These are not animals. These are citizens. Even when someone is accused of an offence, they still deserve humane treatment,” he said.
He called for the immediate demolition of the existing detention block and the construction of a modern facility that meets acceptable health, safety, and human-rights standards. Sampa suggested that the Constituency Development Fund could be utilised to finance a new police station.
“Demolish this structure and rebuild it. By August next year, Lusaka Central should have a new facility. Resources can be found, including through CDF,” he said.
The remarks come at a time when public institutions across the country are under growing pressure to improve service delivery and infrastructure. Coverage in national newspapers has recently focused on government efforts to modernise public facilities, including roads, schools, health centres, and police posts in various districts.
Against that backdrop, Sampa’s comments have resonated with citizens who say similar conditions exist in other police stations around the country. Social media users and community voices have shared accounts of overcrowded cells, poor ventilation, and inadequate sanitation.
Police authorities had not issued a formal public response to Sampa’s claims at the time of publication. Attempts to obtain comment from senior officers at Lusaka Central Police Station were unsuccessful.
Sampa said he did not seek preferential treatment during his detention and instead chose to speak publicly to highlight the conditions faced by ordinary detainees who lack influence or political standing.
He maintained that custodial facilities, especially in the capital, must reflect basic standards of decency, safety, and respect for human life.
Atleast, now you can reflect and write on something valuable and not the rubbish often on FB page.
At least JM has the state of art office so why should he bother ? Everything under his ministry is an eyesore from getting a reg card, passport , drivers license, registration of a society, fire arm etc junkies on the roads, road safety, petty crime, police cells… but his focus is no roadblocks
In a country with regular cholera outbreaks, should nt the IG for police be charged for aiding the spread of an epidemic?
For all we know the current outbreak may have started from Lusaka Central
This ministry is a total mess, any way like all other ministries If you want to prove this, go to any department or office under this ministry tomorrow, where you are supposed to spend 5 minutes, you will spend over an hour. And nobody is talking about training and retraining people in this ministry of home affairs in customer service, sense of urgency, performance management and re orientation. My friend just left a police reception mid way where he went to report some thing, and since he lives in the developed world he could not stand what we go through daily
I agree with Davies Mwila, this Sampa guy brought the confusion upon PF. Why is he not expelled. Remember he could still be a mole in PF. How do you trust such a character. And rememver since all parties just have expulsion as the punishment in their rules, why not use it.
Opposition, please unite. And you tuma smaller opposition parties because there is none the nig size of PF, stop victimising and black mailing PF. I mean small and non existence parties of Pule, Saboi, KBF, NCP, CF, PEP, PAC, LM and other tuma small parties which will experience the gnashing of teeth this August, you cannot bully PF, when you are just pretending to exist.
Ba Sampa seem surprised about the status of detention facilities in Lusaka! He was the Mayor for Lusaka and he did nothing about it. He is drinking from is own bitter medicine. He should be ashamed even to complain. He had the power to contribute for betterment . Polical leaders, learn to improve public facilities including prisons and hospitals you dont know how you can find yourself there.
Yes am sure it was like a hotel when he was in charge, suddenly not so
But to a devil’s advocate here a little bit ,the police department is NOT under the purview of the Lusaka Mayor. That is duty of the larger GRZ or the ministry of the interior /domestic security to be specific.
Sampa shoul’ve known this long ago when his own PF party put HH in Chimbokaila prison.Now he’s self-righteous because it was his turn to taste prison stay?
Their Cairo Road office was known for openly asking for bribes from passport seekers. Have they stopped this practice? Who will clean them up??
The whole prison structure in Zambia is a mess and disgusting! Why can’t new buildings be put up? Why should human beings be treated worse than animals?? Where are the human rights lawyers, and MPs to petition for this. ?? Whichever government will be in power in August 2026 must work on this.