The recent revelation of an in-service recruitment exercise by the Zambia Police Service has continued to attract backlash from citizens, political figures, and the church, with many questioning the transparency and accountability of the process.
Various stakeholders have since called on the police to suspend the ongoing exercise and restart it under a more open and transparent framework.
The controversy began on Saturday after an internal memo outlining requirements for successful candidates in the 2026 Zambia Police Service in-house training programme surfaced on social media. The document quickly circulated online, raising eyebrows and sparking widespread public debate.
In response, Zambia Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi clarified that there was no “secret recruitment,” but rather an internal staffing exercise necessitated by attrition, retirements, and resignations within the service. He explained that such exercises are common in public institutions and are distinct from the regular recruitment process, which is publicly advertised and has yet to be conducted.
However, despite the clarification, concerns have persisted.
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), among other stakeholders, acknowledged the police explanation but maintained that the process still raises critical questions regarding transparency, accountability, and timing.
“Citizens have a legitimate right to know how public resources are utilized, including the processes through which individuals are recruited into positions funded by taxpayers’ money,” said CCZ General Secretary Father James Phiri.
Fr. Phiri also noted that uncertainty remains regarding the total number of individuals recruited under the exercise. Since the issue came to light, figures circulating on social media have ranged between 3,000 and 4,000 recruits, although these numbers have not been officially confirmed.
“In the absence of clear and comprehensive information, such developments naturally give rise to concern and heightened public interest,” he said.
“It is not unusual that when information appears unclear or insufficient, the general public raises serious concerns,” Fr. Phiri added.
The CCZ has since urged relevant authorities to consider revisiting the process to ensure that all established procedures are followed, thereby strengthening public confidence and trust.
Meanwhile, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) and Brian Mundubile, chairperson of the Tonse Alliance, have called for the immediate suspension of the recruitment exercise.
“We call on the government and the police service to halt the ongoing training. The recruitment of police officers is funded by taxpayers. It is therefore essential that the process be transparent and accountable to the public,” said Mundubile.
EFZ Executive Director Reverend Allan Kasungami also questioned the scale of the recruitment, stating that the reported number of recruits is too large for an internal exercise.
“The Zambia Police Service, as a public institution funded by taxpayers’ money, must adhere to established recruitment procedures that are open, fair, and transparent. Public service cannot and should not be privatised,” he said.
He further urged the police to withdraw the current exercise and instead follow proper, transparent recruitment channels that uphold integrity and fairness in public service.
As debate continues, pressure is mounting on authorities to provide clearer details about the exercise in order to restore public trust and confidence.
We aren’t stooped. Even the blind can see this is wako ni wako at work. Publish the names of the recruits and they will all be from one region. And we know there are some who didn’t work in ZP. Democracy operates on transparency, something the UPND administration doesn’t practice.
The voices complaining will die down in a matter of days, that’s the trend in Zambia and politicians know this, hence no concrete word from those governing