Police asks Army to relocate its military firing range from Chalala
By Staff Reporter
HOME affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo says the Zambia Police Service has engaged the Zambia Army on the possibility of re-locating the military firing range in Lusaka’s Chalala area to a less densely populated area.
And Kampyongo has hailed the Zambia Police Service command for the successful operations that have resulted in the arrest of some perpetrators of organised crime in selected parts of Zambia.
On May 9 between 08:00 hours and 09:00 hours, Elijah Phiri aged 22, a student at Lusaka Apex Medical University, suddenly died whilst standing with his friends from a suspected stray bullet.
According to a press statement issued then by Zambia Police spokesperson Esther Katongo, police received a report of sudden death from a secretary at the Faculty of Pharmacy at Apex University.
“Post-mortem is reported to have been conducted [and] the examination revealed that the deceased was shot [at] and a projectile of an unknown type of firearm is reported to have been found. The bullet entered through the left shoulder and perforated the left lung. The matter was reported the following day,” stated Katongo.
In a ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday on the rising number of gangs in some parts of the country and also on the firing range in Chalala area of Lusaka district and the alleged shooting of a student at Lusaka Apex Medical University – Kasama road campus – Kampyongo told the House that preliminary investigations showed that the undeveloped land opposite the campus was used as a firing range by the Zambia Army.
“On the basis of the location where the student is said to have been standing at the time of the alleged shooting, it is possible that the said student could have been shot [at] and caught up by a stray bullet from the range. The investigations into the matter, however, are still ongoing. Until the facts are established, it would be irresponsible and premature to draw any conclusions. So, we must therefore guard against speculations and misinformation,” Kampyongo noted.
“In the absence of a conclusive report on the alleged shooting, it is difficult to suggest what should be done to avoid similar incidents in the future. The Zambia Police Service has nevertheless engaged the Zambia Army on the possibility of re-locating the firing range to a less densely populated area. The government regrets the death of the student at the Lusaka Apex Medical University.”
On organised crime in some parts of the country, the minister pointed out that the government was extremely concerned with the rising number of “criminal gangs and crime in some parts of the country, especially on the Copperbelt Province in general and the city of Kitwe in particular.”
“Criminal gangs have largely been formed by young people aged between 19 and 34 years. Gangs have been attacking innocent citizens…. To contain the situation, the Zambia Police Service put in place a number of measures, including the following 1. established a task force to deal with the rising number of gangs and criminal activities in Kitwe, 2. Intensify motorised and foot patrols 3. put up public sensitisation programmes, especially through radio Icengelo, on the dangers of criminal gangs, importance of reporting crimes to the police and encouraging members of the public to identify and report to the police youths involved in criminal activities and suppliers of illicit drugs in their communities,” he explained.
He further commended the Zambia Police Service command for the successful operations that have resulted in the arrest of some perpetrators of organised criminal.
“Overall the security situation in the country remains stable and members of the public should therefore continue going about their business normally. I must appeal to the leadership of the Church and civil authorities to offer guidance to young people and help them desist from engaging in criminal activities,” Kampyongo said.
And in his preamble of a follow-up question, leader of the opposition in the House and Monze Central UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu said: “There are certain criminal gangs on the Copperbelt that were being glorified by the PF government and they are being appreciated.”
He asked what the Ministry of Home Affairs would do to ensure that there was no selective justice in the country as a way of rooting out organised crime syndicates.
Kampyongo, however, responded that leaders needed to debate the matter at hand with a sober approach.
