We’ll protect Chinese – police

ROGERS KALERO writes THE Zambia police service will provide security to the Chinese community and ensure that they conduct their business in a free and risk-free environment. Copperbelt Commissioner of police, Charity Katanga, assured the Chinese community that men and women in uniform would provide security at its best in view of the brutal attacks the nationals from the Asian giant had suffered recently. Ms Katanga said the police would ensure law and order and that those who want to attack the Chinese would face the wrath of the law. The Copperbelt Commissioner of police was speaking yesterday at Cabinet office in Ndola when she received 30 electric thermometers worth K40,000 from the Zambia Chinese Association (ZCA) Copperbelt Chapter. The donation was made in the office of Copperbelt Minister Japhen Mwakalombe and out of the 30 electric thermometers, 25 would go to the Zambia Police Service while five would be given to the Immigration Department. She said the thermometers would be used to test the temperatures of suspects who were detained for a long time in police cells. ‘’As we receive these thermometers, I must state that we are grateful for your support and we will ensure that we provide security to the Chinese community so that they conduct business in a free and clear environment ‘’Our role is to maintain and uphold law and order in the country. Therefore, we will ensure law and order in the province and that those who want to take the law into their own hands by attacking the Chinese will face the wrath of the law,’’ Ms Katanga said. A few days ago, three Chinese nationals were brutally killed and their bodies burnt in their warehouse in Lusaka’s Makeni area after a dispute over payments. And Mr Mwakalombe also assured the Chinese that Government would ensure their safety in order to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.  The Minister said Zambia and China had continued to enjoy good relationship from the time of Chairman Mao Tse Tung and President Kenneth Kaunda were in leadership hence such a good relationship should not be destroyed by few individuals. ‘’For us, on the Copperbelt, we will ensure that we protect the Chinese nationals in Zambia. If there are misunderstandings they should be resolved in an amicable way as opposed to attacking them or brutally killing them. ‘’We have a long standing relationship with the Chinese and so let us nurture it. We may differ, but those differences should not get nasty,’’ Mr Mwakalombe said. And ZCA Copperbelt Chapter President, Wang Xin, said the donation had been made to the police and immigration to properly equip them in fighting the COVID-19. Mr Wang said the Chinese community would always join efforts with Government and other stakeholders in fighting the COVID-19 which was the enemy of the entire World. ‘’Instead of pointing accusing fingers and calling each other names, let us join efforts in fighting COVID-19. As a Chinese community, we have decided to make donations of sanitizers, face-masks and electric thermometers to fight COVID-19. ‘’This is why we will not waste time on calling people names and stigmatizing people, but we will always join efforts with Government in fighting the COVID 19 which was the community enemy of the entire World,’’ Mr Wang said. The Sun