Zambia Police under Covid-19, New Normal

SUN REPORTER writes INSPECTOR General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja, has said that in the new normal, there is need for police officers to uphold human rights and respect gender in the course of performing their duties. Inspector General Kanganja says policing communities under the coronavirus pandemic has instigated much public discourse and anxiety. Speaking during the launch of the Standard Operating Procedure for the Zambia Police Service in response to the Covid-19, Mr Kanganja said the Ministry of Health has identified police as critical stakeholders in the Covid-19 preparedness and response programme. He says the men and women in uniform are equal to the task. The United Nations (UN) in Zambia said this today, during the launch of the Zambia Police Service (ZPS) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on COVID-19. The UN Resident Representative, Dr. Coumba Mar Gadio said “as law enforcement officers carry out their duties, there is need for them to follow guidelines which ensure respect for human rights.” A people-centred response that engages communities affected by COVID-19, respects human rights and inclusion of gender equality and dignity for all is critical in ensuring that law enforcement is in line with international human rights standards for pandemic response. With learned and documented experience on carefully crafted procedures in fighting infections such as Ebola and Zika Virus, UNDP understands that institutions of law enforcement such as the police are globally complementing the health response in enforcing public health measures that safeguard vulnerable groups. Citing, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, UNDP Resident Representative, Lionel Laurens said that, “the best response is one that responds proportionately to immediate threats while protecting human rights and the rule of law”. The Inspector General of Police has since directed provincial, district and unit commanders to quickly familiarize themselves with standard operating procedures for effective dissemination of information. Meanwhile, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Zambia, Coumba Mar Gardio, has said the intervention in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Zambia Police Service comes as part of the collective UN response to Covid-19 in Zambia. In mitigation Walubita explained to Senior Resident Magistrate IdahMupemo that he smokes Marijuana because it gives him strength considering the kind of work he does. And United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Lionel Laurens, has said that the Covid-19 has provided institutions with a litmus test of how to collaborate in a timely, co-ordinated and efficient way to address a common challenge. Mr. Laurens says experts from the UN police, UNDP New York and the United Nations Human Rights Commission were all involved in the development of the Standard Operating Procedure for police officers. From the time Zambia announced its first case on March 18, information on radio, television and newspapers have been flowing from both the government and its partners. The Sun