Let merit, not partisan loyalty guide police recruitment
THE recent revelation by Kantanshi Member of Parliament (MP) Anthony Mumba that the government may be planning to employ United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres into the Zambia Police Service ahead of the August elections is a matter of serious concern.
While Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Jack Mwiimbu has assured the public that the recruitment process will be transparent and inclusive, the very perception that appointments may be politically motivated threatens the credibility of one of Zambia’s most critical institutions.
The Zambia Police Service holds a constitutional mandate to protect all Zambians and their property, regardless of political affiliation, tribe, race, or religion. Its officers are entrusted with maintaining law and order and upholding the rule of law.
Yet, over the years, the service has been criticised for lapses in professionalism, particularly in instances where individuals or organisations appear not to align with those in power. The risk of politically motivated recruitment exacerbating these lapses cannot be ignored.
The recruitment of UPND cadres into the police service, as alleged, sends the wrong message. It risks transforming a constitutionally independent institution into a political tool for oppression of opponents, rather than a neutral guardian of public safety. Even if these allegations are eventually proven inaccurate or the process proceeds transparently, perception alone can erode public trust.
Citizens must have confidence that when they approach the police or rely on their protection, their political beliefs will not influence how they are treated. A police service perceived as partisan is a service that has lost moral authority.
It is important to recall the history of politically motivated appointments in Zambia. During previous administrations, accusations of party-aligned officers were common. The UPND itself previously criticised the Patriotic Front (PF) for employing what were termed “junkies” aligned with the former ruling party. To now consider employing cadres in the same manner risks perpetuating a cycle of politicisation that undermines governance and the professionalism of state institutions.
What could be the motive of recruiting cadres from the ruling party as police officers? If such people were employed, what would stop the service, under instructions from politically compromised senior officers, from deploying them at the polling stations, assigning them to police the transportation of ballot papers and policing totalling centres as part of the UPND’s evil scheme to rig the forthcoming general elections?
We hope the rebuttal by Minister of Home affairs and Internal Security Jack Mwiimbu is not a cheap cover-up.
Mwiimbu did not refute the existence of a letter from the UPND secretariat addressed to the police command with a list of UPND cadres to be recruited before the elections.
His denial sounded hollow. It was poor damage control.
Zambia cannot afford to inherit another layer of partisan appointments; it is a step backward for democracy and good governance.
The principle is simple. Government institutions, including the police, the Judiciary and other arms of governance, must recruit based on merit, competence and integrity and not party affiliation. This is not merely a matter of fairness, it is a matter of effectiveness.
Officers selected on merit are better equipped to execute their duties impartially, respond appropriately to crises and maintain public confidence. Conversely, appointments based on political loyalty threaten institutional effectiveness, fuel perceptions of bias and ultimately weaken the very foundations of governance.
The timing of these alleged recruitment of 4,000 new officers, which is so close to a general election, makes the issue even more sensitive.
Zambians deserve better. They deserve a police service that acts with professionalism and neutrality, institutions that are staffed by qualified and deserving citizens, not by cadres. Government must resist the temptation to reward party loyalty over competence or use cadres in uniform for rigging. The integrity of the police service, and indeed the credibility of the entire governance system, depends on it.
Recruiting based on merit is not merely an administrative choice. It is a moral imperative. Political interference in recruitment not only undermines the Zambia Police Service but also threatens public confidence in governance at large.
The message is clear. The strength of Zambia’s institutions lies in their neutrality and the quality of those who serve within them. Anything less is a disservice to the and a threat to our fledgling democracy.
