By Merlyn Mwanza
There is no Robbin hood in criminality, says Home Affairs minister Jack Mwiimbu
Responding to questions over the arrest of opposition members of parliament, Nickson Chilangwa, Ronald Chitotela and Kalalwe Mukosa, Mwiimbu said there was nothing tribal in the arrests because the people who actually reported the mentioned people were from those same regions.
“Law breakers should not hide under the guise of tribal discrimination,” Mwiimbu said, adding that nobody was above the law, including those holding dignified positions.
Mwiimbu responding to the question asked by leader of the opposition Brian Mundubile, who wanted to know why it was only members of parliament from a certain region who were arrested, wondering whether some of those in the ruling UPND had not been reported to the police, and why the matter was being brought up now when the alleged offences happened months ago.
But Mwiimbu said the police could not act then because they feared the then ruling PF, forcing Shiwang’andu member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo to question the rationale of that response when the same police was arresting ministers in the PF administration, plus the fact that the said people were no longer members of parliament when the said offences were committed.
But Mwiimbu said this was not the first time people holding dignified positions or even those who had a status in society, saying under the PF government current head of state Hakainde Hichilema was arrested 15 times, including Chishimba Kambwili, Dr Chitalu Chilufya, Chitotela, Romeo Kang’ombe, Keith Mukata and many others.
“Those committing offences were not doing so on account of their tribe,” Mwiimbu said, wondering if the PF were arresting the same people on account of tribe as they are currently insinuating.
He also dismissed the question by Chama-South member of parliament Mung’andu that some police officers had been transferred from Kawambwa, with others sent from Lusaka to deal specifically with Chilangwa and Chitotela. Mwiimbu said he had no personal interest in the matter.
“There is no Robbin hood in criminality,” said Mwiimbu.
