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The Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to consider dismissing Zambia Army Commander Lt. Gen. Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele over alleged remarks suggesting he intended to ‘exterminate’ illegal miners.
PeP president, Sean Tembo, said that although Minister of Defence, Ambrose Lufuma, condemned Zyeele’s statement, the party believed the minister’s intervention did not address the core issue.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday, Tembo said Zyeele’s “threats of extermination against civilians” rendered him unfit to continue leading the Zambia Army and that he “must be dismissed forthwith.”
He argued that the fundamental issue was that the Army Commander should have known that Zambia was a constitutional republic and that every arm of government, including the military, must operate within the law.
“The Army Commander should also have known that the Constitution does not provide for extermination of wrongdoers, but rather it provides for their arrest and presentation before courts of law,” Tembo said.
He added that by threatening the extermination of illegal miners, Zyeele demonstrated a “total disregard of the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia.”
Tembo said such conduct might be excusable for an ordinary citizen, but Zyeele, holding a senior national security position, should exhibit higher standards.
“As Commander of the Zambia Army, he is a very senior person in the national security establishment of the Republic of Zambia,” Tembo said.
He noted that while the Zambia Army was regarded as one of the most disciplined military forces in the world, threats of extermination made by its Commander risked damaging the institution’s reputation dating back to independence.
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Tembo further stated that the position of Army Commander demanded a person of sober character, and the party’s view was that Zyeele “no longer meets that threshold.”
“As President Hakainde Hichilema considers this matter, we wish to emphasize that our call for the dismissal of the current Army Commander is neither partisan nor political in nature, but prioritizes the national security interests of the Republic,” he added.
He warned that any hesitation by President Hichilema to take appropriate action “would be at his own peril.”
Zyeele was reported to have ordered illegal miners in the Lower Zambezi in Siavonga District to vacate the area immediately or face forced eviction.
He further stated that security forces were prepared to enforce the order and remove illegal miners across the country if they fail to comply.
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