Patriotic Front (PF) Presidential Aspirant Makebi Zulu has strongly condemned recent remarks made by Army Commander Lieutenant General Geoffrey Zyeele regarding illegal miners.
Mr Zulu, a renowned constitutional lawyer, described the Commander’s statement as deeply unfortunate, irresponsible, and unbecoming of a professional military institution.
In a statement issued, Saturday, Mr Zulu criticised the use of terms such as “exterminate and fumigate” in reference to citizens, calling the language dehumanising and dangerous.
He warned that such rhetoric evokes memories of atrocities like the Holocaust in Germany and the genocide in Rwanda.
Mr Zulu stressed that Zambia, as a nation that upholds human rights and the rule of law, must never normalise such expressions.
He argued that the Zambia Army’s constitutional role is to defend territorial integrity, not to enforce civilian law.
Deploying the army against citizens, he noted, raises serious concerns about the erosion of professionalism within the defence forces.
Mr Zulu questioned whether the government’s move suggests a lack of confidence in the police’s capacity to handle illegal mining.
He emphasised that illegal mining is a governance issue that should be addressed through law enforcement and regulatory institutions.
Mr Zulu urged the Ministry of Mines to engage, formalise, and license small-scale miners to ensure safety and environmental compliance.
He also called for simplified tax systems tailored to small-scale miners to promote inclusive and sustainable development.
Mr Zulu appealed to the President, as Commander-in-Chief, to withdraw the directive involving the army and instead empower civilian agencies to manage the situation lawfully.