IG bans police officers from marrying foreigners

By Ann Zulu

THE Zambia Police high command has with immediate effect banned police officers from marrying foreigners.

According to a memo addressed to police directors and signed by Inspector General of police Kakoma Kanganja, police officers who had already married foreigners have been instructed to declare their foreigner spouses to the office the Inspector General of police.

Police officers have since been urged to comply or risk attracting disciplinary action.

“Be informed that the police high command has with immediate effect directed that no police officer should marry a foreigner,

“Therefore, those already married to foreigners must declare their foreigner spouses to the office of the Inspector General of police,” reads the memo.

And Police spokesperson Esther Katongo confirmed the development yesterday.

Ms Katongo said the directive was to enhance and safeguard the country’s security.

She explained that the law had always been there, but however, some officers had continued to ignore it.

“The issues of security are delicate. It is possible that some spouses can be spies and can sell the security of the country. In defence before one marries, they need to take their-would be spouses for interviews,

“ It is true that this provision has always been there, but now it seems some officers are ignoring it,” Ms Katongo said.

She also clarified  that according to Section 3 and 5 of the Police Act, the Inspector General had powers to come up with a standing order to guide the running of the police, which in this case the memo was a standing order for security reasons.