The statement issued byDrug Enforcement CommissionDirector GeneralNason Bandaregarding the summoning ofArchbishop Alick Bandais troubling not because of what it claims, but because of what it reveals. Banda insists the matter is “nothing political.” Yet his conduct points in the opposite direction. He chose to speak publicly about a summons that, by his own admission, is a private legal instrument.
He issued warnings instead of limiting himself to procedural clarity. He went further by prescribing how an Archbishop should present himself at DEC offices. Neutral law enforcement does not behave this way.
If the matter were routine, it would have remained routine. There would have been no press engagement, no public cautioning, and no attempt to manage public optics. The decision to step into the media space transformed a legal process into a political spectacle.
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That choice rests squarely with the DEC Director General. The most revealing moment came when Mr. Banda warned the Archbishop not to come “with cadres.” This was not a careless word.
It was a political label, loaded with Zambia’s partisan history and routinely used to delegitimise public support by casting it as disorderly or threatening. Archbishop Alick Banda is not a politician. He does not command cadres.
He leads a church. His followers are congregants, clergy, and citizens exercising conscience, not party militants mobilised for confrontation. Banda projected a political mindset onto a religious figure who does not operate in that space.
Equally inappropriate was the Director General’s effort to reference his personal Catholic faith as a shield against criticism. Personal belief is not an institutional defence. Public confidence in law enforcement is not earned through declarations of faith, but through restraint, professionalism, and adherence to due process.
More concerning is the tone adopted throughout the statement. Warnings replaced invitations. Commentary replaced procedure.
The language suggested suspicion rather than inquiry. In any justice system worthy of trust, the presumption of innocence is non-negotiable. Public officials do not speak as though conclusions have already been reached.
If the Archbishop’s name arose in court proceedings, the correct response was simple and lawful: a summons issued quietly, followed by questioning conducted without theatre. Anything beyond that creates the impression of intimidation, particularly when directed at a church leader who has previously spoken on matters of governance and public morality. The Catholic Church has long occupied the role of national conscience.
Attempts, perceived or real, to pressure or frame its leadership through state institutions inevitably provoke public resistance. History has taught Zambians to be alert when power appears eager to discipline moral voices. Banda may insist that nothing political is at play.
His language, posture, and public warnings suggest otherwise. Law enforcement exists to investigate, not to sermonise. It is meant to apply the law, not to manage narratives.
It must treat every citizen, bishops included, with procedural dignity and without insinuation. Power exercised without restraint erodes trust. Justice applied without neutrality ceases to be justice.
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