Minister of Home Affairs Davies Mwila yesterday told Parliament that Government will soon introduce a law to restrict the sale of machetes commonly known as pangas.
Mr Mwila said in the wake of politically-orchestrated violence, Government will be compelled to put in place a law to guide the selling of machetes.
The minister was responding to a question by Kasempa member of Parliament Kabinga Pande (MMD), who wanted to know if a machete is an offensive weapon, during points of clarification.
This is after Mr Mwila presented a ministerial statement on the alleged curfew in Choma and training of militia in Lusaka.
“Mr Speaker, machetes are sold openly on the streets. Do we need a permit to own a machete? In the villages almost every house has an axe and a machete to use for cutting trees and branches. So, is a machete an offensive weapon?” Mr Pande asked.
The minister explained that one does not need a permit to buy a machete but that Government will soon restrict its sale.
“Government will soon introduce a statutory instrument to restrict the sale of pangas,” Mr Mwila said.
Mr Mwila told the House that police raided a property in Lusaka following intelligence information that the UPND was training militias with a view to disrupting peace if it loses the general elections.
“Sir, police found the following offensive weapons at the premises: seven machetes, one pistol, one golf stick, a number of catapults and five pairs of boxing gloves. A training register with names of people who had participated in the training exercise code named ‘50 percent plus one’ was also found in the training hall,” Mr Mwila said.
In 2013, the late President Michael Sata refused to issue a ban on the use of Machete (Pangas) in the country. In response to Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Minister, John Phiri who asked the president to issue the ban, Mr Sata explained that the move would lead to loss of business by some Zambians.
The President instead directed the then Home Affairs Minister, Edgar Lungu, to deal with all law breakers in the country.