AMERICAN SENATORS REBUKE HICHILEMA: President Hichilema Is Using Oppressive Laws To Target Opponents & Undermine Elections
The USA has issued a strong rebuke to President Hakainde Hichilema for actions that seeks to undermine the elections.
READ THE FULL STATEMENT
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa & Global Health Policy, Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) issued the below statement calling for peaceful, fair elections ahead of the August 13th elections in Zambia.
“The United States values its long-standing partnership with Zambia. Over the last two decades, the United States and Zambia have partnered on peacekeeping, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programming and democracy initiatives that have improved global health, stability and social mobility. Although this partnership has been strained by the Trump Administration’s attempts to link lifesaving health assistance with critical minerals access through the Global Health Memorandum of Understanding, close cooperation between our countries remains more important than ever.
“This is why we are especially concerned by the Zambian ruling party’s attempts to undermine the country’s electoral environment ahead of its August 13th elections. The ruling party’s recent actions are reminiscent of previous elections where political opponents – including current President Hakainde Hichilema – were arrested in an effort to silence opposition. President Hakainde Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) appear to be using the same laws that once victimized and imprisoned political figures like Hichilema to propel him to a second term. Laws governing political campaign gatherings are selectively enforced to stifle opposition rallies, and Zambia’s Constitution and electoral framework were hastily reformed without meaningful civil society consultation.
“We urge all parties and candidates to commit to peaceful elections and to ensure laws are enforced consistently and fairly, regardless of party affiliation. We also call on the Department of State to increase its engagement with Zambian civil society, consistent with its longstanding efforts, to help Zambia and other important international partners uphold democracy and the rule of law before, during and after elections.
What oppressive laws is he using? Those arrested have committed a crime.
Why do folks want to speak on issues they have no factual information? Deal with you detracting Donald Trump instead of meddling in Zambian issues. You made “Your PEPFAR” conditional to Zambia giving the Trump family minkng rights. Did you speak out about that? When Lungu and his family were looting Mukula trees and his daughter who has a Green card was at the center of it all. Did you speak up about it. Your own former Ambassador has spoke to the President being corrupt. Have spoke concisely to what exactly your accusation is based on? No! You have been habouring Mr. Mwamba a known fugitive in that country while deporting folks caught up in immigration paper mess. And want to lecture Zambia about laws? When your own President is flouting so many and you dont have the moral fortitude to impeach and imprison the man? Folks are dying in Sudan and you are quiet when you know the perpetrators…are in the middle east funding the war. While handing your President a plane to keep his mouth quiet and look the other way. Quit the Quid pro quo….arm wrestling so you can sway Zambian voters. At 250 arent grown enough? Act like a grown folk…
The Democrats should be minding their own business. Why do Americans think that they are the standard for democracy when they have the most flawed electoral system in the world. Only Donald Trump has the courage to expose it as corrupt.
A useless cabal of an institution which is not trusted by even it’s own citizens. It is always rolled over by Tramp and can’t even vote against his foolish draconian so called Presidential Orders or declarations and want to lecture us about democracy??? What have done about ICE which blatantly kill and abuse it’s powers and kill in broad daylight people that have not committed any crimes!!! You don’t have any moral capacity to say anything about Zambia. Your own president went ahead to start war with Iran without congress approval spending billions expenditure on morntitions beyond allowable expenditure.
For people who have forcefully abducted a legitimate democratically voted foreign President out of his own country and now taking about internal constitutional rights within a sovereign nation which the don’t respect is quiet deceptive .
To top it off to make comments on matters they don’t fully understand in our country is quite contradictory to fair play and a balanced view of matters. Maybe ignorance may be the reason.
They break international law and feel entailed to make comments without first finding out on what the facts are on the ground from the government. Who does that. Are they saying their embassy has been in talks with government and they have informed of these assumed accusations. Only those who feel they are the world police kicking people around do such nonsense.
Common sense uses the local attached embarrasses. Context should be given. We reject this narrative and ask you to chill for now we have obervers on the ground who are able to evaluate correctly as the are prevail to all information. Not hearsay nonsense.
Quiet surprising and different from what election the observers in the country have stated.
Stop depending on lies to shape your narrative and get the truth. This is embarrassing.
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Note. Remember the outcry of weapons of mass destruction which turned out to be a lie and many people died on this misinformation. You are on record of making such reckless statements and making quick acts which are unfortunately irreversible..