Asking the President to honour campaign promises is now considered an offence in Zambia
By Sishuwa Sishuwa
This is Jason Mwanza (see image attached), a 28-year-old unemployed youth activist in Zambia. He has been in police detention without charge for almost two weeks now. His offence? Conducting a peaceful lone protest against acute unemployment, continued high-level corruption in government, the cost-of-living crisis, rolling power blackouts formally lasting a minimum of 21 consecutive hours a day, and the perceived failure of President Hakainde Hichilema to honour his campaign promises on these issues.
After completing secondary school in 2016, Mwanza, who grew up in an orphanage in Lusaka after his dad died when he was 9 months old, went on to study hospitality management and graduated in the expectation that he would find a job. In 2021, he voted for Hichilema who promised to create employment opportunities for young people like him. Three years later, he remains unemployed and has had to withdraw from further studies due to financial constraints. Deprived of a formal job and with his ability to make ends meet curtailed by crippling load shedding (officially, ordinary Zambians only have a maximum of up to 3 hours of electricity per day), Mwanza notified the police, as per the law, about his intention to hold a one-person peaceful protest against the status quo that threatens his very survival or life.
As if to convey an enlightening statement, he chose the Freedom Statue as the venue for his lone protest. The Freedom Statue – a 12-foot sculpture constructed in 1974 on the orders of Kenneth Kaunda to symbolise Zambia’s triumph from the chains of subjugation – was the same place where Hichilema, then in opposition, had conducted a lone protest (see image attached) before the 2021 election to draw attention to the same issues that Mwanza now sought to bring to President Hichilema’s attention. Unlike Hichilema, who was not arrested for his lone protest or for stating at time that corruption, load shedding, unemployment, and high cost of living are a result of poor leadership, Mwanza was arrested on accusations of unlawful assembly and seditious practices.
Two other youths – Thomas Zulu and a 30-year old unemployed female graduate of the University of Zambia named Chanda Chikwanka (see image attached) – who later expressed support for Mwanza’s right to protest, in the belief that they live in a liberal democracy that provides for free expression, were also arrested exactly eleven days today. They too remain in police detention without formal charges and have been denied police bond.
These latest infringements on fundamental freedoms have been aided by a pliant Judiciary that effectively operates as an extension of the executive and primarily sees its role as that of pushing the presidency’s agenda. The latest infringements also come in the wake of recent damning reports from the United Nations Human Rights Council and Human Rights Watch on the worrying state of human rights in Zambia today. The reports show growing intolerance for political opposition and dissent, cases of arbitrary arrests and detention, and continued violations of the rights of expression, peaceful assembly and protest.
For the @UN_SPExperts report, click here: ohchr.org/en/press-relea…
For the @hrw report, click here: hrw.org/world-report/2…
Embarrassed by the bad publicity generated by these reports, the Zambian government, instead stopping to supply the material that feeds that bad publicity, tried to dismiss the UN report, claiming that it was misleading and false. Yet around the same time when the government spokesperson was extolling its supposed commitment to protecting human rights, the police were arresting Mwanza, Zulu, and Chikwanka for reminding President Hichilema to fulfil his campaign promises. To read the government’s response to the UN report, click here: diggers.news/local/2024/08/…
To be fair, the Hichilema administration has commendably abolished the notorious law on defamation of the president, long used by successive incumbents to deter legitimate criticism through the threat of arrest and numerous convictions. However, it (the administration) has since employed other repressive laws that remain on the statutes to suppress human rights. A key example is the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act that inhibits the right to free speech. In opposition, Hichilema condemned this “bad law” and vowed to repeal it, if elected: “Our first task once you elect us this August will be to repeal this bad law!” To see Hichilema’s pre-election promise, click here: x.com/HHichilema/sta…
In power, his administration has deployed the same law he previously denounced as “bad” to arrest and imprison critics and political opponents on charges of hate speech, among others. The government has even announced plans to expand the restrictions of this law in order to curb what Hichilema recently called “the abuse of social media in the name of democracy.”
facebook.com/story.php/?sto…
As I have shown in greater detail elsewhere, the Hichilema administration has also regularly employed the Penal Code Act, a colonial-era relic that contains provisions that criminalise free speech, to arrest critics and political opponents on a variety of charges ranging from sedition and the use of insulting language to criminal libel. The modus operandi of these arrests is generally the same: arrest the activists and opposition leaders, keep them in detention for a period longer than authorised by law, and either release them on police bond without ever taking them to court or drop the charges after court appearance. Even members of the clergy have not been spared from this continuing onslaught on human rights. For instance, in January this year, police on the industrial Copperbelt arrested and detained pastor Duncan Simuchimba of Kings Church for speaking out in defence of marketers. For details, click here: zambianobserver.com/kitwe-pastor-d…
Arrests and court cases have a demonstrative effect on even those who are not caught up in them: the costs of participating in political activities deemed inappropriate by the government. Strongly discouraging them from challenging the government, activists and the opposition are made aware that at any time they could have their lives upended and spend weeks or even months in detention and protracted legal cases. For a detailed analysis of how Hichilema is abusing the law to achieve partisan goals, click here: mg.co.za/thought-leader…
For a long time now, several civic institutions and prominent individuals have repeatedly raised alarm about the increasing restrictions on human rights in Zambia. For instance, in March this year, the highly-regarded retired archbishop of Lusaka, Telesphore Mpundu, petitioned the United States to impose targeted sanctions on State actors seen as primarily responsible for this sustained assault on political and civil rights.
Earlier, in November 2023, the influential Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a strongly-worded pastoral letter in which it reprimanded the government for exhibiting authoritarian tendencies and failure to guarantee fundamental freedoms. A month before, in October, a consortium of 12 civil society organisations expressed deep concern about the spiralling infringements on human rights.
For retired Archbishop Mpundu’s petition, click here: diggers.news/local/2024/03/…
For the pastoral letter by signed by all the 12 Catholic Bishops of Zambia, click here: facebook.com/story.php?stor…
For the concerns of increasing repression raised by local civic groups led by @CofZambia, see here: dailynationzambia.com/2023/10/democr…
Under international human rights obligations, the Zambian state has three responsibilities: (a) to ensure that all persons under its jurisdiction enjoy their rights (b) promote human rights and investigate violations; and (c) punish violators of human rights. President @HHichilema is later this month scheduled to address the @UN General Assembly at which he is expected to extol (!) his human rights record. This realisation might explain why his administration is trying to discredit the fairly accurate UN report, even as the repressive actions of the Zambia Police Service continue to paint a more realistic picture.
This is zambia for you.
If he were doing the right things by voters, he would not feel the need to silence them.
He has taken us backwards this man. And he expects citizens to eat his nonsense.
Vote wisely in 2026.
Promises are being fulfilled.
One by one; methodically, it’s happening.
Let me refresh my mind for the sake of some of you who still insist and pretend like promises are not being fulfilled;
1. Free education. Done. Fulfilled
2. Decentralisation – in local government government – done. Fulfilled
3. Inclussive Cabinet. Done. Fulfilled.
4. Incresed CDF and equal distribution – done. Fulfilled
5. Debt restructuring. Done – fulfied.
6. Fixing and growing the economy. Done and being done. The debt restructuring which the PF who brought this problem and failed to resolve it. done. The economy which was operating in the mud water (in the negative) has and is being washed from the mud and in the negative to the clear land and in the positive. Done and being fulfied.
7. Creation of employment. Done and fulfilled. Additionally, we know it is an on going venture – is being done and being fulfilled.
8. Stopping caderism, restoration of the rule of law. Done ( though there could be one or two cased but it is done, anyone involved, the law openly takes over even the to PF utwasungulukila mu public and some trying to hide in UPND they arare being uprooted.
9. Investor confidence, promotion of peace and unity in the Country. Done and being done.
10. Empowering the youths, women and the general citizenary. Done and being done.
11. Rentation or restoration of meal allowances to Public university students. Done. Fulfied.
12. An increase on the loans and bursaries for tertiary education students. Done and being done.
13. Corruption tu PF kabolala and others being fixed. Done and being done.
Other promises are being knocked offone by one.
So what is your problem. Bwanaaa
Things arr happening.
BALLY UNLOCKING THE LOCKED…
TAZARA= unlocked
Lusaka Ndola dual carriage way = Unlocked
Mopani =Unlocked
KCM =Unlocked
Shaft 28=Unlocked
Mingomba mine =Unlocked
Mulungushi textile =Unlocked
Ndola Mufulira Road =Unlocked
Masangano fisenge Luansha Road =Unlocked
Chibuluma Road =Unlocked
Batoka Maamba road =Unlocked
Maamba collieries = Unlocked
United Capital Fertilizer LTD =Unlocked
NCZ =Unlocked
#Twendenankwe H7
He applied to protest alone where did the other two come from. So he lied that he was going to be alone and when he was given a go ahead he thought the police were gullible and he invited his friends, another mistake. The first one is about employment issues, how many youths have been languishing in our streets even before the upnd formed government and when they came into power even the blind Historian somewhere should be aware that they have made strides to lessen the unemployment levels which they inherited with alot of hope to employ some more in the next remaining years to reach 2026, so that young man should know that his time will come just the same way it came for those others. No wonder he applied alone because most of his friends were employed already by the same upnd, unlike the PF at least the upnd can choose to be boastful on this issue because they have done much more than any other government in the same period. How on earth can a normal person surely continue fighting a government over a natural disaster, that caught everyone by a surprise. I thought blame would have been directed to previous successive governments who didn’t do much or totally nothing on finding or putting up an alternative energy solution to hydro. Alternative solutions are being done now when there’s already a problem. And how on earth surely can that be HH’s problem. Out of 20 000 000 or so people, alone you protest, that’s ignorance and we all know it has no defence. That’s why even you boss you can’t do it let alone being solo because you know it’s largely a natural cause and not what you want to insinuate in your write ups. I don’t remember seeing you protesting for none conviction when Milingo surrendered back K24m which could have been one of the reasons why that young man and friends could have delayed to find employment, i mean, most of those employed by the upnd should have been employed by MMD and PF, but because of what you don’t want to talk about you choose to heap it all on the three years of upnd. Let him try to apply for work elsewhere if in a hurry where they employ every day here in Zambia when you are left out you wait for another recruitment time. PF never even employed publicly the way upnd is doing it, so let him just understand and spare us that rhetoric, maybe that’s where he deserves to be. Next time let him tell the police the exact number of people to accompany him unlike lying that i am alone and then you are found to be Two. Blame yourself baba
Correct me if I’m wrong. I think Sishuwa is trying to say…
Democracy = locked
Why is it that people who did not vote for HH are the ones who in the forefront reminding him to fulfil his campaign promises?
Why can they focus on what the PF promised them?
I submit.
With all due respect lets not vilify criminality. The said person to whom Sishuwa wants to insinuate broke the law. The language that was used was heard and can be referenced in the video clip. The law was cited.
While we have the democratic right to freedom of expression. That right is not absolute. Reading the article and some of the comments show that the writer as usual shows his vain attempts to seem educated but lacks widom. The rest are just beyond redemption.
If the Police would like to people to appreciate the point I made. The matter should be presecuted. This matter is as similar to the Kambwili. The evidence is overwhelming. The law is the law. Lets not make a mockery of the law
Sometimes it is easy to be convinced by the critics of the president who claim that he (the president) has surrounded himself with mostly incompetent people. For instance the claim that the government is doing nothing about high unemployment levels is being harped on and on. One would have by now expected the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Information to counter those critics’ assertions with facts since there has been some notable movement in that area. Everyone is aware of the recent recruitments in the education, medical, police service, correctional service, and military sectors. When is the Minister of Labour going to provide employment statistics for public and private sectors since the UPND took charge to date? People have a right to criticise and to take what the government says with a pinch of salt. It is up to the government to convince the citizens with tangible evidence. The apparent laissez-faire attitude of many of the current ministers must be worrying even for the president. It is not an exaggeration to state that KK’s 1964 cabinet was much sharper than what we have in place today. The current government must be wary of the fact that it is not dealing with the docile Zambians of the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s. Never take Zambians for granted. Ask UNIP, MMD and PF who know the painful wrath of Zambians.
The part of the banner that reads “2 Months or else” what did the protestors or their sponsors mean? the current presidential mandate end in 2026, so by what wisdom or knowledge do these protestors think they will do in case their demands are not met within the 2 months ultimatum? That statement is more like a threat to the president and police need to get answers about that. for sishuwa i think i believe now that there is a difference between wisdom and being learned. Sishuwa is learned but lacks wisdom, we cant be supporting everything even illegal in the name of opposing the govt or state.
Sishuwa is not representing Zambians except himself. Surely in Zambia, which amongst the opposition so called nashala neka party can be supported by Zambians to remove HH. All are light weights. And that includes Lungu who is trying to use Zambians to get him out of his corruption cases when they come up as seen by how he has made his family rich with government money. We are already told how many billions of dollars he has.
He does not wish to go down without fighting so, he rejoins politics hoping to use the sleeping Zambians get him out of the hot seat of corruption. We will not allow him to use us. We want our money back whether Sishuwa wants or not. Taking propaganda to UN will not work we have Zambian laws here.
Afuledi Matako’s side chick and erstwhile Matero Dr when he speaks, nimalabishi yeka yeka, wonder why???