“If a Zambian Said It, He’d Be in Jail” — The Brutal Reality Behind the HIV Drug Theft Scandal
By Ephraim Shakafuswa
Let’s not pretend. If what the U.S. ambassador said last week had been said by a Zambian — especially someone in the opposition or civil society — they’d be behind bars right now.
Ambassador Michael Gonzales calmly stood before the press and declared that life-saving HIV drugs, donated by the U.S., were being systematically stolen and sold in Zambia. He added that the Zambian government failed to act, prompting the U.S. to slash $50 million in health aid. That was a foreign diplomat saying the government is complicit in corruption — and the government responded with polite press releases and a promise to “investigate further.”
Now imagine this: a Zambian opposition leader steps up, says the same thing, and demands donor countries suspend aid until reforms are made. What would happen?
He’d be called a traitor.
He’d be arrested for “endangering national security.”
He’d be dragged through state media, accused of selling the country’s image to the West.
He’d probably spend nights in police custody under vague charges like “cyber abuse,” “false information,” or “inciting public alarm.”
Because in today’s Zambia, truth is only tolerable when it comes from foreign lips. The local citizen who speaks out is not a whistleblower — he’s an enemy of the state.
State media would run screaming headlines: “Opposition Leader Begs for Sanctions Against Zambia!” or “Foreign Puppets Undermining National Unity!” Meanwhile, ruling party officials would spin the story into nationalist outrage: “No Zambian should ever ask donors to stop helping our people!” — as if stolen medicine is help.
Let’s be clear: the theft of HIV drugs is not just corruption — it’s murder by negligence. Every ARV stolen and sold in a private pharmacy is a life endangered in a clinic. And yet, when a foreigner says it, we accept it. When a Zambian says it, we crush him.
The real scandal isn’t just that medicine was stolen. It’s that the truth has to be imported.
This is a very true observation and deserves a sincere reflection.
Simply put, let’s believe in ourselves first.
This is a very true observation and deserves a sincere reflection.
Simply put, let’s love, believe and trust in ourselves first.
Well if he blatantly lied to incite the public or defame the government like the opposition chula’s do, he’d have been surely kicked out. Remember that foote that the pf kicked out was he not telling the truth or what when he was thrown out? Be serious and think through your comments before you just confirm buchula!!!!
Sadly, some people don’t understand that diplomats enjoy some immunity that ordinary citizens don’t. If a diplomat commits an offense, the best a hosting country can do is to request the diplomat’s country to recall the diplomat involved. They cannot easily be arrested like ordinary citizens, unfortunately.
That is Shakafuswa for you. Ask him what he was doing for a living in 1998-99. And you will wonder how such characters ended up as Deputy Ministers with outbursts like this.
Ah, no. This is exaggerration. Zambians are accusing the government of corruption everyday. How many are in jail? It is such lies that land you in hot water.
The people that are in jail have been tried by competent courts, found wanting under the preferred charges and jailed correctly. No one is ever sent to jail for expressing contrary views. Those who have been jailed have been charged with under existing laws and taken to court where they have preferred to play foolishness instead of defending themselves. They have thus been found guilty and sent to jail.