JOINT CSO PRESS RELEASE DATED FRIDAY 30TH APRIL 2021 ON THE ATTEMPT TO PROSECUTE DR. SISHUWA SISHUWA FOR SEDITION
By Linda Kasonde
Executive Director,
Chapter One Foundation
We the undersigned civil society organisations note with great alarm the attempt by Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union Mr Emmanuel Mwamba to have Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa prosecuted for the offence of sedition through a letter allegedly authored by him dated 26th April 2021. In the said letter, Ambassador Mwamba accuses Dr. Sishuwa of publishing an article which contains seditious material. Dr. Sishuwa, like any other Zambian citizen, has the right to hold and share his own independent opinions and to freely express himself within his rights in line with the guaranteed right to freedom of expression contained in Article 20 of the Constitution.
The ability of any person to exercise their freedom of speech within the law is one of the tenets of a democratic society. The freedom of speech and the right to an opinion necessarily includes the right to hold and share opinions that raise pertinent questions, challenge the status quo, provoke independent thought and even shock. That the Ambassador would first accuse Dr Sishuwa of being paid to author his opinions and later attempt to have him prosecuted is unacceptable in a democratic dispensation. In fact, Ambassador Mwamba’s attempt to use state institutions to silence Dr. Sishuwa merely gives credence to Dr. Sishuwa’s questioning of the independence of such state institutions. Efforts to silence independent opinions such as those of Dr. Sishuwa are better spent addressing real problems such as corruption and the rampant and violent disregard of the law exhibited by political cadres that has been raised on countless occasions yet continues to be met with resounding silence.
In any democracy, issues of public interest must be freely discussed without fear or bias. The importance of diversity of opinions and sharing of information cannot be overemphasised and is enshrined in the Constitution. In addition, Zambia is a party to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance which charges states to ensure political and social dialogue as well as public trust and transparency in order to consolidate democracy, a fact that Ambassador Mwamba is well aware of. We will therefore not be silent while fundamental tenets of our democracy are threatened. We urge members of the public to equally speak out against this attempt to stifle the freedom of expression of ordinary Zambian citizens in a fast shrinking civic space.
Linda Kasonde
Executive Director, Chapter One Foundation
Signed for and on behalf of:
ActionAid Zambia
Caritas Zambia
Chapter One Foundation
GEARS Initiative
Peoples’ Action for Accountability and Good Governance in Zambia
Transparency International Zambia
Zambia Council for Social Development