NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW – WHY THIS CLAIM IS CONTESTED IN ZAMBIA: THE SUMMONING OF BISHOP ALICK BANDA
By Kellys Kaunda
In principle, the statement that no one is above the law is a moral imperative that no one must dispute.
It upholds the eternal truth that all human beings are created equal.
It promotes a sense of justice and fairness irrespective of social status.
However, the Zambian experience, from colonial days to this day – 2026, the claim that no one is above the law rings hollow.
In fact, it is an insult to the collective intellect of the Zambian people.
Despite lofty claims of the rule of law, no single government in Zambia has played fair.
The record of each government is filled with pages and pages of men and women whose rights were trumped upon with impunity.
In full view of a helpless public, those in power have openly confessed the use of imingalato to desecrate the democratic space clearly daring anyone to raise the voice of protest at the pain of losing their freedom.
Consequently, citizens have been so afraid, their voices are only confined to social media spaces and phone-in radio, television and live social media programs.
Those who have dared take to the streets or gates of parliament to raise a placard have swiftly been hauled into police vans and driven to police stations.
The laws of sedition and hate speech are largely applicable to government critics.
Against this backdrop, the statement by the DEC that the summoning of Bishop Alick Banda was a demonstration that no one was above the law rings very hollow.
When I heard the words, I said to myself, “are you being serious right now?”.
To DEC I must say, “if you find it hard to believe that there are Zambians that don’t believe in your claim of professionalism, it’s because they have seen too many cases of double standards and clear favoritism informed by political considerations”.
So, you can’t blame Zambians for seeming to politicize what ordinarily would be accepted as normal criminal investigative work.
Especially when it involves a high profile individual like Alick Banda who is publicly detested by those in power, no amount of claim of professionalism will be accepted by the public.
Until the UPND government convincingly levels the playing field (which is very unlikely), interviews or interrogations of known government critics will always be political and the public will react accordingly.