Punishing Human Rights Defenders
Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba wrote;
The jailing of Lumezi Independent Member of Parliament, Hon. Munir Zulu reminds us that the law has been weaponised to punish those defending himan rights and the rule of law.
The imprisonment of Munir Zulu makes sad reading and is a clear attack on the fight against corruption, freedom of expression, right to due process of the law rights of a whistleblower.
● Undermining the fight against Corruption- When Munir Zulu revealed that he had received credible information that a bribe parcel of $250,000 was allegedly being given to Minister of Finance, Dr. Situmbeko, Infrastructure Minister, Charles Milupi and Road Development Agency Mulchand Kuntawala, as a bribe in the Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriage way, the Anti-Corruption Commission should have moved in and investigated the veracity of the allegations.
This information came in Zulu’s hands because he was a member of the African Parliamentarians’ Network against Corruption (APNAC).
The procurement of the Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriageway was marred in contraversy and irregularties, and this allegation was worth pursuing and investigating.
Instead, we saw President Hakainde Hichilema quickly rise to the defence of his Ministers claiming they were too credible ro be incolved in such a scheme and that Munir Zulu was simply lying to scandalise credible men!
● Protecting Whistleblower-the Public Interest Disclosure (Protection of Whistleblowers) 2010 provides for a framework within which public interest disclosures shall be independently and rigorously dealt with and protection of whistleblowers process must have kicked in.
The ACC must have moved in immediately to secure Munir Zulu and his sources of information to establish the veracity, truthfullness of such a serious allegations.
Its only after this if Zulu and his sources were found lying was he to be charged with the so called criminal defamation.
Despite the strict provision and protection of whistleblowers, they are being turned into victims of harrasment and prosecution.
● Right to Due Process- the trio that were accused of corruption did not come to court to demonstrate how they were offended or how lies were told about them. In short, Munir Zulu did not face his accusers in court.
Similarly, Mfuwe MP, Maureen Mabonga, FDD President Edith Nawakwi, Civil Society Activist, Brebner Changala, Christian Democratic Party President, Dr. Dan Pule and Lumezi Independent MP, Munir Zulu are facing charges of sedition and issuing hate speech.
Yet they rose to demand the immediate release of Petauke Central Member of Parliament, Hon. Emmanuel Banda who was abducted and had been missing.
The MPs also condemned the divisive rhetoric by UPND officials in Southern and Northwestern Provinces that had issued hostile threats, tribal hate speech and dirty insults against former President Edgar Lungu and the victim, Emmanuel Jay Banda. The UPND youths were never arrested.
Similarly, Pastor Duncan Simuchimba of Kitwe was jailed for nine months for advocating for the protection of marketeers at Chisokone market in Kitwe whose legally allocated stands were being demolished and without notice.