FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STATEMENT ON THE UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR’S ONE-SIDED AND UNFOUNDED ASSESSMENT OF ZAMBIA’S DEMOCRATIC STANDING
Lusaka, Zambia – As a proud and patriotic citizen, I find it deeply troubling that the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Ms. Gina Romero, has chosen to publish a hasty, inaccurate, and one-sided assessment regarding Zambia’s democratic and human rights environment following our recent general elections.
Her recent news release contains significant errors of law, presents unverified allegations as settled facts, and grossly interferes with the internal security and legal sovereignty of a democratic nation.
Under international law, the mandate of UN Special Procedures requires strict adherence to objectivity, impartiality, and non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
UN Charter Article 2(7) clearly forbids the United Nations from intervening in matters that are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state.
Furthermore, the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate Holders (Human Rights Council Resolution 5/2) dictates that experts must show restraint, evaluate facts objectively, and give national governments an adequate opportunity to respond before rushing to public condemnation.
Ms. Romero has failed on all these counts. Operating from a distance without thorough local verification, she has ignored input from the Zambian authorities and passed judgment on active court proceedings, risking the prejudice of our judicial process.
Furthermore, her reference to treason as a capital offence displays a lack of basic legal accuracy, Zambia abolished the death penalty in 2022, removed it from military law in 2023, and acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 2025.
It is disappointing to watch UN special mechanisms rush to issue public statements on domestic law enforcement matters while remaining virtually silent on pressing, large-scale global crises. When the world needs the UN’s firm voice on devastating international conflicts, mass civilian displacement, and severe violations of international law in regions like the Middle East or Eastern Europe, its processes often appear slow and hesitant. Yet, when a sovereign African nation enforces its domestic laws to maintain public order, UN rapporteurs are remarkably quick to condemn.
In contrast to Ms. Romero’s approach, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy engaged directly on the ground in Zambia, choosing constructive facilitation over media condemnation. The Special Envoy safely facilitated the handover of opposition leaders to security agencies, operating on explicit assurances that their fundamental rights would be respected, a promise the Zambian government continues to honor.
The UPND government is a law-abiding administration that has elevated the respect for human rights to unprecedented heights. From abolishing the death penalty to reforming public order practices, these strides are not mere rhetoric, they are actively enshrined in our national laws.
However, the international community must not confuse legitimate criminal investigations with political witch-hunts. Being an opposition leader or a political figure does not place anyone above the law, nor does it transform a criminal suspect into a political detainee.
Allegations involving national security and treason are grave matters that must be tested by our independent courts, where all suspects enjoy the presumption of innocence and due process.
As a nation, Zambia has matured beyond partisan politics when it comes to national safety.
We urge the United Nations and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to hold their mandate holders to the highest standards of fairness:
Retract and Correct: The Special Rapporteur must publicly correct the factual and legal errors in her release, particularly regarding capital punishment and unverified electoral allegations.
Respect Judicial Processes: Allow Zambia’s law enforcement agencies and judicial institutions to perform their constitutional duties without external interference.
Engage Constructively: Future assessments should align with observations from regional bodies like SADC, which recognized our post-election environment as peaceful and an improvement over past elections.
Zambia remains a committed constitutional democracy, open to fair scrutiny, but strictly grounded in mutual respect and national sovereignty.
Signed,
Edmond Mbanga Miti Jr.
Deputy Spokesperson
UPND Alliance.
Lusaka, Zambia