NO, THEY ARE NOT POLITICAL PRISONERS – THEY ARE CONVICTED CRIMINALS
In recent months, a dangerous narrative has been gaining ground in Zambia’s political discourse — the idea that certain individuals facing prosecution or serving jail sentences are “political prisoners” or victims of persecution simply because they once held political office or harbour presidential ambitions. This narrative is not only misleading but also undermines the rule of law and the very foundations of justice in our country.
Let’s be clear: these individuals are not being jailed because they are presidential aspirants — they are being jailed because they committed crimes.
Zambia’s justice system, though imperfect like any other, provides numerous safeguards to ensure fairness. Those accused of crimes enjoy access to competent legal representation, are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and are given the opportunity to appeal their cases through multiple levels of the judiciary — from the Subordinate Court all the way up to the Supreme Court. The individuals in question have had every chance to defend themselves using some of the most experienced lawyers in the country.
When convictions finally occur, they come after protracted legal battles, often stretched over several years. By the time judgment is delivered, the accused have exhausted every legal loophole and technicality that could possibly tilt the case in their favour. Their convictions are not the product of political manipulation, but the outcome of due process — built on evidence, legal argument, and judicial independence.
It is disingenuous and dangerous to portray such individuals as martyrs of democracy when in reality, they are beneficiaries of an extensively fair justice system. Their sentences do not stem from their political ambitions but from their own actions — actions that broke the law. When the courts, after careful consideration, find them guilty beyond reasonable doubt, that verdict must be respected, not politicized.
This culture of shielding powerful figures behind the veil of political persecution must end. Justice should not depend on one’s political status or social standing. Ordinary citizens who commit similar offences face the full weight of the law — so why should politicians be treated differently?
If we continue to romanticize criminality and disguise it as political victimhood, we risk normalizing corruption, abuse of power, and impunity. We risk sending a dangerous message — that one only needs political relevance to escape accountability.
Zambia’s democracy thrives when the rule of law stands above individuals, not when individuals stand above the law. Those convicted have had their day in court — and lost. They are not saints being punished for their ambitions; they are offenders being held accountable for their actions.
Let us stop rewriting criminal records into political fairy tales. Justice is not persecution.
Bravo