BY Amb Emmanuel Mwamba
Why is the Special Rapporteur here?
There was a preliminary report issued on August 29th 2024.
“Independent experts expressed concern about multiple allegations of arbitrary arrests and detentions on charges of, inter alia, unlawful assembly, espionage, hate speech and seditious practices against opposition political party leaders and members, parliamentarians, human rights defenders and activists, as well as restrictions on gatherings, meetings, peaceful protests and rallies in Zambia.”
Zambia responded to this report on October 4th 2024 and invited the UNHRC to visit the country and make on ground asssesment.
She was sent by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate human rights practices and abuses in Zambia as catalogued by various human rights reports such as the US Country Report on Zambia and Humans Rights Watch International.
Let’s focus ba UPND, its about the allegations of abuse of human rights, tyranny and dictatorship of the government of President Hakainde Hichilema.
It’s about the harrasment of the Opposition,the arbitrary arrests and abuse of the law such as the Public Order Act, Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act and the Sedition law.
The practice of human rights by the Patriotic Front is not the focus of her visit as issues of the former government were dealt with by previous reports, statements and actions.
Surprising, the UPND’s strategy and focus has been to submit how terrible the human rights abuses were under the Patriotic Front government instead if defending their own human rights crimes!
I hope the strategy works for them.
Ms Khan is expected to deliver her final report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in May 2025.
And it will not be about the Patriotic Front, but as discussed in the preliminary report, the cobcerns about human rights practices in Zambia as we head towards 2026 elections.
It is those aspects which threaten peace, security and stability of Zambia and its nationhood.