Zambia sanctions from UN a scar – Kalaba
Harry Kalaba, the President of the Citizens First party has described as sad, the UNHRC decision to drop it off the list of member countries.
Kalaba said the UN bodies decision confirms that Zambia is teetering on the brink of becoming a pariah state in the eyes of the international community.
“It’s very sad that our country once known as a shining example of a budding democracy that respects human rights is now being relegated to the cesspool of a human rights abuser this ought to change for the better,” said Kalaba.
The CF president, also a former long term serving Minister of Foreign Affairs warned that if Zambia under the administration of president Hichilema does not change, it could face further sanctions from other international bodies.
“Today it’s the UN rights body,” Kalaba said, “tomorrow it may be SADC, EU, USA or some such and before we know it, we will stand isolated like political lepers.”
The CF president said the latest UN decision to sanction Zambia is informed by numerous reports coming out of the southern African country regarding evidence of wanton abuse of human rights under the UPND government of Mr Hichilema.
Kalaba said arbitrary arrests of citizens and prolonged illegal detentions beyond the stipulated legal requirement constitute one of the reasons Zambia is off the list of countries on the UN rights body now.
Zambia’s fall from the UN grace is also buttressed by past condemnation from it’s own Human Rights Commission, the United States department and others.
Kalaba said unbeknownst to president Hichilema and his cronies, the deteriorating state of human rights in Zambia could negatively impact his re election bid next year.
“We need to bring Zambia back to the top of the food chain regarding human rights and the fight against corruption and in my view that is only possible under CF,” said Kalaba
Source Harry Kalaba CF PRESIDENT