Zambia disputes Amnesty International allegations of repression

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) – Zambia disputed an Amnesty International report on Tuesday that claimed Zambians are being ruled by fear and repression.

“The Government of the Republic of Zambia wishes to categorically dispute the alleged findings of Amnesty International that the Zambian Government is restricting freedom of expression, association and assembly,” said Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Amos Malupenga.

In a statement emailed to reporters, he said contrary to the assertion made by the rights group in a 2021 report, Zambia has a vibrant civil society, alongside a thriving independent media and an impartial judiciary that protects civil liberties and checks any possible excesses of the Executive.

“The people of Zambia are free to criticise public officials while opposition parties are allowed to conduct public meetings in accordance with the law,” he said. “It is, therefore, not true that people who engage in these activities are arrested for merely engaging in such activities.”

He said the findings that many have been arrested for exercising their right to freedom of expression and opposition parties and civil society organizations prevented from holding peaceful public assemblies, critical media outlets shut down, among others charges, were out of context and should be disregarded.

Malupenga said the government respected human rights and does everything within the confines of the law.

He said all those named in the report were reasonably suspected to have broken the law and the due course of the law was being applied to ensure that justice prevails.

“The Government wishes to assure the Zambian citizens and the international community that there is no cause for alarm and the Government and its leadership is doing everything possible to ensure that the country holds free and fair elections on 12th of August, 2021,” he added.

Former Justice Minister Given Lubinda, who is part of incumbent Edgar Lungu’s campaign team for upcoming polls, said the report was misplaced because Lungu was a champion of democracy.

The report, Ruling by Fear and Repression, was published Monday in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

It highlighted several concerns, including the killing of two people when the biggest opposition political party leader, Hakainde Hichilema, appeared before police for questioning in Lusaka on Dec. 23.