Africa-Press – Zambia. HIS EXCELLENCY ELIAS M MAGOSI
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
SADC HOUSE
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
PRIVATE BAG 0095
GABORONE
BOTSWANA
RE; THREATS TO DEMOCRACY, AND THE HOLDING OF FREE & FAIR ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
I’m a senior member of the Opposition Patriotic Front party here in Zambia. I’m a Member of the Central Committee and hold the position of Chairperson for Information and Publicity.
We wish to bring to attention serious development occurring in Zambia that requires immediate attention by the leaders of the SADC member states.
This letter has been written to the attention of both the Chairperson of SADC, His Excellency President Cyrill Ramaposa and the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, His Excellency Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika.
Various international reports including the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United States Country Report have cited Zambia for serious violations and abuse of human rights, for negative activities shrinking both the democratic and media space, the break down of the Rule of Law, the abuse of the law against political opponents and critics of government.
Zambia is scheduled to hold Presidential, Parliamentary, Mayoral, Council Chairpersons and Local Government elections in August 2026.
However, the holding of credible, democratic, free, and fair elections, is under serious threats unless the government of President Hakainde Hichilema is persuaded to abandon the course it currently is on.
As you are aware, elections are a process and most of the irregularities, infringements, violence and negative conditions occur way before the voting day.
The SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, mandates member states to hold elections using shared values that promote Democracy, respect for human rights and the Rule of Law as enshrined in the SADC Treaty signed at Windhoek, Namibia in 1992, a matter that guarantees durable peace and security in member states and the SADC region.
The Government of President Hichilema has:
1. Since 2021, banned political campaigns, protests, demonstrations, and picketing by the Opposition and other social formations. The Zambia Police uses the pretext of “security concerns” and the archaic Public Order Act to stop, arrest and prosecute those that may hold “Illegal Assembly”. Although President Hichilema promised to repeal the law whilst in Opposition, he has weaponized it together with other laws such as the colonial laws on sedition reprised to criminalize speech and criticism against government.
2. He has weaponized Law Enforcement Agencies that are being used as tools to detain, arrest and imprison political opponents. He has also effectively interfered with the Judiciary, issuing running commentaries, threats and accusations against members of the Judiciary. He has caused transfers and dismissals of those deemed, without foundation, sympathetic to the previous regime.
3. Government has passed oppressive and repressive laws that have literally taken away constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms. Among the laws passed include the Cyber Security and Crimes Acts passed in March 2025.
4. He has caused a significant purge of the civil service, dismissing, retiring or suspending professionals and with open discrimination, caused appointments of persons to man key institutions based on tribe and region.
5. He has appointed members of the UPND, the ruling party, to run the Electoral Commission of Zambia thereby depriving it of its sense of independence, objectivity and fairness.
6. President Hichilema has engaged in systematic process to steal, kill and destroy the largest political party in Zambia, the former ruling party, the Patriotic Front party.
He has installed his own surrogates as Office Bearers of the Party, displacing the legitimately and legally constituted team. He has since caused the recognition of these surrogates in Parliament masquerading as Leaders of the Opposition and illegally drawing public financial resources and fringe benefits.
Despite the overwhelming evidence that State House is behind these sponsored schemes, he alleges that this is mere factional or internal fights in the Party, a false assertion betrayed by the evidence.
7. Consequently, he has caused the banning of participation in elections of the Patriotic Front Party and causing his surrogates to enter into alliance with his Party thereby denying millions of members of the Party from their right to associate with the Party of their own choice.
8. The Party’s Secretariat located on Corner of Lumumba/Panganani Road in Lusaka, is frequently attacked and invaded by both the Zambia Police and the UPND. Party property, furniture, cars and other equipment have been frequently destroyed and damaged and personnel manning the premises have suffered brutal attacks. Since 2021, there have been several attacks on the Party Headquarters with authorities failing to arrest or prosecute anyone of the culprits.
9. President Hichilema has embarked on a constitutional-making process to negatively influence the upcoming elections. This process has been rejected by almost all stakeholders including the Law Association of Zambia, Church Mother Bodies, NGOs and Civil Society Groupings.
10. Currently, our Secretary General of the Party, Hon. Raphael Nakacinda has been jailed for a speech offences and imprisoned for 18 months. He has been denied bail pending appeal and like many of the leaders in the Opposition and critics of President Hichilema, he is also facing numerous charges, like many of our leaders and members of the Opposition suffering similar fate.
All these actions go to threaten the holding of credible, democratic, free and fair elections and if not handled will threaten Zambia’s enduring peace cherished and held for decades.
We are ready to travel to Gaborone and present evidence of the matters presented in this letter for the attention of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, responsible for promoting peace, security and stability in the region.
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
