Africa-Press – Zambia. As Citizens First (CF), we welcome the Humans Rights Watch Report of 2023 which has red flagged the UPND Government under President Hakainde Hichilema for human rights abuses in Zambia.
The report details glaring abuses of citizens with dissenting views by the new dawn government largely on freedom of speech and assembly.
This report is a confirmation of the genuine concerns raised by political party leaders, the church mother bodies, civic leader and indeed ordinary citizens on the continued intolerance, arbitrary detentions, censorship, and threats to freedom of speech and assembly.
Before the 2021 general elections, President Hichilema promised to uphold the rule of law and ensure that no one is arrested without thorough investigations, but what we see today is the exact opposite.
Our democratic space continues to shrink because most institutions of governance have been compromised, starting from the legislature which has made questionable rulings and suspensions of opposition members of parliament while those in the ruling party continue to enjoy protection from the Speaker.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia seems to be compromised as those holding key positions are UPND cadres which makes citizens question the integrity of the electoral process. We have seen candidates especially those in the PF being barred from filing nominations in parliamentary and ward by-elections which is a clear assault on democracy.
Recently the Ndola Mayor and some councilors in Kitwe were detained to prevent them from voting in the deputy mayoral elections which the UPND won with a narrow vote.
All this points to abuses on citizens rights and the Human Rights Watch is justified to red flag the UPND. We only hope the UPND will take this report seriously and correct their ways to allow citizens to enjoy their freedoms as enshrined in the Republican Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
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