Friday, March 29, 2024

Zambia to hand over Tendai Biti to Zimbabwean Authorities after Denying him Asylum

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FOREIGN Affirs Minister,Joseph Malanji briefing the media
FOREIGN Affirs Minister,Joseph Malanji briefing the media

Foreign Affairs Minister Joe Malanji has confirmed that opposition leader Tendai Biti is in Lusaka after he attempted to seek asylum.

Ambassador Malanji said Mr Biti’s asylum request was unsuccessful because but his grounds were not sufficient.

He said Mr. Biti is being kept for safe “custody” awaiting his return to Harare.

Ambassador Malanji said Mr. Biti had not been arrested but was rather detained in safe custody as the Zambian authorities awaited communication from the Zimbabwean government before he could be deported.

“He was attempting to seek asylum in Zambia but the grounds under which he would want to seek asylum are not meritorious. So basically he has not been arrested, all we are doing is keeping him in safe custody and waiting for the Zimbabwean authority to help him get back to Harare. The grounds do not merit asylum. He is not in danger. He is only going to answer charges to legitimate courts of law,” Ambassador Malanji said.

Mr. Biti, who was finance minister in the coalition government from 2009 to 2013, is a leading member of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party, which denounced Emerson Mnangagwa’s July 30 election victory as fraudulent and vowed to challenge it in court this week.

Mr. Biti had declared before official election results were announced Friday that opposition leader Nelson Chamisa had won, a claim also made by Mr. Chamisa himself.

“In a normal country, Chamisa would be sworn in right now,” Mr. Biti told reporters a day after the election.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has said it is illegal to release results before its own official announcement.

74 COMMENTS

    • What about the youths he sent into the streets to riot and get killed? Don’t they also deserve to live ? Let him get butchered and become a martyr. Afterall that’s what’s expected of national heroes.

    • Pilato was not arrested in RSA.
      Munangagwa’s parents run away from same Zimbabwe and are still in Southern Province, freely, not in SAFETY facility at Lilayi.

    • How Tendai Biti can flee to Zambia is beyond me even Emerson Mnangagwa flew to SA when he was about to captured by Uncle Bob’s hit men last year…never did he flee to Zambia where he grew up as he can not trust these thieves in PF who have zero foreign policy….they are the first ones to go for prayers and proclaim to be Christians.

    • Ours is a country of crooks and criminals who sell to the highest bidder .
      Whst about katumbi he has been denied entry to his own country on what visa is he in this country isn’t he a security risk?

    • I doubt it the PF govt even listened to his pleas for protection. Did they even ask Zambia’s high commissioner in Harare to say a thing? If we cannot protect Tendai Biti, govt should have sent him to another country willing to offer him sanctuary. Sad really.

    • I know us Zambians do not appreciate gift God has blessed us with of being the epitome of peace & prosperity in Africa. There’s a reason why we are Christian nation & why all those running away from strife come to us & why Zambians are never running away from anything. This is the most blessed position a country can be. We should be on our knees thanking God for His Eye & Care for this land and begging Him to continue blessing us with much more. God Bless Zambia

    • Sending Biti back to Zimbabwe is not the best thing to do at this time. Zimbabwe is slowly morphing into a military junta, with Mnangagwa as their figurehead. They are the de facto leaders. Even Mnangagwa knows by now that they’re the ones to be calling the shots, and he’ll have to do their bidding. While most of Africa celebrated the oust of strongman Mugabe by the military, the action was however a double-edged sword. The military recently didn’t hesitate to shoot the protesters with live bullets, just so they could send a message that they were in charge. The precedent has been set. Even Mnangwaga knows that his presidency is only safe as long as he pleases the military. He’ll make sure he follows their orders, knowing fully well that another coup-detat cloud hangs over his head,…

    • (continued)… ready to be unleashed on him, in case he forgets who the real power broker is in Zimbabwe. They put him in office after all and he can’t forget that. It’ll always be at the back of his mind. It’s against this bleak background that a fair trial for this poor guy Biti would be doubtful, and would be at the mercy of the junta. Zambia may be throwing this poor guy Biti back into a crocodile infested river, just when he thought he was safe and dry on Zambian soil. The best thing for Zambia to do is have this man choose another country he can seek asylum in—if you don’t want him to stay in Zambia. Because if you hand him over to the junta in Zimbabwe, his blood will be on your hands, once they sink crocodile teeth into him. Do the right thing.

    • This will on day come back to haunt not only the PF govt but all of us Zambians. The people of Zimbabwe will not forget this betrayal. How can we do this to our own brother. Zimbabwe is our sister nation. This is the first time Zambia has denied asylum to another seeking our help. Obote, Nkomo, ANC dissidents even several Unita militants were all at one time or another granted stay in Zambia. One day Tendai Biti’s party will rule Zimbabwe and it would be a great embrassement to the PF govt should they be ruling then to deal with a govt they betrayed. I have respect for Mnangagwa but non the less what the PF govt have done is unAfrican.

  1. Is this the chap who said there was no Democracy in Zambia when we genuinely charged Hechihechi with treason!!

    • If he was genuinely charged for treason as you foo.lishly allege, why is he not in jail. Could it be that the PF persecutors are incompetent or you have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about

    • wajimona – and whats your point? Why did you enter nolle prosequi if you geniunely charged him…some of you dingbats need to go to night school and learn to post comments and learn to also use the internet!!

    • SADC Extradition Treaty which prohibits member states from extraditing individuals to countries where their lives may be in danger or may not get a fair trial. Zambia is obligated to help him seek asylum elsewhere.
      By the way who killed the founding leader of the MDC party, Morgan Tsvangirai?

    • The Zimbabweans cause is squarely a Zambian cause, lets not pretend. These countries are twins, the election problems we face have there roots in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. They might be worse with the junta in fill control.

    • HOLIDAY IS OVER, TIME TO WORK BABA. NO MORE HIDING BEHIND STATE HOUSE WALLS, YOU CAN INTIMIDATE CK, HH MUMBA BUT REGIONAL AFFAIRS REQUIRE LEVEL HEADNESS. KAYA.

  2. #2 wajimona, is that what the baga said?
    Asylum here, is he crazy? He should know by now that we are a country governed by laws and not men. Besides, we cannot tolerate enemity with our good neighbours, Zambia is more important than Tendai, MDC, or even the Zim underfive Chamisa…kikikikikii…..how can they say that they will only results of elections if only they won?…..fucckking lock the bagas, all of them!!!

  3. You have sold the country. No principles anymore. Poverty levels are at all time high. Unemployment. Those employed are not getting paid on time. Foreigners own most of the land. Banks are ripping people off. Why being a president of Zambia if you wont help your own people?? Where are young leaders?

  4. How do you hand him back to a country he is fleeing? Why not hand him over to UNHCR or a second country of his choice. On what grounds did Katumbi get a Presidential escort to try and enter DRC? Yet a man fleeing you want to hand him back to where is fleeing from.

    • What is he fleeing from? He issued inflammatory statements with potential to precipitate to a chaotic situation and now he runs away? Let him challenge the elections in Court – isn’t that what they have already instituted?

  5. What do you expect from a spineless coward like Lazy Lungu ….he doesn’t want to upset the Crocodile as he wants to attend inauguration.

  6. I hope that the Zambian government has had a good look at the international laws about Biti’s case before reaching this surprising decision. Besides, it is not even African or shall I say Zambian. Furthermore, I hope that Zimbabwe has assured Zambia that no harm will be done to Biti.

    • WELL DONE EDGAR LUNGU FOR CAPTURING THE BASTARD I WANT TO ROAD HIS TESTICLES ON A HOT PRESSING IRON AS AN INTRODUCTION TO POLITICS KIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIK

  7. Biti should have had more sense than to choose his spineless corrupt neighbour’s to the north. As bad as the criminals he was fleeing from.

  8. Is this for real? Sending someone to be killed and you call yourselves a Christian nation? How did they determine he should be deported to Zambia? Why not give him passage to another country of his choice and safety? Tendai Biti must go to the British consulate or any other European embassies for Asylum and protection. Lungu is fulfilling the pledge for dictatorship. He is more dangerous than Idi Amin, Mobutu or Emperor Bokassa.

  9. I can’t understand this: Biti crossed to Zambia after clearance by Zim authorities, right? Or sneaked into Zed illegally and was charged for illegal entry, right? What really happened?

    • Don’t even wonder Biti is a friend to HH and openly declared Zambia is now undemocratic…he openly attacked the Zambian government when HH was in Mukobeko so now he should flee to Edgar Lungu

    • Pompa Mona. He’s not fleeing to Edgar Lungu, as though Lungu and Zambia are one and the same thing. Lungu does not own Zambia. The Zambian institutions are supposed to independently, and in fairness, assess someone’s claims for asylum, whether Lungu approves of it or not, likes it or not. You’re the same foo.lish people who give way too much power to presidents in Africa, and make them feel like they own the country.

  10. Zambian govt is supporting fellow ZIM Govt of crooks. Birds of the same feathers flock together. Zim govt is run by the military and it is the military elite eating with Zanu/PF top brass. These are guys that kept Mugabe in power for 27 years. They took Mugabe out because were afraid eating will slip away from them from the so called G40 faction.
    Luke

  11. Now zambia government you have learnt. This is how you should treat this hh & his hinchman gbm when they are declaring anyhow after an election – keep them in safe custody until they can answer to a judge. It will save you all the chaos

  12. Drink your own cocktail bra Tendai. People died bcoz of your double sharp tongue. You are so stupid like your coup Leader CHAMISA.

  13. PF is a Useless government that does not know Zambia is known as a safe heaven for many Africans seeking political asylum from their country of origin. KK opened the door for Joshua Nkomo to Thabo Mbeki when they needed safety. I hope Lungu and his *****s have a plan for when Zambia also turns it’s back on them

    • The PF cabinet is currently filled with chancers who never fought any battles or enjoyed ZP’s MMD Motel whilst in opposition … these people are enjoying Old man sweat, they wouldn’t know how it is!!

  14. The sorry state of opposition in Africa. Truly disgraceful. Well done Zambia, lawbreakers should face the law. It’s sad that normal people had to die for this spineless coward Biti, why didn’t he go in the streets himself rather than run away??

  15. Lungu is such a sellout noone who knows him can run to his country. He has sold the PLO, and sold the western Sahara freedom struggle which causes we have always supported.

  16. Malanji your move is callous and will have serious repercussions; Zambia cannot be seen to be propping up a regime that has killed 10 people in cold blood. ZANU-PF is a military-backed militia.

  17. Just to be clear – in terms of international law if an asylum application is turned down the applicant has a right of appeal. I hope the Zambian Government respects that otherwise, Zambia will not honor signed treaties.

  18. What would Jesus do? I think HH can be a better leader than Chagwa. This is failure to reason and use of fear in Chagwa to do this. I think ba Chagwa does not have a brain to think. You cannot send someone to danger or without court orders.

  19. No foreign policy, no inkling of International laws, no morals, no principles. That sums up the PF regime’s disgraceful decision. This is not about merit or what Biti has been charged with. It is about a genuine fear of persecution, torture or death if returned to Zimbabwe.

  20. Has the under5s ever agreed with pf govt. If this biti was given an asylum these minions would have still be opposing and hurling insults. They are called opposition cretins with no character.

  21. Where on earth Amb. Malanji where asylum seeking is determined in few hours? This is an indictment of the SADC Chairmanship of Defence and Security. This is the test of UN and UNHCR Protection Desk’s to protect these four Souls feom Zimbabwe. I personally urge Amb. Malanji to reconsider this and the Commission of Refugees and Hon. Kampyongo to prevail in safeguarding the lives of Hon. Go to and preserve the international law and also apply the refugee control act unselectively. We have been keeping refugees since 1959 when we hosted Polish refugees, we should not faulter now.

  22. Hon. Minister,
    Please tread very, very carefully!!!
    The political asylum is one of the human rights affirmed by Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a rules of international human rights law. All countries who have agreed to the United Nations Conventions Relating to the Status of Refugees must let people, who do qualify, come into their country.
    People who qualify for asylum are those who can show that they might be badly treated in their own country because of their:
    Religion,
    Political opinions
    Membership of a particular social group or social activities or
    Personal lifestyle and sexual orientation

    You may found yourself on the receiving end of International Law. Remember, ICC has the powers way above protection granted to you as holder of diplomatic…

  23. Lungu GRZ is for the highest bidder……just bribe one of his theiving gang in state house and decades old foringe policy is changed at a whim….

  24. Let us just try and offer Tendai Biti the asylum and you will see how unprincipled these Zambian Opposition cretins are. I can assure you, they turn around to say that the PF are playing down the neighbouring govt. Just try.

    • Thanks for the observation. ….truly is the government had otherwise, the cretins were still going to cry foul. It’s a no win situation.

  25. Zambia is a signatory to international Treaties and Conventions on the protection of and assistance to persons seeking asylum. Cardinal to these conventions is the principle on “non-refoulment” –not to expel. Zambia has and continues to enjoy international recognition for abiding by world-wide standards and norms of treating asylum seekers and refugees. If Zambia did not find Biti’s claim for asylum sufficient, it should have turned him over to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to find him another country. He fled Zimbabwe because his life is in danger and returning him not only violates international law but condemns him to death. When Misheck Muyongo fled to Botswana after the Caprivi uprising in Namibia, the authorities asked UNHCR to find him a new home, and…

  26. What was he thinking coming to Zambia should have south Africa or Botswana he was going to be safe… imagine being sent to the country where government send soldiers shoot at running away protesters not fighting back but running away.

  27. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good – Rom 12:21. Forgive and forget what Mr Biti said about Zambia and the PF gov’t; he is running away from Croc and his life is in danger, please, please don’t take him back, save his life. Do unto others as you would want them do unto you (Golden rule). It is not a secret that Zimbabwe has and will always be governed by the army, even Mr Mnangagwa is at their mercy – Mr Mugabe created all that mess which will keep haunting Zimbabwe, only God will save the people of Zimbabwe (Isaiah 49:24-26). God bless Zimbabwe, God bless Zambia!

  28. After seeing how the opposition demonstrations were fiercely dealt after 2008 election results and how the military removed Robert Mugabe from power, what were MDC thinking when declared themselves winners before official results were announced?????
    Biti and his accomplices have demonstrated an inability to think strategically and have caused needless deaths!
    I applaud the Zambian government from not allowing themselves to be of this foolishness!

  29. After seeing how the opposition demonstrations were fiercely quelled after the 2008 election results and how ZANU-PF removed their very own Robert Mugabe from power, what were the MDC thinking when they declared their presidential candidate winner before official election results were announced??????????Biti and Chamisa, what were you thinking?
    Zimbabweans deserves better-thinking leaders of opposition than these emotion unthinking adolescent!
    Well done, Zambian government! Don’t be dragged into this foolishness!

  30. If the government had allowed Biti in you would have heard the unprincipled opposition crying foul. Am sure you have all heard the comments on Katumbi. Opposition have no principles and no standing, they are spineless. They will oppose anything and everything. As Zambians we understand our opposition better than US.

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