Sunday, February 9, 2025

The Desperate Plot By Offenders To Paint Zambia As An Abuser Of Human Rights

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By Dr Nevers Mumba, President
Movement for Multiparty Democracy, MMD

The chorus that we are hearing that the Zambian government is abusing human rights is being sang by political leaders facing the law on corruption charges.The UPND led government has taken huge steps in improving the human rights index for Zambia over the past three years.By removing political cadres and violence from the political space, the UPND government has created a new political environment of peace, progress and potential prosperity for the nation.
Under the previous Patriotic Party(PF) regime, Zambia was known as a lawless nation which was governed by political cadres from the ranks and file of the then ruling party.

As president of the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy, I can attest to the brutality of the previous regime. Political violence which mostly ended in loss of life was the order of the day in every election cycle. As opposition parties, we were not allowed to campaign freely. Rallies and any special political meetings were not allowed. Access to public media was a preserve of the PF party.

The MMD has documented evidence of arbitrary arrests. We were publicly tear gassed out of meetings. By the use of the Public Order Act(POA), our party did not receive any police permits to hold political party meetings between 2012 and 2021 outside the official campaign seasons.It was Zambia’s darkest season in our democratic journey.
In the short three years that the UPND has been in government, violent cadres are off the streets and bus stations. Campaigns are violent free. Freedom of expression is available to all as evidenced in print media, radio and television. One just needs to turn to both public and social media to attest to these freedoms. To show commitment to these values, the UPND government repealed the law and removed the defamation of the president clause. This allows opponents to freely criticize the president without any legal implications.

The claim by the former ruling party members that the UPND government is abusing human rights is a battle strategy to deflect the fight against corruption. Many leaders of the previous regime are being challenged in the courts of law to account for their unexplainable wealth.

The arrests of those suspected of corruption are done in accordance with the rule of law. They are arrested, charged, committed to court and granted bail depending on the nature of the case. We do not consider such a process as abuse of human rights.

We urge the UPND government not to cower or be intimidated. Corruption MUST be fought and won.
The PF party just officially launched a misinformation crusade across the country to paint the current government as an abuser of human rights by creating stories and scenarios that are non existent. They have further decided to tarnish the image of Zambia abroad all in a bid to get themselves off the hook of prosecution for their abuse of power.
The rule of law is at work and no Zambian should be deceived by the insincere tears of offenders of the law.
We however urge the police to ensure that they use even handedness in dealing with any citizen who is found to be on the wrong side of the law. There should not be any sacred cows in the fight against corruption. Past, present and future offenders should all be held to the same standards.
I thank you.

32 COMMENTS

    • It’s too late to campaign to the rapoteur, I don’t think he will even read your article. How can removal of cadres from bus stops be a score on human rights in the very few bus stops Zambia has. The rappoteur is not even looking at that. Let her do her work. The panic is very glaring

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  1. Fyabufi ewe.Zambia is rotten under HH at least ECL was good things were moving now with HH awe kuwayawayafye.am a in house lawyer for north western water in solwezi nothing has happened with this ka HH at least Lungu gave us money under nakachinda not aba Nzovu the useless minister that ministry of water development and sanitation has ever had.umungulu fye

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    • Education is good for sure. The fact that you are so blind to know that Lungu messed up the economy is very sad. He borrowed and put the money in his pockets, and you can`t see anything wrong. Only a few like you were given that stolen money destroying the economy.What comes out from your back side is very sad, “at least Lungu gave us money under Nakachinda.”This time around you have to work to get paid bane or dance pelete

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    • Sorry pastor Mumba, there is nothing to tarnish when Zambia does not really have an image to show for.
      The Kenyan panelbeaters meant to give a face to our president is example given. Those image builders were hired to veneer the rotten dry fish, coating it with a film of oil to make the government leaders attractive and sellable. Zambia and her president have no image. Remember, a country is shaped by its president.

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    • -Tito.

      I never received any charity from that regime. I still don’t wish to get any financial relief from you or yours either.
      I like bitter beverages no wonder I go for lemonade, yet am not bitter myself. Unless you are out of touch with reality, you will keep falsely comforting your soul. Enjoy yourself while you can, but nothing lasts forever under the sun.

  2. His last paragraph makes more sense; police need to exercise “even handedness”! The ACC Act in its present form favors those in power and needs to be looked into with the view of making the ACC independent. Currently, it’s not independent.

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  3. From the kandile’s mouth? This is not about the opposition painting Zambia black. It’s plain to see with naked eyes by anybody, off course apart from the praise singers like you.

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  4. Very tactical man this one, saw that MMD does not exist, just went to shunt himself in UPND. But his newly found friends will be caught by rappoteur

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  5. If this MMD President was objective, he could have put up a balanced article. And being a ‘christian’ and a ‘pastor’ he could have said on these highlighted issues I don’t think the opposition are right, they have public rallies every weekend and on the other side the UPND should improve on this.

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  6. To me it’s no surprise this has come up again and again
    It started back in KK’s day and has continued in various degrees in one form or another for the last 60 years
    Every regime since then has told us Human rights and freedom of speech is their number one priority
    Yet all have attached hidden T & C’s which only come to light when they feel offended

  7. The Main cause is the economy which is at standstill as such it is a challenge for zambians to meet the high cost of living.
    Nothing seems to show in three years of new
    Dawn except hope.

  8. You don’t need to plot. These things are seen by everyone except Mr Nevas Mumba. Why Me is not PF but a concerned young Zambian who only protested over poor power supply. The only offence is that he reminded HH of his campaign promises on load shedding. This is just one example.

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  9. Dr. Mumba is obstructed. He can’t speak properly when his mouth is full. Let him also know who Yeshua is from then on he may talk sense. May the good Lord he serves richly bless him with kindness, truthfulness and unfailing love.

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  10. Where is the “plot”? I haven’t seen anything about human rights online. Maybe it’s imaginary, like witchcraft “plots”

  11. As soon as defamation was removed sedition, espionage and “reasonable suspicion” took hold. Our constitution has enough tools to use in a similar fashion as those so-called repealed provisions. In fact most of these charges were almost linked to treasonable acts in the past and one would hardly ever hear about them.

  12. From the rivers of stealing , looting, cader violence, tribal attacks, unpalatable on air insults by cadres……….

    In the previous regime,……..

    everyone knows the current clean up is necessary and over due…….

    That is the clean up they are referring to as human rights abuses………

    The whole world supports this necessary cleanup………

    On one will pay attention to their lies……..

    We are here

    FWD2031

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    • Spaka us on here represent 001% of the voters
      I speak to workers friends and villagers all the time 99% are fedup and see nothing meaningful going on, I can also tell you ECL’s name keeps coming up time and time again Whilst I dont understand why or agree the fact remains !!
      So really I dont know whom you speaking to ??? or getting your facts from

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    • Tribal attacks where? The Upnd made it impossible for government officials to work in Southern Province.
      Silvia Masebo yesterday was boasting: EVEN IF THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN REGIONS DON’T VOTE FOR US, WE WILL STILL WIN WITH VOTES FROM SOUTHERN, NORTH WESTERN AND LUSAKA PROVINCES. If that is not admitting that Upnd is a tribal party, then what is it. Actually kandile Nevas once said that Upnd is tribal

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    • Tikki

      The people you talk to are clearly beneficiaries of the lungu regime …….or tribal suprematists……..

      Who in their right mind can wish for a return of the PF cader violence era. ??

      Dejavu

      I ask you one question

      Why is it that 99% of HH critics are from north region mostly and some from the
      east ??

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  13. His opposition colleagues entrusted him to be the lead negotiator for them in engaging President Mwanawasa on a number of concerns, instead the man was going there to negotiate for a job and became Vice President, but of course and as expected short lived. And today he should lecture us, he cannot even past the first step of any integrity test this one

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    • Please tell him again. Is he related to that Mwewa of something Lane?
      The man was only saved from the jaws of the commercial banks by being appointed vice president.

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  14. PF under ECL was the worst period for Zambia’s democracy, only those with short memory and criminal minds miss ECL the president that had nothing to a billionaire together with his relatives and friends plus extended relatives such as those in the comments….who feel are more important than any other Zambian…they know themselves…Its good they are no longer in power…Never again will Zambia be ruled by criminals

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