“It is not possible that only opponents of the party in power are criminally minded”, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has charged.
In their just-released Pastoral Statement on the State of the Nation, the Catholic bishops under the ZCCB auspices state that a review of Zambia’s prevailing political environment indicates “a deeply worrying departure from the ideals of a politically plural society.”
Citing the “increasing arrests of opposition politicians and unlawful detentions”, the ZCCB has expressed its grave concern about the turnover of arrests of opposition politicians by the police.
Clarifying that the arrests in question are not corruption-related, the ZCCB points out that not less than six opposition party presidents have recently been arrested on various charges and that the number is much higher when other opposition officials are included.
“We are referring to arrests of a political nature that fall within the realm of the exercise of democratic rights…It is not possible that only opponents of the party in power are criminally minded, so we are left to wonder if the frequent arrests and detentions of opposition leaders and officials is a deliberate strategy aimed at instilling fear and intimidation in them.”
They allege that perhaps the targeted arrests and detentions of opposition political figures are intended to keep them busy in court with costly and time-consuming litigation that undermines their political work, and “potentially securing convictions that exclude them from participating in future electoral contests.”
The ZCCB states that it is more alarmed by the disturbing trend by the police of keeping suspects in detention for a period longer than prescribed by the law.
“In a truly functional constitutional democracy, neither the police nor the party in power have the authority to prescribe to opposition parties how the government should be opposed.”
The bishops say these actions undermine the fundamental rights and freedoms of speech and assembly and cast doubt on the government’s commitment to democratic governance.
They have reminded President Hichilema that during his election campaign prior to the 2021 general election, he pledged to uphold and ensure the rule of law according to the constitution.
“However, recent events have tended to cast doubt on the promises he made,” they charged.
