Rights activist reports Hichilema to SADC
By George Zulu
A HUMAN rights activist has petitioned the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to stop President Hakainde Hichilema from “cannibalising” the opposition and stifling democracy ahead of next year’s general elections.
In a letter addressed to SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi, activist Pumulo Situmbeko states that Hichilema is involved in schemes aimed at undermining the largest political party in Zambia, the Patriotic Front (PF).
Situmbeko says Hichilema is violating human rights, abandoning the rule of law and his plans to rig next year’s elections are intense and far advanced.
“I write to you as a human rights activist and founder of the New Era Democratic Party (NED), a legally registered opposition political party in the Republic of Zambia. I want to express my grave concern over the deteriorating political environment and its implications for democratic governance and the upcoming 2026 general elections. This letter also serves to validate and reaffirm the concerns raised by the Patriotic Front [PF] in their recent correspondence to your office,” the letter reads in part.
Situmbeko says Zambia’s democratic space is shrinking under Hichilema’s draconian reign.
She writes that the country’s political space is also compromised by the abuse of institutions such as the Judiciary, the police and other State agencies.
“Several reputable international bodies, including the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United States Human Rights Country Report, have documented serious and escalating governance concerns in Zambia, characterised by shrinking democratic and civic space, political intolerance and use of State institutions to persecute critics, suppression of freedoms of assembly, association, expression and the media, decline in the rule of law and judicial independence,” Situmbeko says.
She has doubted if Zambia will hold a free, fair and credible election under Hichilema next year.
“Under the current circumstances, the forthcoming general elections are at serious risk of failing to meet the general standards of free, fair, credible and democratic processes unless urgent corrective measures are implemented,” Situmbeko said.
She writes that Hichilema’s government is using the office of Chief Registrar of Societies, a government department, to kill democracy by interfering with the operations of the opposition.
Situmbeko said the pattern of activities by the UPND was consistent with the interference previously reported against the PF, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Democratic Party (DP).
She says the UPND has weaponised law enforcement agencies by systematically targeting opposition leaders, journalists and civil society organisations through arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions without due process and broad State intimidation.
Situmbeko said the UPND government was behind the enactment of dictatorial laws such as the Cyber Security Act and Cyber Crimes Act passed secretly in March this year.
“They have compromised the independence of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ). Partisan-aligned appointments to the Electoral Commission of Zambia have severely eroded public confidence. Interference in opposition parties by creating and supporting parallel leadership structures to destabilise legitimate opposition organisations. Violent attacks on opposition offices, notably the raid on the former ruling party secretariat at Lumumba/Panganani Road in Lusaka involving state security agencies and ruling party cadres with no arrests or accountability,” she said.
She requested SADC to take a keen interest in the deteriorating situation in Zambia ahead of the elections.
