A Zambian civil society group, Our Civic Duty Association (OCIDA), has petitioned the United States government, demanding for sanctions, including financial sanctions, visa restrictions and travel bans, against President Hakainde Hichilema and seven top government officials over alleged undermining of democratic rights in the country.

Apart from President Hichilema, the group listed Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister, Jack Mwiimbu, Inspector General of Police, Graphel Musamba, Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti, and Chief Justice Mumba Malila.

Others in the black list of the CSO include the Director of Public Prosecutions, Gilbert Phiri and Electoral Commission of Zambia Chairperson, Mwangala Zaloumis.

The petition which was signed by the Chairperson of OCIDA, Emeritus Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu, said it was deeply worried by the continued abuse of institutions of governance and the erosion of democracy in Zambia.

“Of particular concern are the violations of democratic rights such as the right to public assembly, free speech, freedom of association and the right to a speedy trial,” Mpundu said in the petition.

He stated that the continued abuse of state institutions like the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Independent Broadcasting Authority, the Zambia Police Service, the National Assembly of Zambia and the Judiciary was worrisome.

The CSO noted that on several occasions, it and other organisations such as the Zambian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Law Association of Zambia and Chapter One Foundation had called on the Zambian government to respect and enable the expression of these fundamental democratic rights, to no avail.

“Our combined calls have fallen on deaf ears. What we have instead witnessed over the last several months are further restrictions on these rights.

“Public rallies by opposition parties continue to be banned by the Zambia Police Service, the Judiciary continues to engage in what appears to be wilful delay of the resolution of urgent political matters affecting the main opposition party,” Mpundu said.

He further alleged that the “executive arm of government continued to interfere in the operations of other institutions,” adding that the leadership of the National Assembly has continued to undermine democracy in parliament as critics of the government continue to face intimidation and threats from state institutions.

“OCIDA calls on the United States government to impose financial sanctions, visa restrictions and travel bans against the below-named officials of the Government of the Republic of Zambia whose conduct has aided this continued suppression of democracy in Zambia,” the statement reads.

The group expressed confidence that its plea would be heeded in the wake of a recent decision by the US government to impose similar sanctions on members of the government of Zimbabwe who were at the forefront of restricting democratic rights, tolerating corruption and abusing governance institutions.

“It in this light that we petition the administration of President Joe Biden, through the US Embassy in Zambia, to impose sanctions on the named officials of the Zambian government.

“If there is one person who deserves sanctions for undermining democracy and democratic rights in Zambia, it is President Hichilema.

“Not only is he the one responsible for the appointment of other democracy-threatening officials, he has also aided their conduct by neglecting to reprimand or sanction them for undermining civil and political rights.

”Although many people think the current President of Zambia is a darling of the United States, we believe that the interests of the two nations are by far larger than the interest of an individual leader especially when that leader is in the forefront of undermining democracy and abusing institutions of governance.”