Abash intolerance! Abash intimidation

By Daily Revelation Editor

Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) has expressed disappointment with the lack of tolerance of divergent views by the UPND government.

Speaking yesterday at TI-Z third quarter press briefing, Priscilla Chansa said there was a growing trend of not respecting divergent views by the UPND government.

“In terms of the governance arena in general, we are concerned about signs of intolerance to divergent views and constructive criticism by the UPND leadership. Most recently, the Minister of Information and Media used a press briefing to castigate and attack TI-Z for commenting on illegal mining following a News diggers investigations,” said Chansa. “Instead of addressing the concerns raised by both T-lZ and the investigations, the minister targeted the institutional reputation of T-lZ seemingly in a feeble attempt to evade accountability that had been raised over the Senseli issue.”

Not too long ago, police arrested and detained a 22-year-old activist for protesting the escalating cost of living in Zambia, and was only released from detention after 13 days. Such a serious crime indeed that one had to be kept that long in police detention without charge. Of course, one doesn’t even need to be a rocket science to determine why that was the case. The activist Chanda Chikwanka was kept that long in order to send a message to other would be protesters who are upset at the escalating cost of living in the country, that they would face the same punishment if they dared protest.

However, there is actually no crime whatsoever in any Zambian protesting the escalating cost of living as they have the right to do that. We actually urge those who feel like expressing their feelings on the high cost of living to come out and express their feelings provided they do so peacefully.

It is actually very disappointing that we should be talking about such glaring incidences of intolerance under the UPND administration given the many promises President Hakainde Hichilema gave on this score. It should also not be lost on Zambians, that Hichilema himself once conducted a one man protest in which a carried a placard talking about the alleged lies he felt the PF administration of late president Michael Sata told, and no one arrested him for doing the same. Why should it now become an issue for one to protest the escalating cost of living the President promised he would address but has not addressed? Yes! We know there was a drought which has impacted negatively on the economy. But that should not be used as an excuse over the many things that have gone wrong in this country.

For instance, it is not the drought which increased the price of fuel by almost 100 percent from around K17 to over K33 in less than two years, neither was it drought which increased mealie-meal prices from around K130 to over K320 for 25kg bags. Drought did not escalate the cost of electricity units and the connection fees thereof.

It is very clear that the government is very determined to stop citizens from expressing their rights on matters they feel uncomfortable about. They fear that the free expression if allowed could result into something similar to the demonstrations which rocked Kenya and forced that country’s President to dissolve the entire Cabinet and withdraw the controversial bill from Parliament the people were protesting against. However, free speech is free speech. It is an inalienable human right which should be expressed as and when someone wishes, and it is not something those in government should think they can allow as and when they wish.

Just like Chikwanka said after being released from detention that she would fight on for a better Zambia, and we urge her not to feel intimidated by the actions of the police to curtail her freedoms. We urge her and the other like-minded to use the same as motivation to fight on for more rights. Abash intolerance! Abash intimidation!