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Zambia |
CIVIL SOCIETY
The future of some local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO)s is hanging in the balance.
Lately, senior officials of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) have accused some NGOs because they have spoken out against the rampant violation of human rights in Zambia. Leading the confrontation against the NGOs is Mr Newstead Zimba, the Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, and Mr Vernon Mwaanga, the MMD‘s Chairperson for Information and Publicity. The NGOs principally targeted are the Inter-African Network for Human Rights and Development (AFRONET), the Zambia Independent Monitoring Team (ZIMT), and the Zambia Independent Media Association ZIMA).
On 31 January, Mwaanga, who is also the MMD‘s parliamentary chief whip, launched a scathing attack against AFRONET and ZIMT, accusing them of having no proper direction and being led by undemocratic leaders. Mwaanga proceeded to insult AFRONET‘s president, Mr Ngande Mwanajiti and ZIMT‘s president, Mr Alfred Zulu, describing them as «non-governmental individuals». He said: «All we hear of is two individuals who are not accountable to anyone. They are so dangerous and reckless that they meddle in practically everything. Mwanajiti and Zulu don’t appear to be accountable to anyone, and yet they condemn the government for lesser mistakes».
The attacks on the NGOs come in the wake of the prolonged impasse between the government and 300 junior doctors who have been dismissed for taking strike action in December last year. The doctors are demanding better working conditions, and a conducive working environment in the country’s rundown hospitals. The doctors say the hospitals lack proper medical facilities such as drugs and surgical supplies. The worsening conditions at the University Teaching Hospital and other hospitals, include a lack of cleaning material giving rise to the apparition of flies and even rats in the operating theatres.
Both AFRONET and ZIMT have supported the doctors’ strike action and have criticised the government for the worsening conditions in the hospitals.
AFRONET and ZIMT have also been in the MMD‘s bad books because of the stance they took over the controversial deportation of a Lusaka businessman, Mr Majid Ticklay, to the United Kingdom, on 4 January. (Editor’s note: Cf. ANB-BIA, Number 341, the Supplement — “A question of citizenship”). Ticklay was accused of fanning racial hatred in Zambia by calling on the Asian community in Zambia to «play their role in politics by identifying themselves with opposition parties of their choice».
Alfred Zulu (ZIMT‘s president) criticised the decision taken by Home Affairs Minister Dr Peter Machungwa to deport Ticklay, who had been living in Zambia for 50 years without ever being granted Zambian citizenship. Zulu said that the reasons given for Ticklay’s deportation were: «inconsistent with the constitutional provisions for freedom of speech».
Ngande Mwanajiti (AFRONET‘s president) argued that Ticklay’s deportation bordered on anarchy: «For a long time, the laws of Zambia have been adulterated and manipulated to suit self-serving causes».
ZIMA‘s chairman, Mr David Simpson, disapproved of the deportation order’s vindictive nature, observing that Mr Ticklay had not even been allowed the minimum legal period of 48 hours to wind up his affairs.
NGOs warned
Newstead Zimba has joined with Mwaanga in accelerating the campaign to strike off ZIMT and AFRONET from the Register of Societies as soon as possible. And on 2 February, Zimba, who is the government’s chief spokesperson, lashed out at AFRONET and ZIMA «for behaving like a government of their own or at the very least, like a “shadow cabinet”». He warned the NGOs: «Don’t go too far or else dramatic action will be taken against you». Machungwa was not far behind, either, with his warnings: «I will not take kindly to any NGO which advocate for civil war and public disorder or any evil acts aimed at destabilising the country».
The axe has already fallen on Alfred Zulu who has been arrested and has already appeared in a Lusaka Magistrates Court, together with two of ZIMT‘s employees. The three have been charged with forgery involving a large sum of money. Thus, NGO‘s are under notice from the government to toe the party line. NGOs, for their part, are not afraid to repeatedly call on the government to uphold fundamental freedoms and to foster democracy in the country.
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