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Former Kasenengwa lawmaker, Sensio Banda, has opposed external validation from organizations like the United Nations (UN) on Zambia’s human rights situation, arguing that real progress must be driven by Zambians themselves.
Banda criticized both ruling and opposition leaders for seeking approval from UN human rights rapporteurs, stating that Zambia has the capacity to address its own challenges without over-reliance on external assessments.
“The recent unveiling of preliminary findings by UN human rights experts reminds us that while their input is important, it should not be the only answer to tackling human rights issues in Zambia,” Banda told Zambia Monitor in an interview.
He stressed that genuine governance and rule of law improvements should be measured by adherence to the Republican Constitution rather than external reviews.
“It’s vital to remember that the people of Zambia have set up a governing structure through the Constitution, which is the main yardstick for measuring progress in governance and human rights,” he stated.
Banda argued that Zambia’s constitutional institutions already possessed the autonomy to govern, and that their effectiveness was best assessed through lived experiences in communities rather than foreign reports.
“Whether we are moving forward or standing still in protecting human rights and freedoms, as laid out in the Bill of Rights, is reflected in our communities—through power misuse or otherwise,” he said.
His remarks come in response to a report by UN Special Rapporteur, Irene Khan, who noted that Zambia’s human rights situation remained at a crossroads ahead of the next general elections.
Khan, however, acknowledged Zambia’s “significant political transition” following the United Party for National Development (UPND)’s electoral victory, which ended a decade-long rule marked by serious human rights violations.
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