EFF leader, Kasonde, criticises President Hichilema for allegedly trying to undermine independence of UN delegation

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Kasonde Mwenda, has criticised President Hakainde Hichilema for suggesting that the United Nations (UN) delegation was “misunderstanding the human rights situation” in Zambia.

In a statement issued on Friday, Mwenda described President Hichilema’s directive for the UN system to prioritise “early warning measures” as an attempt to undermine the delegation’s independence and credibility.

Mwenda alleged that the President’s remarks were a calculated effort to deflect scrutiny from persistent allegations of human rights violations under his administration since taking office in 2021.

“His repeated habit of commenting on matters before the courts, such as the controversial eligibility case of his predecessor Edgar Lungu, undermines judicial independence and the rule of law,” Mwenda stated.

He accused President Hichilema of now extending alleged interference to the UN delegation, led by Irene Khan, a globally respected advocate for human rights and social justice.

Mwenda said such actions raise serious doubts about the administration’s sincerity in upholding democratic principles and adhering to international standards of governance.

“President Hichilema’s claim that ‘the fight against corruption is not equivalent to the loss of human rights’ trivializes genuine concerns about the erosion of freedoms in Zambia,” he added.

While acknowledging the importance of fighting corruption, Mwenda warned against using it as a pretext for stifling dissent, silencing journalists, and infringing on Zambians’ rights to free expression.

He emphasized that the UN delegation’s mission was to assess Zambia’s adherence to international standards on freedom of opinion and expression, including media freedom, journalist safety, and legal frameworks governing expression.

“President Hichilema’s unwarranted criticisms and attempts to dictate the terms of their investigation only reinforce concerns about the state of human rights under his leadership,” Mwenda said.

The EFF leader demanded that the President apologize to the UN delegation for his remarks and ensure the delegation is granted unrestricted access to conduct its investigations without interference or intimidation.

The criticism followed President Hichilema’s comments during the annual Diplomatic Corps event in Lusaka on Thursday, where he urged the UN delegation not to “misunderstand the human rights situation” and instead focus on “early warning measures.”

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