This week, Malawi’s Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty ordering the re-sentencing of at least 37 people known to be under a death sentence.
Sandra
Leading academics from around the world have signed a Statement of Solidarity in support of Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa against what they term as unfounded charges of sedition.
The academics who mostly have a history with the University of Zambia have written a strong letter in support of Dr. Sichuwa Sishuwa.
This follows a move by Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba’s decision to report Dr Sishuwa to the police for sedition following his recent article in the Mail & Guardian.
They have since called for the charges to be immediately and permanently dropped.
“We, the undersigned, as prominent academics across Zambia, Africa and the wider world, are deeply alarmed at credible reports that the University of Zambia (UNZA) historian, Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa, is to be charged with sedition, as the result of an opinion piece he published in the Mail and Guardian (South Africa), on 22 March 2021.”
International academics reject sedition charge against Zambia’s Dr Sishuwa
30 Apr 2021 Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa, is to be charged with sedition, as the result of an opinion piece he published in the Mail & Guardian, on 22 March 2021. (Twitter)
We, the undersigned, as prominent academics in Zambia, Africa and the wider world, are deeply alarmed at credible reports that the University of Zambia (UNZA) historian, Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa, is to be charged with sedition, as the result of an opinion piece he published in the
Mail & Guardian, on 22 March 2021.
As historians and social scientists, who have studied and published in and about Zambia for many decades, we are extremely concerned that the threat of sedition charges is being used to silence the legitimate expression of belief by one of the country’s most prominent early career scholars.
Prof Muna Ndulo
PROFESSOR Muna Ndulo says persons perceived to be opponents of the government in Zambia are brutally assaulted, and their meetings disrupted without any action being taken. In an article titled “Political violence in Zambia and the police. A tale of a weaponised and politicised police service”, Professor Ndulo said those that perpetrated the violence publicly stated their intentions to harm their opponents without attracting any sanction from the police whatsoever. “In last five years, Zambia has witnessed escalating levels of political violence. The violence is typically perpetrated against those expressing.
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Musa Mwenye
Across 2020, Zambia experienced no shortage of disappointments and setbacks. Yet there are some individuals whose courage and principles made them inspiring figures in the political landscape last year. In this article and the next, I list two sets of citizens of 2020: those who through their actions offered hope to Zambians and those who were huge disappointments. Today, I focus on those Zambians who inspired public trust. Next week, it will be the turn of the individuals and institutions who disappointed.
The heroes
Zambia suffers from a deficit of genuine, consistent heroes. Perhaps there are many unsung heroes whose quiet and diligent work in our own communities goes unnoticed. I apologise for overlooking them in this article. The people I discuss below are drawn from those in public life whose actions are reported in the mainstream media – those who try to contribute positively to our political life and are willing to risk the ire and repression of the author