Former President Responds to Allegations of Democratic Backslide
Lusaka, Zambia 15th June, 2024
Former President Edgar Lungu has issued a strong rebuttal to recent claims made by political analyst Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa in his article, “How President Hakainde Hichilema is using lawfare to subvert democracy in Zambia.”
Published in South Africa’s Mail & Guardian newspaper, the article accuses the Patriotic Front (PF) administration of fostering a democratic backslide between 2011 and 2021 through the deliberate use of legal mechanisms to undermine opposition parties. Dr. Sishuwa further contends that the current administration under President Hakainde Hichilema is engaged in similar tactics, describing Hichilema as “an Edgar Lungu with better PR.”
In a statement released this morning, President Lungu expressed his dismay at the comparisons drawn by Dr. Sishuwa. “Honestly, I find this observation and conclusion both unfair and quite inaccurate,” Lungu stated.
He criticized the author for equating his moderate rule with what he termed the “unapologetic lawfare” regime of the current president.
President Lungu acknowledged that his administration was not without faults but emphasized that the issues during his presidency did not reach the magnitude suggested by Dr. Sishuwa.
“Reading this article, I am shocked that he likens me to the current president, HH, and I take great exception to this,” President Lungu declared.
He urged Dr. Sishuwa to avoid making comparisons that equate “apples with oranges,” asserting that the two administrations are fundamentally different in nature and scale.
While recognizing the prevalence of “lawfare” in various jurisdictions, President Lungu argued that it is neither suitable nor correct to draw parallels between his leadership and what he described as the “full-scale authoritarian regime” currently in power under the United Party for National Development (UPND) alliance.
He stressed that his government did not engage in practices that would warrant such severe criticism.
President Lungu concluded his statement by calling for fair and balanced discussions about Zambia’s political landscape.
“For an objective understanding of my concerns, agreements, and disagreements with the author, allow me to share with you the full article by Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa,” he said, inviting citizens to read the piece in its entirety to form their own opinions.
As Zambia navigates this delicate political period, Lungu’s response highlights the need for measured and accurate representations in political discourse. His call for balanced dialogue underscores the importance of acknowledging the complexities of governance and the varying impacts of different administrations.