🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Govt Eyes Return of Suspects Abroad Under International Legal Agreements
Zambia says it has legal arrangements with the United Kingdom, United States and several African countries to bring home individuals wanted in connection with criminal offences, as questions grow over the government’s ability to pursue suspects living overseas.
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Mulambo Haimbe told Parliament on Wednesday, October 14, that Zambia could seek the return of individuals through existing international cooperation mechanisms.
Responding to Mongu East lawmaker Mubita Nawa, Haimbe said the agreements were designed to ensure national borders did not prevent countries from enforcing their laws.
“There is a necessity, in order to protect the sovereignty of the country, for those arrangements to be put in place and similarly to protect the sovereign integrity of our partner countries,” he said.
Haimbe explained that the arrangements were reciprocal, allowing Zambia to cooperate with foreign governments seeking individuals accused of offences in their own countries.
“The nature of these agreements is that they are often reciprocal in nature,” he said, adding that individuals could, in appropriate circumstances, be returned to face legal proceedings.
The minister said some of the arrangements existed before the current government took office.
His remarks come amid debate over Zambian political figures and government critics living abroad, including former diplomat Emmanuel Mwamba and historian Sishuwa Sishuwa.
However, Haimbe did not name any individual facing an active extradition request during the parliamentary exchange
Under international legal procedures, extradition generally requires a formal request and must comply with the laws of the country where the person is located.
Mutual legal assistance, meanwhile, allows governments to cooperate in criminal investigations, including obtaining evidence, without necessarily transferring suspects between countries.
The distinction is significant because international cooperation agreements do not give Zambia unrestricted powers to compel the return of its citizens from abroad.
Any extradition request would be subject to legal scrutiny, including applicable safeguards concerning political persecution and the right to a fair trial.
-The People’s Brief | Francine Lilu
October 15, 2026