Bishops in Zambia Decry Shrinking Democracy for Leaders Opposed to Government

 The Catholic Bishops also express concern that opposition parties in the country have also been denied the right to peaceful assembly.  

They note that on several occasions, the police have denied opposition parties the opportunity to assemble false grounds of a lack of adequate manpower and unspecified security concerns.

 “There is also a growing selective application of the rule of law,” the Bishops say, and explain, “For instance, it has become a tradition for the police to arrest members of the opposition in a violent manner, keep them in detention longer than necessary, and never take their cases to court, long after being finally released on bond.” 

ZCCB members say they are “abhorred by the way politicians in general and those in government in particular respond to public criticism.”

They express regret that politicians have resorted to using abusive language, intimidation, name-calling, and rogue websites to maliciously scandalize critics and political opponents. 

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“We don't expect this uncalled-for behavior from leaders in a democratic society where divergent views must be accommodated,” they say, and add, “It is a mark of leadership to embrace criticism, especially of a crucial and constructive kind.”

“The public has the right to provide feedback on government performance and activities. The responsibility of public officials is to harness this feedback, regardless of the medium through which it is conveyed. We urge politicians to use respectful language in public discourse and be tolerant of divergent views,” the Bishops say. 

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.