Disgruntled Youth

A little belatedly, but this was not going to pass without my comments. This has been a very topical issue in Zambia of late. Of course, I did weigh in a bit on this using one of my social media accounts, but I had to post this here too. I am as passionate as they come when it comes to human rights and freedoms that citizens should enjoy.

In my ‘books’ there are citizen rights that should not even come up for discussion, they are birth rights. The Americans would sum these up as freedom to pursue 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness'. The fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual as enshrined in part III of the constitution of Zambia include the following, namely: 

Life, liberty, security of the person and the protection of the law; 

Freedom of conscience, expression, assembly, movement and association; 

Protection of young persons from exploitation; 

Protection for the privacy of his home and other property and from deprivation of property without compensation

The second bullet above from the bill of rights is as important as the other bullets. More times than not, these are the rights that are denied and most of the times systematically. This is what the youth have recently sworn that they will not tolerate to see the abuse perpetuated. 

There has been notable concern in Zambia of late about a culture of human rights abuses crippling in. The accusing finger has been pointed mainly at the government and their wings – especially the Police. Police brutality and use of live ammunition on unarmed citizens has been brought to the discussion table more often now, than ever before. Political rights and rights such as movement and assembly for opposition have literally been curtailed, while the ruling party operatives (members of the chipani), have been a force above even the police. Police officers have been ‘retired in national interest’ for standing up to these operatives from the ‘chipani’. Chipani is Nyanja translation for Party.

 

A number of radio stations have been attacked by ruling party operatives for interviewing and hosting opposition political party leaders. The radio stations have had to change tactic, when they wanted to interview an opposition leader, they opted to do it through the phone. However, this change of tactic hasn’t been enough to keep away the operatives from the ‘chipani’. The ‘Chipani’ operatives, have continued to attack any radio station interviewing the main opposition leaders, damaging equipment worth millions and putting the lives of the station management, presenters and other station workers in jeopardy.

 

There is one video that went viral where the operatives from the ‘chipani’ stormed a radio station in the north as a presenter interviewed Hakainde Hichilema, the main opposition party leader and this interview was also live on Facebook. The ‘Chipani’ operatives who were clad in muscle T-shirts seemingly looking like WWE rejects still intent on proving their relevance to the wrestling fraternity could be heard ordering the presenter to stop the program. The presenter could be heard talking back to these ‘thuggish’ looking members of the ‘chipani’ holding his own and this was all live on radio and Facebook.

 

The other attacks on opposition leaders include but not limited to the following;

·        December 2017 – National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials were attacked at 5fm radio and the interview interrupted.

·        April 2019 – NDC president Chishimba Kambwili attacked during a live interview on Power FM.

·        March 2020 – Democratic Party (DP) President attacked and blocked from featuring on a program on Radio Ichengelo.

·        July 2020 – Mafken radio station in Mufulira was attacked as they interviewed United Party for National Development (UPND) on phone.

·        May 2020 – Muchinga Radio is attacked as they interview UPND leader.

·        January 2020 – Feel Free Radio staff attacked for hosting NDC officials.

 

There were many more. The breaking point for many a citizen was when it was reported by various news sources that the ‘Chipani’ operatives had attacked Zambia’s biggest and most iconic police station -Lusaka central police. Police officers were beaten and allegedly ‘robbed’ of money. Before this event, there had already been discontent to this ‘chipani’ operatives and police love-hate affair, where it is generally perceived that the ‘chipani’ operatives are treated with kids’ gloves. They go about breaking the law(s) with impunity while the rest of the citizenry would be outrightly beaten, arrested, maimed and in some cases killed.

 

Mayhem ensued at University of Zambia great east road campus, and in responding to it, riot police were sent to the great east road campus and some students were beaten up, while tear gas canisters were thrown into student hostels. In the ruckus, one hostel caught fire allegedly from the teargas cannisters thrown into the hostel and the occupants of the hostel were trapped inside their hostel rooms. One student, 23year old Evelyn Choongo elected to jump from the October 2 hostel room 25 balcony which is on the third level of the building. She suffered multiple fractures, including a broken lower spine. Some of the female students escaped by climbing down through the window. Another student, Trudie Kalimbwe, who was the last to leave room 25 alive, suffered burns on her hands and hair before escaping through the door. Verspers Simuzhila on the other hand was not so lucky. She was found dead in the room due to suffocation. To date no Police officer has been charged for their part in the death of young Verspers.

 

In February 2020, eighth grader Frank Mugala was shot dead at the gate of Chazanga primary school as he stepped out for lunch. The 14-year-old was mistakenly shot as police reacted to an alleged terror threat where unknown people had been spraying some unknown chemical gas in public places including schools. The police on the other hand never seem to take responsibility of anything including another death where UPND sympathiser, Mapenzi was shot dead as she joined a group of UPND members on their way to attend a UPND political rally which Police cancelled at the last minute. There are a lot more cases not mentioned.

 

Suffice to mention, by the time of the death of young Frank Mugala, a lot of discontent and feelings of indifference towards Police had started to brew and musicians began to speak up. Others began to release songs in condemnation of all that was going on and had happened in the past. These voices grew louder, and they started to use their social media influence to record more messages to voice out everything they disapproved off, from economic and governance matters to even diplomatic matters. In May 2020, Kabwe born musician and a Mandela Washington fellow, Brian Bwembya (aka B-flow) recorded a video where he spoke out against most of the alleged wrongs that were causing discontent in many. In his video, he addressed an issue where the mayor of Lusaka had been made to apologise, following his revocation of trading licences of some Chinese owned businesses.

The Chinese owned businesses had attracted the wrath of the Lusaka mayor after one barbershop and another restaurant were alleged to have been denying black people entry in the pre-text that ‘black people had Corona virus (COVID-19). Another Chinese owned business was closed after repeatedly disregarding the mayor’s directive to release Zambian workers to go home to their families after allegedly being held hostage at the factory in fear that if they went back home to their families, they would get infected with the Corona virus and come back to spread the. Mayor Miles Sampa had also visited Chinese owned and managed Sinoma cement plant where a whistle blower had earlier reported that over 100 black workers had been held hostage inside the factory for about 8 weeks.

 

In the aftermath of the mayors apology, many Zambians among them Brian Bwembya, who famously got the fondness of former American president Barrack Obama for the messages in his songs which are social commentary and social campaigns for women’s rights and equality, started to question whose interests the Zambian government serves if they would censure and force an officer who acted in the interests of Zambians to apologise. Brian also took aim at the growing trend where anyone who spoke out as he had done, would be quickly branded a disgruntled opposition sympathiser. Brian’s video immediately got a response from Lusaka province minister who insinuated that Brian was being used by the opposition to issue such videos in order to sow seeds of discontent in citizens over an elected government.

 

The minister’s response immediately got a backlash response from citizens, mostly the youth. A protest was called for all willing to be a part of, but as the day drew closer, police started to release statements that indicated that the protesters would not be protected instead they would be arrested. Politician from the ruling party started to release statements that threatened the safety of all would be protesters with a specific threat directing the police to break the bones of the protesters. This threat had to be taken seriously. Although the economy was not doing well and everyone was expecting a frugal approach and not excessive spending, there was massive investments in riot equipment for the police instead. The big question was, what was the Police preparing for?

 

Anyway, when the day eventually arrived, true to their word the police were all over the Central Business District (CBD) carrying out patrols on the major highways seemingly looking for protesters. In a surprise turn of events, everyone was taken aback when no protesters showed up, but not long afterwards social media was awash with videos of live protests from unknown locations. The online live streaming of the protest at a location which was unknown somewhere in the bush was a very significant one. It was a message that, even though you don’t allow citizens to exercise our freedoms, the youth have a resolve to remain strong. Police cars were seen driving around in search of protesters, with heavily armed police looking like they were auditioning for a role in the Rambo movie or let alone a scene picked from the movie. No protester was found, but the act itself seemingly spelt out what we had already known. Our human rights are but now limited.

My View… my thoughts…

The fact that these ‘youths’ were forced to air their views in unknown locations is a sign of the shrinking democratic space in Zambia. In the first place this protest was born out of fear that the freedoms and rights of Zambians are slowly being taken away and everything is now at the mercy of politicians and the police which they control with no regard to what is enshrined in the constitution. In fact, to say politicians is an understatement, it is supposed to be edited to read – Chipani operatives. The freedoms of conscience, free speech/expression, assembly, movement and association are no longer fully enjoyed. 

 

The right to life is a basic civil right. Without this right, there can be no safety either for the individual or for the society. Every country and Zambia included must recognize the sanctity of life hence respect the right to life for all human beings. Right to freedom of thought and expression is also very important for personality development. Every person needs freedom to express and exchange with others their views and ideas. Every citizen has the right to move freely throughout the country and even the right to go abroad. Freedom of association and right to equality should all be protected, especially by the state.

 

All other human rights need to be protected as we co-exist, and we should not only recognize the ‘Chipani’ operatives while others go to meet their creator prematurely. In October 2019, an opposition party member was in Kaoma killed in broad day light after a fight started between members of two political camps and an operative of the ‘Chipani’ drew out a gun and shot dead Lawrence Banda a man they called Ghadafi. No one has been arrested for that gruesome killing to date. These occurrences continue to foment the discontent that is quickly growing, and the ruling party may live to regret their actions or their lack of action against their erring members, when election day dawns on 12^th August 2021.

 

All living humans should have certain rights protected. One does not have to be a particular kind of person or a member of some specific group like the ‘Chipani’ in order to enjoy human rights. These are inalienable rights we are all born with. It is no wonder human rights are repeatedly referred to as universal rights. Included in the idea of universality is some conception of independent existence. Granted, the idea of universality needs several qualifications, like the right to vote being held only by adult citizens or the right to freedom of movement not applicable to convicted persons, what we see however is a situation where these rights are being denied to those that should have them.

 

Human rights are matters of “paramount importance” and their violation “a grave affront to justice”. It is for this reason that human rights are both moral and legal rights, so much God given, hence inherent in all humans. Other countries like the USA, acknowledge this by the statement in the U.S. Declaration of Independence claiming that people are ‘endowed by their creator’ with natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On this view, God, the supreme lawmaker, enacted some basic human rights.

 

We must all protect our human rights. The defining role, of human rights is protecting everyone’s ability to form and pursue conceptions of a worthwhile life and ‘personhood’. These are inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. The right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.

 

We do not need to be operatives of the ‘Chipani’ to enjoy these rights. We need not be called disgruntled youth or opposition; all we want is our dignity as human beings. All we want is our human rights, without discrimination. These are big enough issues to make anyone disgruntled.

We therefore demand respect for human rights, respect for the constitution, decent job opportunities, accountable leadership, improved education, and intensified fight against corruption.