In a bold letter addressed to various international bodies, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and the Commonwealth, Zambia’s opposition Patriotic Front (PF) has raised serious concerns about the deteriorating state of human rights under President Hakainde Hichilema’s leadership. The party’s Secretary General, Hon. Raphael Nakacinda, voiced grave allegations of systematic harassment, wrongful arrests, and political persecution against opposition leaders, accusing the Hichilema administration of turning Zambia into a dictatorship.
The letter highlights the troubling case of Hon. Mumbi Phiri, a prominent PF member and former Member of Parliament, who has been repeatedly arrested and charged under what the Patriotic Front calls “false and politically motivated accusations.” The most recent charge against her involves armed robbery, stemming from her efforts to expose electoral fraud during the 2022 Kawambwa by-election. The Patriotic Front asserts that the charges are a direct result of her attempts to challenge corruption, particularly involving Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Mike Mposha.
The PF’s letter also enumerates a disturbing pattern of politically motivated arrests, with several high-profile opposition leaders facing charges ranging from sedition to hate speech. These include Socialist Party President Dr. Fred Mmembe, Patriotic Front Secretary General Hon. Raphael Nakacinda, and the party’s presidential candidate, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba. The list continues with FDD President Edith Nawakwi, Lumezi MP Hon. Munir Zulu, and a growing number of social media activists, bloggers, and vloggers who have been detained for criticizing the government.
The PF claims that the actions of the Zambia Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions reflect a clear effort to undermine the opposition ahead of the 2026 elections, leaving little space for political competition. This has been compounded by what the party calls a “staggering” failure to prosecute government officials involved in alleged hate speech or violent rhetoric, including Minister of Education Mr. Douglas Siakalima and UPND youth leader Chikokela Moses.
The letter also draws attention to the government’s interference in the judiciary, including the controversial actions of the Constitutional Court to prevent former President Edgar Lungu from participating in future elections. It is this growing concern over the erosion of democratic institutions, coupled with the government’s repeated violations of international human rights standards, that has prompted the Patriotic Front to call for urgent international intervention.
The accusations come at a time when global human rights watchdogs, such as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, have increasingly spotlighted Zambia’s alarming decline in human rights and democratic freedoms. These international bodies have expressed concerns over the shrinking space for media freedom, the political repression of opposition members, and the ongoing abuses faced by those who dare to challenge the government.
The Patriotic Front’s call for action is clear: it is time for the international community to intervene, exert diplomatic pressure on the Zambian government, and demand the immediate release of those wrongly imprisoned, including Hon. Mumbi Phiri, while ensuring that the Zambian government respects the fundamental rights of its citizens and restores democratic processes in the country.
As Zambia’s political landscape teeters on the brink of instability, the call for unity and peace grows louder. The Patriotic Front urges international stakeholders to act now to prevent further deterioration of human rights and democracy in Zambia.
Keywords: Latest news in Zambia, Patriotic Front, Hakainde Hichilema, Zambia dictatorship, human rights in Zambia, political persecution, Mumbi Phiri, Zambia opposition, Zambia elections 2026, international community response
