NGOCC CONCERNED BY THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION OF THE NEWLY ELECTED MAFINGA SOUTH MP, HON. FAITH MUNTHALI

NGOCC CONCERNED BY THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION OF THE NEWLY ELECTED MAFINGA SOUTH MP, HON. FAITH MUNTHALI The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) is deeply concerned by reports of an alleged abduction of recently elected Citizens First (CF) Mafinga South Constituency Member of Parliament, Hon. Faith Munthali. Hon. Munthali was among the Members of Parliament […]

NGOCC CONCERNED BY THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION OF THE NEWLY ELECTED MAFINGA SOUTH MP, HON. FAITH MUNTHALI

The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) is deeply concerned by reports of an alleged abduction of recently elected Citizens First (CF) Mafinga South Constituency Member of Parliament, Hon. Faith Munthali. Hon. Munthali was among the Members of Parliament sworn in only days ago, following her duly recognised electoral victory.

NGOCC acknowledges that law enforcement agencies, particularly the Zambia Police Service, hold a lawful mandate to maintain law and order and to investigate criminal conduct. However, the pattern we have observed before and after the 2026 General Elections, in which aspiring and elected Members of Parliament, especially those from the opposition, face intimidation, harassment, and alleged targeting is deeply worrisome and inconsistent with Zambia’s democratic and constitutional order.

The rule of law is a cornerstone of our constitutional democracy. Article 18 of the Constitution, requires that any person suspected of an offence be accorded due process, including the opportunity to appear before police through a lawful call-out, rather than being subjected to extrajudicial or military-style apprehension. Such conduct, if allowed to persist, undermines Zambia’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which guarantee liberty, security of person, and freedom from arbitrary detention.

The targeting of Hon. Munthali is an attack on women’s political participation. Further, the targeting of female political leaders, whether real or alleged, sends a chilling message that discourages women from contesting and serving in elective office, reversing hard-won gains in women’s political representation. As a State party to CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol and the SADC Gender Protocol, Zambia must protect women leaders and guarantee their full, equal and safe participation in public life.

If a sitting Member of Parliament can be subjected to harassment, no citizen can feel secure. We are aware that Hon. Munthali endured verbal and physical attacks prior to her election. Sadly, she has continued facing injustice even after elections. This is totally unacceptable. NGOCC condemns, in the strongest terms, any intimidation or harassment against her and calls on the authorities to uphold the law, protect her rights, and respect the will of the people.

The Government, particularly the Zambia Police Service, must desist from the increasingly blatant pattern of intimidating females and dissenting voices through arrests and alleged abductions. Zambia is governed by laws, and the Police must always respect citizens’ rights while carrying out their duties.

We therefore demand that the Zambia Police Service updates the nation on Hon. Munthali’s status and that her rights be upheld, including guaranteed safety, being formally charged and immediate access to legal representation in a transparent manner.
ISSUED
For/NGOCC

Ms. Beauty Katebe
NGOCC BOARD CHAIRPERSON