The United Nations call for release of Mundubile and Makebi – right or wrong?

The call by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero, to the Zambian government to halt the criminalisation of political dissent amid what she describes as a “grave deterioration” of the country’s democratic and human rights environment following its August general elections, and to have the Zambian opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu released is a right – wrong thing to do.

Here is why;

The United Nations has a mandate to ensure the preservation of peace in sovereign countries who are its member states and to ensure the protection of human rights and freedoms for citizens of these countries, so there is nothing sinister or unusual about their current call to our government.

The current call for the release of the opposition NRP-UP presidential candidates, Mundubile and Makebi who are currently detained and charged with treason is not different from the call they made against the then ruling Patriotic Front government when they had trampled up charges of treason against current Zambian President, H.E Hakainde Hichilema in 2017.

And just like the then government, the Patriotic Front and its supporters had rejected the calls for the release of president HH, though knowing that the charges against him were politically motivated, It is not surprising that the current government, the UPND and its supporters are reacting likewise with an akin scenario.

While the call for the release is in good faith, and it will help in ensuring political healing for a country that has shown an etched political divide, as evidenced in the August elections’ voting patterns, such an act to skip all court procedures just to fulfill the UN’s request for the candidates’ release sets a bad precedent. (That is not to say that I am opposed to their release).

1. It overules the Zambian court processes to dispense justice in a procedural manner.

2. It compromises the sovereignty of the country’s legal system, giving power to foreign entities to arm twist the government for their future prefered political candidates.

3. It also proves the otherwise western stereotype views about African countries’ failures to resolve their own problems.

And lastly, should the country really be threatened by a militia as has been cited, or have an insurrection caused by political enemies of any sitting government, the culprits will run to the UN, EU and other foreign entities for protection to the detriment of the country’s security.

While I support the amicable resolve to the issue surrounding the release of the two politicians and many of their members and supporters, I would rather the call and mediation is from within, from civil society organizations and church mother bodies within the country rather than from outsiders. I think we can resolve our issues as a country without outside influences.

We can do the right thing and not be equated to other countries that have completely wiped dissenting democratic views.

Happy Friday!!

Mbanga, Ilukui Irvine.
Fayetteville, Arkansas.
USA (2026).