Germany ambassador to Zambia Anne Wagner-Mitchell says the democratic and human rights situation in Zambia has “moved a long way forward” since the election of President Hakainde Hichilema.
She was responding to historian Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.
The South Africa-based academic had earlier criticised Swedish ambassador to Zambia Johan Hallenborg’s remarks published in News Diggers that the “UPND government has enhanced human rights and improved the civic space during their two years in office”.
Dr Sishuwa argued that what the Swedish envoy said is contradicted by “the reality”. It was at this point that the German ambassador joined the discussion and tried to do a bit of push backing on behalf of her criticised colleague.
Below is their full exchange on Twitter, now known as X.
DR SISHUWA: “The narrative: “The UPND government has enhanced human rights and improved the civic space during their two years in office – Swedish envoy Johan Hallenborg”
The reality: since the UPND came to power in August 2021, not a single public rally called by opposition parties has been allowed by the #Zambia Police.”
GERMANY AMBASSADOR WAGNER-MITCHELL: “Freedom of assembly is a crucial civil liberty that needs to be protected & enabled. Human rights in #Zambia need constant vigilance. However, having been here since 2020 and interacted with many civil society actors, I share the view that things have moved a long way forward.”
DR SISHUWA: “Thank you, Ambassador Wagner-Mitchell, for your opinion, which I will now proceed to engage.
To start with, when you say “Things have moved a long way forward”, what is your reference point? They have got better in comparison to what? What is the measurement or starting point, and who set it? If the reference point is the record of Edgar Lungu, whom many agree was a failure, why should that failure be the standard against whom we measure progress? Shouldn’t the standard be the normal standard?
Shouldn’t we evaluate the record of President Hakainde Hichilema based on the campaign promises he made when he was in opposition, one of which was to respect civil and political rights? Shouldn’t we evaluate Hichilema based on the mandate he received from voters? Surely that mandate was not for regressing democracy or maintaining the status quo, was it? If the reference point is not limited to Lungu’s stay in power, then don’t you think we, the locals, are better placed to tell you whether things have improved or not?
Second, may I ask for specific examples of how human rights protection has been improved in Zambia? I am sure you have not forgotten the authorities’ disgraceful treatment of Sean Tembo, Fred M’membe, Emmanuel Mwamba, and several other opposition figures. The picture of Mwamba, disheveled and bloody after his incarceration, was particularly upsetting. This is not evidence of enhanced human rights.
The point, Ambassador, is that arguments like the one you are making must be supported by evidence. I say this because I have many examples that suggest lack of progress. For instance, things have regressed in relation to the right to public assembly which is connected to the right to free speech – since people meet to talk – and the freedom of association, as those who meet are usually members associated with a specific organisation.
In fact, there are many rights violations that have occurred in Zambia since the election of Hichilema in 2021. I will not itemise them here since you, unlike the recently arrived Swedish envoy, have been in Zambia for much longer. Not once have you or your colleagues from other Western countries – who have historically condemned attacks on democracy and human rights in Zambia – publicly expressed outrage or even mild criticism of these violations. Why? What are you waiting for? Is there a particular threshold of undemocratic behaviour and human rights violations that you and your Western colleagues are waiting for before you speak out?
If there is none, then what explains your silence on the attacks on democracy and human rights by Hichilema’s administration? If there is a standard threshold of undemocratic behaviour and human rights violations that you are waiting for before publicly expressing outrage, what is that standard? And who established it? How does one explain your and your Western colleagues’ willingness to publicly praise the Hichilema administration for ‘enhancing civic space’, on the one hand, and your steadfast refusal to publicly condemn its undemocratic practices, on the other? One may claim that you and your colleagues are expressing outrage to the government privately, but we can only hold you to account for what you do or say in public. We are not privy to your private interactions and the undertakings of those in power.
Of course, no one wants you to speak out every time the government does wrong, but it is equally unhelpful for you to remain silent on all violations. Power hates exposure of its wrongs and if you only deliver criticism privately, there would be little incentive for Hichilema to change for the better. Your decision to remain silent until a particular threshold is reached before speaking out in defence of democracy suggests that it is okay to violate the rights of assembly, association, and free speech as long as one does not reach the level of repression we witnessed under the Lungu years, however arbitrary that threshold may be decided.
No, Ambassador, there should be no acceptable threshold for violations of human rights and attacks on democracy. Repression is repression, and must be condemned, not massaged with messages such as ‘Things have moved a long way forward’. We Zambians want a better Zambia, a truly functioning democracy, one which is built on the same standard of respect for democratic values and fundamental human rights as the one that exists in your country and indeed other established democracies.
I repeat. Please do not have different standards for us, as Africans, and for yourselves as Europeans or Americans. Such manner of proceeding might feed the racialised thinking that sees an African leader like Hichilema who resorts to low level repression as endurable because, in the viewpoint of that racialised thinking, ‘the situation can be worse; after all, these people are Africans, so a little bit of repression is ok.” If I ever were to encounter such thinking, I would say in response: ‘please do not have a low standard for us. We do not want a low standard imposed on us because we are Africans. Some of us (ordinary Zambians) want a higher standard for ourselves, for our institutions, for our elected public leaders, and indeed for our democracy.’
The reality, Ambassador, is that your – and your Western colleagues’ – continued silence against the violations of civil and political rights in Zambia today harms democracy and human rights by emboldening Hichilema’s nascent authoritarian behaviour, since he is secure in the knowledge that no one among those he respects will call him out. As you know, our President, for whatever reason, appears to pay greater attention to what you and your Western colleagues say to or about him – and I am not saying this with pride. As for the native Zambian, like me, who voted for and put him in office, he either ignores what we say or contemptuously dismisses our views or feedback on his leadership performance as nothing more than ‘noise’.
You will therefore understand why I am embarrassingly appealing to you to help us by, occasionally, publicly calling out the attacks on human rights and democracy by the Hichilema administration. Trust me, mine is not a good position to be in, where I, a citizen, must appeal to you, an outsider, to help me make my president a better public leader who strengthens our democracy. If you cannot speak out in defence of democracy and human rights, then please do not make it worse by attempting to create an alternative reality, as the Swedish envoy did. Doing so undermines local struggles and efforts towards a truly democratic Zambia.
I am focusing on you and your Western colleagues deliberately because African diplomats hardly criticise the democratic behaviour or record of their host governments. This is not because they don’t care. African envoys do not challenge violations of human rights largely because they have a misplaced sense of solidarity. Privately, democracies like Botswana, Mauritius, South Africa, and Ghana must be concerned about the shrinking civil liberties space in Zambia, but they will not issue public condemnation because this would undermine African unity. So when Western nations speak out in defence of democracy and human rights, they help fill the void created by this misplaced sense of solidarity. Unusually, you and your Western colleagues have now joined African envoys in silence.
By refusing to condemn the attacks on democracy and human rights that are occurring under Hichilema, Western countries are, in effect, working against him in that their silence helps sustain the narrative that he is their ‘puppet’, and they consequently can’t condemn him publicly. The silence also feeds the perception that democracy promotion, for Western countries, is nothing but the entry point for securing their interests. They are prepared to look away from the wrongs of an African leader who is seen as faithful to their interests. It’s impossible to completely dismiss such perceptions when one considers the reality today.
Take, for instance, the fact that Hichilema is holding public rallies while preventing the opposition from doing the same. Today, the opposition Socialist party were supposed to hold a public rally on the Copperbelt Province to discuss, among other things, the cost-of-living crisis. The police, who had earlier said they could not manage this event due to lack of adequate manpower, sent over a hundred police officers to seal off the venue of the rally. This same number of officers would have been enough to police the opposition party’s rally. This is not the first time this has happened. Last month, a public rally called by the opposition Patriotic Front was stopped in similar circumstances in Lusaka.
In the meantime, Hichilema, who has effectively launched his re-election campaign with a passionate appeal to Zambians to give him a second term, is busy conducting public rallies without any restrictions. Where is the fairness in this? What, for instance, stops you, or the UK High Commissioner, or the American Ambassador, or the recently arrived Swedish envoy, from publicly saying this continued curtailing of the activities of opposition parties is as wrong now as it was under president Edgar Lungu? These violations are what your predecessor and other Western diplomats commendably condemned when done by the PF. Why are they accepted today? If there is a homogeneous standard for democracy, what explains this selective application of democratic values in the same country? Why won’t you and your Western colleagues say a word publicly against these violations? Do you see why your continued silence on rights violations risks feeding the perception that Hichilema is your man?”
GERMANY AMBASSADOR WAGNER-MITCHELL: “Thank you @ssishuwa for engaging. Happy to continue the conversation in person. I’ll be in touch.”
By press time, Dr Sishuwa had not responded.
And world-renowned Zimbabwean award-winning international filmmaker and 2 Time CNN African Journalist of The Year Hopewell Chinono has condemned the banning of opposition rallies in Zambia.
HOPEWELL CHIN’ONO wrote: “It is extremely disappointing that the opposition in Zambia is not being allowed to have rallies for the same reasons that are used to deny the opposition in Zimbabwe the tight to hold rallies by ZANUPF.
You see, ZANUPF is expected to behave the way it does, nobody expects any better from it. But why should a Zambian president who ran on a democracy ticket do the same things being done by a repressive political party like ZANUPF.
Where will the Zambian president get the moral standing to criticise colleagues who are behaving badly when he denies his own opposition the right to congregate.
You can’t practice democracy abroad in speeches whilst you are denying your opposition basic democratic rights like the right to meet through a rally. President Hichilema should allow his rivals the right to meet and provide security through the police, denying your opponents the right to congregate is autocratic and it is a tool used by dictatorships.”
Source: The Mast newspaper
Sishuwa is right. And it’s very disgusting that the so called diplomat has decided to make such comments. They’re the ones that are misleading Hichilema and the reason is that he’s allowed them to do it. What he mustn’t forget is that diplomats don’t vote. Many Zambians are generally upset with how he’s conducted himself since he took over from Chakolwa. The earlier he realizes that the better for him
And they won’t help him when the people rise against him.
The West know which side of their bread is buttered. They have seen an opportunity to exploit Zambia’s resources with a puppet leader in State House-sorry in Community House.
So we should expect propaganda about HH’s regime from the EU membership everyday. We should expect very soon a bill to be introduced by UPND on same sex marriages.
So we should expect propaganda about HH’s regime from the EU membership everyday. We should expect very soon a bill to be introduced on same sex marriages.
She was given cliches to throw at uncritical journalists. “a long way forward” from what??
How PF learnt how manipulate elections
Watch “SADC EVIDENCE: ZEC’S LAWYER ADMITTED MNANGAGWA’S FIGURES ARE FAKE” on YouTube
………..
Unlike shushuwa ……….
The western diplomats know that zambia is a 3rd world country , in a continent were any democratic moves must be natured to grow………
Ka Shushuwa on the other hand………
Thinks and expects zambian politics to be as mature as western politics where parliments have been in existence for over hundred years……….
There is a case of mistaken location on the part of shushuwa………
This is Africa, where we need to encourage and grow democratic principles………
Not expect our hard fought democratic liberties, which are still in development, to be on par with western countries
Kkkkk the bar was said to be raised and here you are lowering it , such type of thinking is regressive
#Spaka the West is responsible for the coup d’etats that have been happening in Africa of late. They side with dictatorships and so people decide to to take charge of matters in their hands.
You shoot yourself in the feet by alleging that the West understand that Zambia is a third world country whose democracy blah blah….if so why did the same West understand Edgar Lungu as third world country president….. this where the secret lies…. Zambia has been sold and the vendor must be protected at all costs.
Not only the current ones but many others. Margaret Thatcher’s son was caught in Zimbabwe plotting to overthrow the government in Guinea Bissau. He was in a group of mercenaries. The same way they’re calling for the arrest of Lungu is the way they’ll turn against HH
Our country now is being run by the farkin West. Cancelling of opposition rallies and arresting arbitrarily is now part of democracy.
Follow police guidelines iwe……..
Can you just wakeup and organise a rally even in DRC ??
Thats what HH made us believe when he was in opposition: just wakeup and organise a rally even in DRC
Well if you unable to run your own country obviously assistance is needed
We have a long way to go with human rights there should be no T & C’s attached
Plus its her opinion much like yours
So what was wrong with the Chinese running Zambia?
And please if we want peace in our country STOP GIVING THESE MORONS SO CALLED AMBASSADORS ANY AUDIENCE….ALL THEY KNOW IS TO INCITE VIOLENCE AND HATE….BEFORE YOU KNOW IT ZAMBIANS WILL START FIGHTING EACH OTHER….they’re busy starting endless wars all around the world so be careful with the imperialist
” if you’re not careful the newspaper will make you hate the oppressed and love the oppressor ” Malcolm X
We will continue to oppressed for decades to come not by outsiders but by ourselves
look back at our 60 Yrs… We havent even achieved the egg a day promised us
The Gaza Israel conflict could have been avoided if these people were concerned with the goings on in that area. They are now reacting after the loss of so many innocent lives. Gabon and Niger could have been avoided had these people taken time to know how the ordinary citizens were feeling…. not party cadres… party cadres don’t see what the ordinary citizens is going through.
@ Deja Vu
Washington enjoys seeing bloodshed…no wonder they spend billions of dollars sponsoring wars…..Israel receives 40 billion dollars tax payers money every year from the USA….just recently Iran received 6 billion dollars from the USA under crooked corrupt President Joe Biden….and now they’re busy sending warships to Israel and Ukraine….and in Africa we think the white man is a saint….do you know that ANC in South Africa was labeled as a terrorist group by America even Mandela was on Terror list…America and Britain supported Apartheid in South Africa…… “HITLER DIDN’T KILL ENOUGH JEWS” IDI AMIN
Yes Washington is Blood thirsty. Where on earth do you send a warship to a country fighting a civil war? You can only do that if you want to see more blood being spilt.
They start wars knowing that they’re protected and they won’t be affected and non of their families will be affected…just inflicting more pain and misery on poor defenseless people who struggle to put food on their table…POLITICIANS ARE EVIL…how do you justify throwing a 1 billion dollar bomb on starving children and grandparents…WE LIVE IN A SICK WORLD AND I PERSONALLY HATE ALL POLITICIANS IN THE WORLD
And this Germany piece of shiiiit should just shut her smelly mouth before she gets infected with syphilis mu chi…..nyo
Unfortunately they will protect him even when police start killing demonstrators. I suspect even the cancellation of opposition rallies is being instigated by these ambassadors. They know that people are angry and the loss of their man would be a big blow to their agenda.
Deja Vu
October 11, 2023 At 9:50 am
“Unfortunately they will protect him even when police start killing demonstrators. I…..”
Have you started smoking weed again…..?
I warned last time you were writing gibberish hallucinations…..
#Spaka you are the one hallucinating because you are a blind fanatic.
@ Deja Vu
Because the whole world kisses America’s asssss they will support whatever evil America is doing …. common Americans hate war but its the Government and its Politicians and the America’s elite who enjoys war because they benefit financially…..remember Dick Cheney’s company was contracted to rebuild Irag Airports and most of the damaged infrastructure in Irag….sick President Joe Biden is filling up his pockets with all these wars he is starting deliberately….if a war breaks out today just know that its its been in the making for a while and they knew about and all of a sudden they act surprised….2024 TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT
It pains me that Israel is indiscriminately bombing Gaza but Sleepy Joe chooses to condemn the Palestinian people. Much as it’s wrong for the Hammas to attack Israel Joe Biden should have been looking for a peaceful solutions instead of sending more weaponry to the area. It’s like he wants these people to be wiped off the face of earth.
@Deja Vu Yes Washington is Blood thirsty. Where on earth do you send a warship to a country fighting a civil war? What for? You can only do that because you want to see more blood being spilt. Biden thinks he has to impress the US jewish community with blood blood blood
If Russia bombs Ukraine the West screams for Putin to be brought before ICC. Now Netanyahu bombs Palestine the entire West is silent and even helps to slaughter more defenceless souls. They call Palestinian freedom fighters terrorists like they did the ANC. You are only a freedom fighter if you are fighting the East
Yes let all these foreigners be quiet just let us have their money, it’s always welcome.
The West know which side of their bread is buttered. They have seen an opportunity to exploit Zambia’s resources with a puppet leader in State House-sorry in Community House so we should expect lies from the EU membership everyday. We should expect very soon a bill to be introduced by UPND on same sex marriages.
Our insults fly freely yet we want their funds
Just shows how backward we are
“Happy to continue the conversation in person. I’ll be in touch.”
No, continue in public! This is now a matter of public interest. We are interested to know your response to the questions, facts and opinions raised by Sishuwa.
Beloved,
Uncle Long Legs Spider.
TIKI, it is important to run the country yourself by diligently executing the programs and NOT by too clever means like cabinet approving to expand the Embassy of Zambia in Turkey, and one cheap, too clever by half, flies to collect the money and buys helicopters!
But Spaka,you surely must know when DejaFOOOL and company are using their a$$holes as keyboards.Thats what comes out as blog.The Ambassador was trying to tell Sishuwa that democracy is underpinned by the rule of law.All those freedoms should be enjoyed within the ambit of the law.After Shishuwa’s unending rumblings, she simply asks him to take the argument outside because she knows he is speaking from a standpoint of fighting imperialism
Only one short on brains can continue insulting people simply for expressing their opinions. If you have brains at all you would be able to counter others with sensible facts. No your president is ever changing posts… recently on monthly fuel price monkey tricks.
frustrated self-over rated so- called pr0fessors
@Tikki
You are so right!!!
Germany and their collaborators were hard on the previous administration to amend the Public Order Act. But since HH took power there’s been Ndwii from these spoilers.
The POA is under active consideration. Meanwhile, wash your dirty underpants and wait patiently
Shortage of brains is causing high cost of living.
POA under consideration, really?
I got it from a reliable source that it is Western powers, particularly the UK and US, who are behind the Registrar of Societies attempts to de-register the PF. Apparently, they have been disturbed by the PF’s resilience and fear that if the PF bounced their interests would be threatened.
I think you’re deluded. The USA and the UK hardly have a clue that Zambia even exists, let alone which political parties operate here.
Ok,my suggestion,don’t discuss all these matters and STOP financial support!!???
Why should one take time to study the POA when it just took him seconds to repeal Capital Punishment (the death sentence)?
Come on man we’re not children.
There was a massive sense of relief in Zambia when the previous corrupt and undemocratic government was removed. The problem is that the country was left in a bad mess, and there is no way that it can be sorted out within the timeframe necessary for those who are struggling (the very same phenomenon will be seen in Britain next year). HH must take a lesson from Mwanawasa – the most urgent necessity will always be to remove the corrupt, the incompetent and the band-wagon-jumpers from one’s own party. It took Mwanawasa about 3/4 years to get round to doing this.