‘Zambia May Burn After August Elections’ - Sishuwa
Historian and political analyst Sishuwa Sishuwa has warned that Zambia faces “large-scale political unrest” after elections in August, owing to an increasing lack of public trust in democratic institutions.
Writing in the Mail & Guardian, Dr Sishuwa explains that Zambia is teetering on the edge of civil disorder as the legitimacy of key democratic safeguards - including the police, the judiciary, and the Electoral Commission of Zambia - are brought into question.
This, he claims, is exacerbated by the election contest between two “ruthless groups of political elites”, who will stop at nothing to achieve power and whose supporters are likely to turn violent if they don’t get their way.
It is also made worse by the “incriminating silence” of international institutions, “who once spoke out against human rights violations and murderous attacks on democracy”. Sishuwa claims this silence is the result of a decline in funding to Zambia from major world powers, such at the United Kingdom.
However, the real driving force behind Zambia’s potential collapse, Sishuwa argues, is “the reprehensible actions of President Edgar Lungu’s authoritarian regime”.
The University of Zambia lecturer identifies a long list of the president’s failings that have destabilised the country, including but not limited to:
Effectively eliminated constitutional and lawful means of political competition for the occupation of government
Loaded the courts with judges loyal to the regime
Turned the police into a political tool to be unleashed on political opponents, armed to the teeth.
Collapsed the economy, turning millions of Zambians into fearful beggars who can easily be corrupted or bribed.
Generated mass youth unemployment, increasing dependence on drugs and alcohol.
Created a new dubious voters roll to make it nearly impossible for Lungu to be evicted from government through elections.
Stockpiled weapons to kill potential protestors in the event of a “flawed” election outcome.
These actions, Sishuwa argues, has transformed Zambia into a metaphorical “bomb”, primed to explode after August’s elections.
To avert this, the historian calls on the people of Zambia to overcome their regional, ethnic and political identities and unite to defeat these drivers of post-election violence.
The first step in this, Sishuwa contends, would be to prevent President Lungu from securing “an unconstitutional third term in office”. Following that, it is up to Zambians of all political stripes to vote carefully and think about “practical, better alternatives that could move us beyond the current dependent economic system”.