If Zambia descends into large-scale political unrest after the 12 August 2021 general election, there are three major factors that would have driven the country to that outcome. These include the public’s increasing lack of trust in (and outright contempt for) formal institutions – like the Judiciary, the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the police...

Because of our close friendship, Andrew Sardanis many times asked me to speak at his funeral. I always gave the same response: that I would do so provided the need to do so was delayed as long as possible. On 28 February 2021, 13 days before what would have been his 90th birthday, Danae, his...

In response to my column, ‘Class of 2020: Zambians who gravely disappointed last year’, the board of Chapter One Foundation took issue with my inclusion and criticism of the actions of its executive director, Linda Kasonde. In an article dated 28 January 2021 and signed by Sara Longwe, the board chairperson, the advocacy organisation exercised...

Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo Stephen Kampyongo is a kind of person Adolf Hitler would have loved to have been in charge of his police – someone who will willfully torture themselves to advance what they believe are the interests of the Fuehrer because they cannot countenance any life with real economic opportunities outside...

UN Resident Coordinator Coumba Mar Gadio Diplomats are international citizens. For the period they are in Zambia, they are actually Zambians. They are the eyes and ears of the world in Zambia. Their job is to objectively shine light on what is happening in the country. If they keep quiet, the world will think everything...

In contrast to the shortage of authentic, consistent heroes in public life, Zambia had a huge surplus of disappointing individuals and institutions in 2020, as the competition for shameless and uninspiring conduct grew even fiercer than in previous years. Indeed, such is the surplus that if we are really serious about diversifying and resuscitating Zambia’s...

Across 2020, Zambia experienced no shortage of disappointments and setbacks. Yet there are some individuals whose courage and principles made them inspiring figures in the political landscape last year. In this article and the next, I list two sets of citizens of 2020: those who through their actions offered hope to Zambians and those who...

In July, members of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) elected at their Annual General Meeting a 15-member executive to replace the Eddie Mwitwa-led Council that had been in power since April 2018. The new office bearers include Abyudi James Shonga, who was voted President, Lungisani Zulu (Vice-President), Sokwani Chilembo (Secretary), and Ngosa Simachela (Treasurer)....

The tragic death of Daev, one of Zambia’s most creative and talented singers, in a road traffic accident is a devastating loss. I am terribly sad for Zambia. We have lost a huge talent. Daev had his unique gentle way of singing - he actually could sing, as unlike the majority of “musicians” these days....

ELECTION rigging in many of Africa’s democracies occurs through a range of strategies, such as ballot-box stuffing, electoral bribery, violence against political opponents and the emasculation of the independent media that usually serve as the main outlet for opposition parties denied coverage in state-run publications. Other tactics involve putting dead voters on the electoral register,...