I wont be intimidated, says Dr Sishuwa
By BARNABAS ZULU
RESPECTED academician and political commentator Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa has vowed not to be intimidated by the Zambian government, declaring that there is a concerted effort to have him arrested and extradited to Zambia following his criticism of President Hakainde Hichilema that he is allegedly persecuting Bembas and Easterners.
Dr. Sishuwa, a Zambian senior lecturer in the Department of History at Stellenbosch University in South Africa has accused a senior official at State House of having reported him to the police on charges of hate speech.
Dr Sishuwa said he was aware that UPND cadres were lining up at Police Force headquarters reporting him against hate speech but that he was not going to stop criticising the regime as much as he did with the previous administration.
In a statement released yesterday, Dr. Sishuwa responded strongly to the threats, asserting; “You will not manage to intimidate me because I fear absolutely nothing, human or divine, except the betrayal of my conscience.”
Dr Sishuwa has pledged his commitment to speaking truth to power and denounced any attempts to silence him.
His comments stemmed from an interview with one of the independent publications earlier this week, in which he accused President Hichilema of using the police and judiciary to target Bembas and Easterners.
He provided examples of individuals from the two regions who have faced arrests or prolonged detentions under politically motivated charges.
“There is a clear pattern. Most of those arrested for political offences are Bembas or Easterners,” Dr. Sishuwa noted.
He criticised the disproportionate legal action against these groups, highlighting cases where Bembas and Easterners have been detained longer than the law permits, with no action taken against individuals from other regions who have made similar inflammatory remarks.
Dr Sishuwa also pointed to what he described as the double standards in the treatment of political opponents, including the case of Petauke Central Independent MP Emmanuel Banda, who has been repeatedly persecuted, while similar offences by individuals from other regions have gone unpunished.
He also accused the judiciary of aiding the persecution by denying bail to Bemba-speaking individuals convicted on political charges, asserting that the courts were subordinating themselves to the executive. Dr. Sishuwa has since called on Zambians to rise above ethnic divisions and demand an end to the persecution of Bembas and Easterners, stressing; “We must speak out against these injustices…Hichilema has crossed a red line and must be opposed.”
He urged Zambians to openly discuss ethnic marginalisation and work towards a more inclusive society.
