United Party for National Development (UPND) National Youth Chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso has rejected a call by Prince Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika for African Presidents to facilitate national dialogue in Zambia and to have persons facing treason charges released, describing…

United Party for National Development (UPND) National Youth Chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso has rejected a call by Prince Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika for African Presidents to facilitate national dialogue in Zambia and to have persons facing treason charges released, describing the appeal as misplaced and blind to law and order.

Prince Lewanika, Chairperson of the Council of Elders for Ethical Leadership, Democracy and Development, addressed the appeal to African Presidents. UPND says he wants those facing treason charges released as political prisoners.

In a press statement, Mr Liswaniso said the party read the appeal and, with due respect to Prince Lewanika, must challenge it. He said it misdiagnoses Zambia’s situation and confuses lawlessness with politics.

He said the real question is whether the issue is about freeing individuals or dealing with the matters that led to their arrest. Prince Lewanika, he said, makes release a precondition for dialogue but avoids asking what conduct led to the arrests in the first place.

On the charge itself, Mr Liswaniso was blunt.

“Treason is not a parking offence. It is the gravest charge against the State under our laws. It is not declared by Government. It is investigated by law enforcement agencies and determined by competent courts of law,” he said.

Calling for the release of suspects without addressing the alleged conduct behind the charges, he said, amounts to asking Zambia to tolerate lawlessness. He put the question to Prince Lewanika directly.

“Is that what an elder and envoy for ethical leadership should champion?” he asked.

A true elder, Mr Liswaniso said, should be the first to say let the law take its course.

“Dialogue is welcome, but dialogue cannot mean impunity. Meaningful dialogue cannot be built on a demand to subvert the judicial process,” he said.

He said that if Prince Lewanika wants to champion dialogue, it should be dialogue that addresses the root causes: respect for the Constitution, rejection of anarchy and respect for state institutions. It should not, he said, start with freeing suspects.

Mr Liswaniso also questioned the decision to turn to African Presidents. He said the continent is grappling with far more pressing crises, including unconstitutional changes of government, armed conflicts, coups and terrorism. Zambia, he said, remains one of the most stable democracies on the continent, with working courts and a working Parliament.

He said nothing justifies calling on African leaders to facilitate dialogue over a treason case that is already before a competent court. Internationalising a domestic law enforcement matter, he said, discredits Zambia by painting a picture of a country in crisis that needs external mediation.

“Zambia does not need to be rescued. Zambia needs its laws to be respected,” he said.

The party is not against talking, Mr Liswaniso said. UPND supports dialogue, and President Hakainde Hichilema has always stated that Zambia is a country of dialogue.

But dialogue, he said, cannot be made conditional on releasing persons charged with treason.

“That is not dialogue, it is blackmail against the State,” he said.

Mr Liswaniso said that if the Council of Elders wants to contribute meaningfully, it should facilitate dialogue on how Zambians can strengthen ethical leadership by discouraging lawlessness, not by rewarding it. It should also engage the youth on respecting institutions, he said, and encourage political players to compete through ideas in line with the Grow Zambia Agenda, and not through acts that attract treason charges.

He ended the statement with a warning about where amnesty leads.

“Zambia’s future will be built on the rule of law and not on selective amnesty for political convenience,” he said.

The treason allegations are also before the courts on a separate track. A panel of three High Court judges will hear a petition from opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu from October 26 to November 6.

Mr Mundubile, Mr Zulu and 16 others have petitioned the State, alleging violations of their constitutional rights through continued detention without being taken to court for plea and trial. They are among 18 people facing treason allegations in connection with post-election events.

Mr Mundubile and Mr Zulu have been detained for 42 days. The hearing opens on October 26.