Zambians and the government reject criticism of the arrest of former MP Emmanuel Jay Banda, stating he must face justice.
Zambian citizens and the State have defended the apprehension of former Petauke Member of Parliament Emmanuel Jay Banda, dismissing criticism from some civil society organizations and insisting the fugitive must face justice. Members of the public stated that no one is above the law and that a suspect who publicly called for violence should answer before a competent court. Citizens argued that Banda’s alleged broadcasts, which included calls for the assassination of a democratically elected head of state and the annihilation of an ethnic group, cannot be defended as free expression.
The citizenry's position aligns with that of the State. In a statement, State House Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka assured the nation that Banda will be afforded medical care, access to legal counsel and his family, and all rights guaranteed by the Constitution. "Justice will be administered in accordance with the law," Hamasaka said. He was responding to a joint statement by a group of local and regional civil society organizations that questioned the apprehension.
The civil society groups, while not declaring the apprehension unlawful, called on the international community to condemn "these acts of lawlessness." Many citizens argued that describing such incitement as merely “vulgar” minimizes its gravity and that turning a fugitive into a victim undermines genuine human rights advocacy.
Why it mattersFormer MP Emmanuel Jay Banda's apprehension is defended by citizens and the state, who insist he must face justice for alleged incitement.
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