Sudanese‑British telecoms billionaire Mo Ibrahim has warned President Hakainde Hichilema that Zambia’s post‑election trajectory could erase years of democratic progress, citing arrests, violence and court closures that have marred the aftermath of the disputed general election.
In a statement dated 26 August and published on the Mo Ibrahim Foundation website, Ibrahim urged Hichilema not to squander the achievements of his first term.
“Mr President, your first mandate was defined by progress. Do not waste what you have achieved,” he wrote.
Ibrahim said his foundation was monitoring developments closely, stressing that democracy is tested beyond the ballot box.
He pointed to the arbitrary arrest of opposition members, the killing of a former minister and the suspension of vote counting as actions incompatible with democratic norms.
He also highlighted the closure of Zambia’s top courts, including the Constitutional Court, ahead of the deadline for filing election petitions, describing the move as compounding the country’s difficulties.
Ibrahim noted that Zambia had long been regarded internationally as a model for competitive elections, peaceful transfers of power and respect for constitutional processes.
“Mr President: Your own legacy could be just as strong,” he said, warning that no legacy is guaranteed and must be protected from one mandate to the next.
He closed with a direct caution: “It would be a waste and a shame for it all to crumble now.”
The statement comes amid an impasse following Zambia’s disputed general elections, with opposition leaders challenging the credibility of the process and raising concerns over military deployments, arrests of political figures and the sealing of court premises during the constitutional petition window.
JN/APA