After several years of staying behind the social trend, Zambia has finally woken up to the global awareness. President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, announced that his government plans to abolish the death penalty row from the nation completely. Since this announcement, the President’s statement has received significant support from across Zambia. Among his supporters is Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani, a noted businessman and philanthropist from Zambia and Africa. Dr. Rajan Mahtani highlighted that death penalty is an archaic and barbaric law. It is cruel, inhumane and degrading and does not provide any solution for the Zambian government. While praising the decision from the Zambian President, Dr. Rajan Mahtani stated that only an individual who is compassionate, respects ‘rule of law’ respects fundamental human rights as well as basic human dignity will find the need towards ending this barbaric punishment, even for the prisoners.
Dr. Rajan Mahtani in a recent interview stated that while working with Prison Fellowship Zambia (PFZ) he had the opportunity of meeting with several inmates who have transformed themselves and found comfort in the dedication of Almighty God. Further, Dr. Mahtani also said that there is a growing consensus towards abolishing death penalty across the globe and this consensus can be observed across Zambia too. As a result, majority of the past Presidents refused to sign death warrant. The last death execution was made in the year 1997 by late President Chiluba and since then, Presidents have been strategically avoiding death penalty by giving mercy pleas. At the same time, there have been reports that the condition of the Zambian prisons is extremely pathetic with many prisoners devoid of even fundamental human rights and basic human dignity across some of the maximum prisons. As such, the Zambian government has started strategic decongestion of prisons by releasing prisoners.
In such a scenario, giving death penalty is no longer viable and is against the nation’s social and legal representation. As such, the decision made by the Zambian President is a step in the right direction.