Kalaba calls on UN Rapporteur to get firsthand information Instead of boardrooms

CITIZENS First President, Harry Kalaba has called on the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Irene Khan not to dwell on the information that will be provided in the boardrooms but find out what is on the ground by getting first hand information.

Khan is in Zambia at the invitation of the Zambian government to conduct a 10 day assessment on issues related to the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

During a press conference on Tuesday,
Kalaba expressed strong support Khan’s visit to this Nation.

Kalaba criticised the government for what he described as a “repressive” administration, alleging that the true scale of human rights abuses is being concealed behind official reports and statistics.

“Don’t listen to those ones in the boardrooms, telling you and giving you graphs of how they have been managing these issues, its total lies,” he claimed.

He urged Khan to visit various political detainees across the country, highlighting the conditions faced by opposition leaders and activists.

“I would recommend she goes and visits comrade GBM in Mwembeshi, it’s not far from here. She goes and sees how GBM is still being detained under very deteriorating conditions.”

“She should go and see how colleagues are being kept in Chimbokaila , how colleagues are being kept in the various prison cells. And not only these ones who are know, even these ones who are not known. They should take time to go and visit them and appreciate the real situations,” stated Kalaba.

He called for Khan to engage with political opposition leaders and visit detention centers to witness the situation firsthand.

Meanwhile, the opposition leader called for change in leadership ahead of the 2026 elections citing the nation’s ongoing crises, including rising poverty, energy shortages, food insecurity, and escalating corruption.

Kalaba condemned the government’s handling of Zambia’s mineral resources, claiming that local small-scale miners were being sidelined in favour of foreign investors.

He also criticised the country’s energy sector, alleging mismanagement and corruption, particularly regarding fuel shortages and electricity supply issues.

Kalaba also claimed the government’s policies had crippled businesses and deepened poverty, with inflation and unemployment on the rise.

The Citizens First leader also addressed governance issues, accusing the UPND of political favoritism in civil service appointments and diplomatic posts, which he argued undermined Zambia’s foreign policy.

Following his allegations and claims, Kalaba vowed that his party would prioritise economic reform, particularly in the mining and energy sectors, if elected.

He promised to restore Zambia’s growth, improve public services, and end corruption.