Zambia: Social and cultural rights

Edda Costarelli, October 2001

Zambia's population comprises more than seventy Bantu-speaking tribes, some of which are relatively small. In fact only two are large enough each to constitute 10% of the population. The predominant faith is a blend of traditional beliefs and Christianity and the Government generally respects the right to freedom of religion.

The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on race, tribe, sex, place of origin, marital status, political opinion, colour, or creed. Relations between the various ethnic groups have generally been amicable. However, following constitutional amendments barring native-born Zambians of partial or full foreign ancestry from the presidency, government officials have increasingly questioned the ethnic origins of their critics as a way of possibly denying them their citizenship. In such way the government has violated the prohibition on discrimination based on place of origin. In an effort to undermine, intimidate and silence the opposition, the nationality of many of these individuals has been called into question, even when it had been legally recognised from the inception of the Zambian state in 1964.

Constitutional amendments also prohibit traditional chiefs from running for political office unless they resign their chieftain-ships, and a legal challenge to these in 1996 was unsuccessful.