DiA is proud to share a statement of solidarity with Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa against unfounded charges of sedition that has been put together and signed by academics from around the world. Click here to download a PDF of the statement. To add your signature, email your details in the form “Name, Job Title, Institution” here.
We, the undersigned, as prominent academics across Zambia, Africa and the wider world, are deeply alarmed at credible reports that the University of Zambia (UNZA) historian, Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa, is to be charged with sedition, as the result of an opinion piece he published in the Mail and Guardian (South Africa), on 22 March 2021.
As historians and social scientists who have studied and published in and about Zambia for many decades, we are extremely concerned that the threat of sedition charges is being used to silence the legitimate expression of belief by one of the country’s most prominent early-career scholars. Dr Sishuwa, who has published outstanding and prize-winning research articles in the world’s most prominent African studies journals, is drawing on his research expertise to bring to public attention his concerns about the current direction of Zambian political life. Far from inciting popular rebellion (as the term ‘sedition’ implies), he seeks to address the underlying causes of societal tension as a way to reduce it. We believe it is both his right and his patriotic duty to bring such concerns into the public eye. Article 20 of the Constitution of Zambia guarantees Dr Sishuwa and all other Zambians freedom of expression, that is to say freedom to hold opinions, receive ideas and impart or communicate ideas and information without interference.
As citizens and longstanding friends of Zambia, who have documented the country’s prominent historical role in the political liberation of southern Africa, and its pioneering role in constitutional democratisation, we are worried about the proposed use of an authoritarian tool such as the charge of sedition, and call for any consideration of such charges to be immediately and permanently dropped.
We are further alarmed at the issuance by the University of Zambia of a statement dated 27 April 2021, disassociating the university from its employee Dr Sishuwa. This misleading statement suggests Dr Sishuwa is not currently employed by the university, when in fact he is, as is normal for academic researchers, simply on temporary research leave from it. Indeed, as recently as December last year, UNZA publicly celebrated the achievements of Dr Sishuwa.
All of us have worked at or with colleagues from UNZA, long a prominent university that has, since independence, been a centre of intellectual freedom, often in difficult circumstances. We wholly reject the allegation that Dr Sishuwa is pursuing a ‘personal agenda’ and call on the university to guarantee Dr Sishuwa’s continued employment and his right to academic freedom.
Signatories
- Professor Rita Abrahamsen, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
- Dr Michael Aeby, Research Associate, IDCCPA University of Cape Town & University of Edinburgh
- The African Studies Association of Africa
- Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, University of Ghana, and President of the African Studies Association of Africa
- Professor David M. Anderson, Professor of African History, University of Warwick
- Professor Kate Baldwin, Associate Professor of Political Science, Yale University
- Professor Robert Bates, Eaton Professor Emeritus of the Science of Government, Harvard University
- Dr Nicole Beardsworth, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Pretoria
- Sarah Bellows-Blakely, Research Fellow in Global Intellectual History, Freie Universität Berlin
- Dr Eloïse Bertrand, Research Fellow, University of Portsmouth
- Dr Chaloka Beyani, Professor of International Law, Law Department, London School of Economics and Political Science.
- Professor Catherine Boone, Department of International Development, London School of Economics and Political Science
- Professor Michael Bratton, Emeritus Professor of Government, Michigan State University
- Caesar Cheelo, Research Economist – Trade and Customs Division, COMESA Secretariat
- Professor Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy, University of Birmingham
- Dr Grieve Chelwa, Postdoctoral Fellow, The New School
- Geoffrey Chibuye, Independent
- Professor Simukai Chigudu, Associate Professor of African Politics, University of Oxford
- Dr Isaac Chinyoka, Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town
- Roy Clarke, former lecturer in Education at the University of Zambia, 1979-89, political satirist at the Post Newspaper 1996-2009
- Dr Michaela Collord, Junior Research Fellow, New College, University of Oxford
- Leila Demarest, Assistant Professor of African Politics, Institute of Political Science, Leiden University
- Dr Kim Yi Dionne, Associate Professor of Political Science, UC Riverside
- Professor Gregor Dobler, Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
- Professor Lindiwe Dovey, Professor of Film and Screen Studies, School of Arts, SOAS University of London
- Dr Boniface Dulani, Senior Lecturer in Political Science, University of Malawi
- Dr Jonathan Fisher, Reader in African Politics, University of Birmingham
- Dr Alastair Fraser, Department of Politics and International Studies, SOAS, University of London
- Dr Elena Gadjanova, Lecturer in Politics, University of Exeter
- Courtney Hallink, PhD student, University of Cambridge
- Professor Antoinette Handley, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto
- Dr Anne Heffernan, Assistant Professor in Southern African History, Durham University
- Sacha Hepburn, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Birkbeck, University of London
- Professor Samuel Hickey, Professor of Politics and Development, University of Manchester
- Marja Hinfelaar, Director of Research and Programmes, Southern African Institute for Policy and Research
- Professor Alan Hirsch, Emeritus Professor of Public Governance, University of Cape Town
- Dr Dan Hodgkinson, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, University of Oxford
- Professor Kristine Höglund, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University.
- Dr Chris Huggins, Assistant Professor, School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa
- Professor Faizel Ismail, Professor of Public Governance, University of Cape Town
- Zenobia Ismail, Research Fellow, Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham
- Samson Itodo, Yiaga Africa
- Professor Hambaba Jimaima, Department of Literature and Languages, University of Zambia
- Diana Jeater, Associate Dean, Department of History, University of Liverpool
- Dr Will Jones, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy, Royal Holloway, University of London
- Dr Walima Kalusa, Senior Lecturer in African History, University of eSwatini, and former Head of the Department of History, University of Zambia
- Lillian Kamusiime, Independent
- Victor Kanyense, Indeepndent Social Scientist & Development Specialist
- Professor Chammah J. Kaunda, Assistant Professor of World Christianity and Mission Studies, Yonsei University
- Kalaluka Kapungu, Citizen of Zambia
- Stephen Kamugasa, Independent Researcher
- Rita Kesselring, Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Social Anthropology, University of Basel
- Aikande C. Kwayu, Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Stephanie Lämmert, Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
- Professor Miles Larmer, Professor of African History, University of Oxford
- Professor Baz Lecocq, Chair African History, Institute for Asian and African Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin
- Professor Staffan I. Lindberg, Director, V-Dem Institute, of Political Science, University of Gothenburg
- Sworo Nelson Henry Lo’boka, Africa Call, South Sudan
- Dr Terrence Lyons, Associate Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University
- Professor Adrienne LeBas, Associate Professor of Government, American University
- Dr Reuben A. Loffman, Lecturer in African History, Queen Mary University of London
- Professor Gabrielle Lynch, Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick.
- Dr Ainara Mancebo, Research Scholar, Ronin Institute
- Hugh Macmillan, Research Fellow, University of Oxford
- Kuukuwa Manful, PhD Researcher, SOAS, University of London
- Professor Robert Mattes, Professor of Political Science, University of Strathclyde
- Monte McMurchy, Rector American Christian Liberal Arts University Congo—UCI
- Professor Henning Melber, Nordic Africa Institute; University of Pretoria; University of the Free State
- Kelvin Mmabwe, University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers’ Union
- Robert Molteno, formerly Lecturer in Political Science and Public Administration, University of Zambia, 1968-1976
- Dr Duncan Money, Researcher, African Studies Centre, University of Leiden
- Jason Mosley, Research Associate, African Studies Centre, Oxford University
- Steriah Mudenda, School of Education, The University of Zambia
- Hassan Mudane, Lecturer, Department of Political Science, City University of Mogadishu.
- John Munkombwe, Lecturer, Institute of Distance Education, The University of Zambia
- Dr Patience Mususa, Senior Researcher, Nordic Africa Institute
- Victor Mutelelekesha, Contemporary Artist, Founder of The Lusaka Contemporary Art Centre
- Jean Mwape, Citizen of Zambia
- Dr Mack Ndawana, IFP Subject Lead, Centre for Academic Language and Development, University of Bristol
- Youngson Ndawana, Lecturer in Media Studies, University of Zambia
- Professor Manenga Ndulo, Professor of Economics, University of Zambia
- Professor Muna Ndulo, Professor of Law, Cornell University
- Daniel Munday, PhD Candidate, University of Birmingham
- Dr Bruce Mutsvairo, Professor of Journalism, Auburn University
- Chantry Mweemba, International Relations and Human Rights expert
- Olívio Nkilumbu – Professor, Politólogo e Consultor Político, Magistério Mutu Ya Kevela e Universidade Óscar Ribas
- Nanjala Nyabola, Independent Researcher
- Dr Robert Nyenhuis, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Cal Poly Pomona
- Dr Ken O. Opalo, Assistant Professor, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
- Dr Dan Paget, Lecturer in Politics, University of Aberdeen
- Dr Michael Panzer, Adjunct Professor in History, Marist College
- Dr Lazlo Passemiers, Senior Lecturer, University of the Free State, South Africa
- Dr Justin Pearce, Research Fellow Global Soldiers, University of Sussex
- Professor Didier Péclard, Associate Professor of Politics and African Studies, University of Geneva
- Dr Iva Pesa, Assistant Professor Contemporary History, University of Groningen
- Professor Anne Pitcher, Department of Political Science, University of Michigan
- Professor Daniel Posner, Department of Political Science, UCLA
- Dr Deborah Potts, Emeritus Reader in Human Geography, King’s College London
- Professor Lise Rakner, Professor of Comparative Politics, University of Bergen
- Professor Brian Raftopoulos, Research Fellow, University of the Free State
- Elelwani Ramugondo, Chairperson of the Academic Freedom Committee, University of Cape Town
- Cleopas Sambo, Lecturer, Department of Social Work & Sociology, University of Zambi
- Dr Sara Rich Dorman, Senior Lecturer in African Politics, University of Edinburgh
- Professor Oliver Saasa, Professor of International Economic Relations & Chancellor, Mulungushi University
- Pamela Towela Sambo, Lecturer, School of Law, University of Zambia
- Dr Edalina Rodrigues Sanches, Assistant Professor, ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal)
- Dr Jenna Sapiano, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Monash Gender, Peace and Security Centre (GPS), Monash University
- Professor Chris Saunders, Emeritus Professor of Historical Studies, University of Cape Town
- Nicolai Schulz, Postdoctoral Researcher, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
- Dr Laura E. Seay, Assistant Professor, Department of Government, Colby College
- Dr Marcia C. Schenck , Professor of Global History, University of Potsdam
- Professor Jeremy Seekings, Professor of Political Studies and Sociology, University of Cape Town
- Professor David Simon, Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK
- Eunifridah Simuyaba, Lecturer, University of Zambia
- Dr Neo Simutanyi, retired Senior Lecturer in Political Science, University of Zambia and Executive Director, Centre for Policy Dialogue
- Doreen Sitali, School of Public Health, University of Zambia
- Dr Lahra Smith, Associate Professor, African Studies Program & Department of Government, Georgetown University
- Christian von Soest, Lead Research Fellow, Head of Peace and Security Research Program, German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
- Dr Morris Szeftel, Senior Lecturer Emeritus, Political & International Studies, University of Leeds
- Professor Blessing-Miles Tendi, Associate Professor in African Politics, University of Oxford
- Dr Robin L. Turner, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science, Butler University
- Bridget Bwalya Umar, Senior Lecturer, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Zambia
- Professor Peter VonDoepp, Dept. of Political Science, University of Vermont
- Professor Nicolas van de Walle, Professor of Government, Cornell University
- Dr Michael Wahman, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University
- Martin Waithaka, Independent
Academic freedom is the fabric of university public life