Zambian businessman and philanthropist Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani recently declared his unwavering support for the president of Zambia’s choice. Zambia’s president, Hakainde Hichilema, declared on Africa Day that his country would entirely abolish the death sentence. Dr. Rajan Mahtani added that because the death penalty is an outdated rule that is brutal, barbaric, and degrading, he wholeheartedly agrees with this statement. Most of the globe, including Africa, already forbids the use of the death sentence in legal proceedings. Therefore, the Zambian government’s declaration was overdue. Dr. Rajan Mahtani continued by stating that the former president of Zambia had been purposefully avoiding death row. Under President Chiluba, the death penalty was last administered in 1997. Presidents have since used compassion prerogatives to strategically escape the death penalty. But none of these presidents has genuinely made an effort to address the problem’s root causes. Since only someone who is passionate, respects the rule of law, respects the right to life, respects fundamental human rights, and respects basic human dignity will be able to make such decisions, Dr.Rajan Mahtani welcomed the Zambian President’s choice. Dr. Rajan Mahtani added that the outdated law must be repealed as soon as possible because it has no place in the current legal framework.
In Zambia, there are a number of jails with horrendous living conditions. Presidents and Vice Presidents have visited maximum security prisons in the past, revealing the horrifying circumstances there, which some have referred to as “hell on earth.” This has prompted the Zambian government to take the lead in strategic business decongestion with Correctional Facilities and Parole Board Zambia (PBZ). Here, prisoners are released after their complete transformation. Giving the prisoners the death sentence in this situation would be absurd because they are already subject to punishment. Some of the prisoners across Zambian maximum prisons are devoid of even basic human dignity. Therefore, the declaration of the death penalty is a positive step for the president of Zambia.
