Treason trial key to political future – analyst

Analyst Greg Mills has warned that the pending treason trial of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema is going to have a major impact on Zambia's political future. Mills, who warned that Zambia has slid into dictatorship under the leadership of President Edgar Lungu, said the current administration has been systematically silencing its critics. A report on the News24 site notes that Hichilema, the leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), was charged with treason after he allegedly blocked Lungu's motorcade with his own convoy of vehicles during a traditional ceremony in the country's western province in April. 'This trial is going to have a huge impact on how the country is going to move forward. It is clear that state resources are being used for certain political agendas, thus, this is going to be a very difficult issue going forward,' Mills is quoted in the report as saying.