Dr. Mahtani Comes Forward To Support Decision By Zambian President

Recently, the President of Zambia make a significant announcement, turning heads all at once. On the occasion of Africa Day, President Hakainde Hichilema announced that he is planning to abolish the death penalty law. According to President Hichilema, the law of death penalty or capital punishment is degrading, inhumane and cruel as well as against the rule of law. This news has received widespread support from across Zambia and Africa. Noted Zambian businessman and philanthropist Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani has provided his complete support towards this decision. Dr. Mahtani is known for several philanthropic activities and one of them is Prison Fellowship Zambia (PFZ). It is a Christian Outreach Program established more than 37 years ago by Dr. Mahtani. The program focusses on bringing Jesus Christ’s gospel to the inmates, ex-inmates and their families. The program also focusses on providing effective and fair criminal justice system as well as providing fundamental human dignity and human rights to the inmates.
While praising the decision from the Zambian President, Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani stated several facts to prove that the law of death penalty does not provide any solution to the Zambian law. First, there are more than 350 prisoners, both men and women, facing death penalty row. For these prisoners life is a living hell as they wake up everyday not knowing if it is there last day. At the same time, the condition of the Zambian prisoners is extremely challenging and dangerous and the inmates are often even devoid of basic human dignity and fundamental human rights. Dr. Rajan Mahtani also stated that while several other previous Presidents have strategically avoided death penalty or capital punishment, very few of them have actually worked towards removed the issue from its core by abolishing the law completely.
As such, Dr. Rajan Mahtani via his organization Prison Fellowship Zambia has extended their full support towards this announcement, providing legal and regulatory support and guidance across each stage of making this announcement a reality.