UN Implore Lungu To Revoke General Kanene’s Gender Based Violence Ambassadorship

UN Human Rights experts have asked the Zambian Government to strip musician Clifford Dimba, aka General Kanene, of his title of Ambassador in the fight against gender-based violence. Critics around the world have been left shocked by the fact Zambia made a well-known sexual predator an Ambassador for such a crucial issue.

Members of the UN have stated that if Zambia wishes to show it is serious in the fight against domestic violence and violence against women and girls they must remove his title. He has been convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl, and was sentenced to prison before Lungu issued him a pardon.

Upon his released he then assaulted a further two women in a matter of weeks.

“Such an outrageous release and appointment as an ambassador for the fight against gender-based violence not only traumatises the victim all over again but discourages other victims from reporting similar offences,” said Dubravka Šimonovi, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women.

“The pardon and appointment undermine the strong message against sexual abuse of women and girls that was sent with the original sentence and trivialise the serious nature of these offences. Rather, Clifford Dimba has been placed in a prominent position and even portrayed as a role model to fight violence against women.”

“It constitutes an utter disrespect for women and girls in Zambia who might rightly feel that their Government is not protecting them.”

Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, the UN Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography added, “It constitutes an utter disrespect for women and girls in Zambia who might rightly feel that their Government is not protecting them. The pardon has meant impunity for an abhorrent crime and his subsequent appointment as ambassador for the fight against such violence is more than cynical and adds insult to injury for the victim.”