Sishuwa returns to South Africa after Hichilema cancels passport

Zambian-born academic Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa has safely returned to South Africa after the Zambian government cancelled his passport while he was in England, with South African diplomatic authorities in London issuing him with a travel document to facilitate his return.

Sishuwa, a senior lecturer in history at Stellenbosch University, was in the United Kingdom on academic business when his Zambian passport was cancelled. The cancellation was contained in Government Gazette Notice No. 1421 of 2026, which listed six Zambians whose passports had been revoked for "security reasons in the interest of national security."

The other five affected individuals are former Zambian ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba, former Petauke Central MP Emmanuel Jay Banda, former Nkana MP Binwell Mpundu, former State House political adviser Peter Kaiser Zulu and social media blogger Lillian Mutambo.

The Gazette did not publicly set out specific security grounds for the cancellation of each passport. Amnesty International has criticised the move, saying the cancellation of the six passports raises concerns about freedom of movement and the treatment of government critics.

Sishuwa has been publicly critical of Zambia's political developments, including the country's August 13 presidential election. President Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner of the election, while opposition leader Brian Mundubile rejected the result and alleged irregularities.

Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, were subsequently detained and charged with treason. Their lawyers have disputed the allegations, while the authorities have linked the case to an investigation into alleged national security threats.

The post-election period has also been marked by the detention of other opposition figures and legal disputes surrounding the handling of challenges to the election result.

Sishuwa's return to South Africa followed assistance from South African diplomatic authorities in London, according to reports published on Thursday. The development comes as debate continues over Zambia's decision to cancel the six passports and the reasons provided by the government for the action.

Sishuwa holds a DPhil in modern history from Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and is a senior lecturer in history at Stellenbosch University. His academic work focuses on the political history of southern Africa, including democracy, elections and civil society.