Recently, the President of Zambia announced his wish to abolish death penalty from its core. On the special occasion of Africa Day, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema announced that he is planning to abolish the death penalty law. Post this announcement, support poured in including that of noted businessman and philanthropist Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani. Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani, while supporting the announcement from the Zambian President, stated that death penalty is cruel, inhumane and degrading and does not give any respite to the Zambian government. Dr. Rajan Mahtani also stated that the path towards transforming the announcement to a reality is a difficult one, full of challenges, resistance and roadblocks. As such, Dr. Rajan Mahtani owned Prison Fellowship Zambia (PFZ) will provide legal and regulatory support towards ensuring that the announcement becomes law soon.

Prison Fellowship Zambia is a noted Christian Outreach Program founded by Dr. Mahtani more than three decades ago. Currently, Dr. Rajan Mahtani is the Chairman of the organization. The objective of PFZ is focussing on providing the teachings of Jesus Christ to the inmates, ex-inmates and their families in Zambia. The program also works towards ensuring transparent criminal justice for the prisoners as well as ensuring that they are not devoid of fundamental human rights and fundamental human dignity.

Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani further stated that there is a growing awareness towards abolishing death penalty across the globe. This trend can be observed across Africa and Zambia too. The last time death penalty was given in Zambia was in the year 1997 under the Presidency of Late President Chiluba. As a result of the increasing pressure from institutions and other nations, Presidents have been tactically avoiding giving capital punishment. At the same time, the current condition of the Zambian prisons is extremely pathetic with prisoners devoid of even basic human dignity and fundamental human rights. This has prompted the Zambian Government to start strategic decongestion of prisons. As such, the decision from the Zambian President is step towards the right direction.