Dr. Rajan Mahtani is a noted businessman, charity worker and philanthropist from Zambia. One of his top philanthropic contributions to the Zambian economy and society is Prison Fellowship Zambia (PFZ). Recently, Dr. Mahtani pledged full support towards the decision made by the Zambian President towards abolishing death penalty. On Africa Day, President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema announced that his government is planning to abolish the archaic law of death penalty permanently from his country. This statement from the Zambian President received significant support barring a few mixed reactions. While supporting this statement from the President of Zambia, Dr. Rajan Mahtani also stated that it is one thing to make such a statement and an entirely different strategy to ensure that this announcement becomes a reality soon. This path will require significant legal reforms, persuading the government and ensuring that the process is smooth with minimum roadblocks. As such, Dr. Mahtani owned Prison Fellowship Zambia will provide full legal and regulatory support to make this announcement a reality. While praising this decision, Dr. Rajan Mahtani also said that only an individual who respects fundamental human rights, basic human dignity, an individual respecting the ‘rule of law’ and an individual who prays the god will be able to make such a statement

In his interview excerpt, Dr. Mahtani highlighted that the concept of death penalty has largely been abolished across the globe and the trend can be observed across Africa and Zambia too. The President was thereby commended for leading the path toward respecting the right towards life. Another factor that Dr. Mahtani highlighted was the increasingly degrading condition of the Zambian prisons, especially the maximum prisons where prisoners are often devoid of fundamental human rights and basic human dignity. Past Presidents have tactically avoided giving death penalty and the last death penalty was given in the year 1997. As such, it was long due from the Zambian Government to conclude the archaic death penalty law and abolish it.