By Kellys Kaunda
“BA POMPWE, CRIMINALS, AND THIEVES ARE REGROUPING”
Politicians have an insatiable desire for labels, a very unhealthy one for that matter.
Anyone once associated with the PF government is labeled a pompwe, criminal or thief. When they stand as challengers, they are labeled as regrouping for the sole purpose of coming to loot.
While in the opposition, Hichilema was labeled a supporter of gay rights, a Satanist and a member of the mason.
I always wonder why adults sink so low as to call each other such names or throw such allegations against each other.
When in power, they pass and enforce laws on sedition and hate speech against which they arrest, prosecute, convict and send to jail opponents.
But still abrogate them with impunity and still wonder when they return to the opposition ranks that they are being ‘persecuted’!
In this election, like any other election, there are countless policy areas for debate, there’s absolutely no justification whatsoever for personal attacks.
Even the failure to fulfill promises need not earn anyone the label of a liar because there’s a decent way of describing that.
Similarly, former PF members are not thieves, criminals or ba pompwe or else they will all be in jail today. Brian and Makebi are not or else they would not be on ballot papers today!
They are only regrouping under different party banners because their party was hijacked.
The truth behind the users of labels is simply this: their communication skills are nothing to write home about. They are not creative at policy debates because their knowledge of public affairs is neither here nor there.
It is often evident that most speakers at public rallies are deeply empty of basic policy knowledge.
To make up for this deficit, they resort to character assassination – a cheap political strategy devoid of any proven potency at wooing public support.
There’s a simple solution to this: get prepped by professionals before you step onto the podium.
Zambians have become sufficiently educated not to be fooled easily.