By The Vital
Is Hichilema the Greatest Zambian President of All Time – maybe he should rule us for life
Each time President Hakainde Hichilema takes to the podium to canvas for votes in the August 13 elections, his hubris soars to unimaginable levels.
It could appear we are supposed to acknowledge him as the greatest Zambian President of all time. He has repeatedly told his audience how out of all the seven presidents have had; it is only him who has unlocked Zambia’s potential.
Just in case anyone needs a reminder of the great men that have held the highest office in our land: Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Dr Frederick Chiluba, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, Rupiah Bwezani Banda, Michael Chilufya Sata and Edgar Chagwa Lungu. It could be interesting to see where Hichilema genuinely stands in terms of hierarchy among these great men.
One cannot help imagine if it was Hichilema who helped win Zambia’s independence in 1964 or been the one to lead the return to multi party politics. Could we survive his hubris if he was the one that championed the HIPC completion point as did Levy Mwanawasa?
Even just the notable economic gains enjoyed under Rupiah Banda. We imagine he would be staking a claim for life presidency.
]He quite often cites his admittedly brutal arrest and detention as being one that entitles him to such levels of greatness. Did not other former presidents have their time behind bars and did not hold the country to ransom? Was KK not arbitrarily arrested and detained during the struggle for independence? Did Dr Chiluba also have his moments behind bars during the struggle for multi-partysm?
It also bothers us that he postures himself as having restored Zambia’s international respectability which the other six former heads of state are responsible for soiling. He even takes time to school his hordes of listeners on the importance of reserves allegedly plundered by his predecessors.
We have even been taken to school over the greatest CDF initiative in the history of Zambia. It generally incorporated other aspects of our development that sat in other government departments or ministries. It is definitely a notable step but to couch it as the greatest since the birth of Zambia is simply nonsensical.
What kind of great leader shuts out his opponents from air space while he campaigns alone? Every one of his four predecessors allowed him the right to use helicopters while he was campaigning in opposition. Did he not gain fame at Mfuwe Airport whilst negotiating his way out with some cops?
Maybe he is right, his international credentials are better than KK, Dr Chiluba, Levy, RB, Sata and Lungu combined. Probably Ghana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya and other countries need to rename the facilities they have named after KK to HH. Just maybe we need to toast to the greatest African president of all time.