BA MEDIA 100%
UPND MEDIA DIRECTOR MR MARK SIMUUWE: CRIMINALITY MUST NEVER BE DRESSED UP AS DIALOGUE
You have people who are facing serious allegations of criminal conduct pushing for what they call “dialogue.” We must be careful not to confuse genuine political dialogue with attempts to use dialogue as a shield for criminality.
A person accused of serious wrongdoing must first face the law and account for their actions before anyone attempts to use political dialogue to wash away those concerns.
A criminal act cannot become legitimate simply because it is packaged as a political disagreement. Dialogue is important in a democracy, but dialogue must be anchored in peace, honesty, accountability and respect for the law. Where there are credible allegations of violence or other serious crimes, the proper institutions must be allowed to investigate and determine the facts.
The danger of normalising criminality is that it can create a culture where those who break the law believe that political negotiations will always provide an escape route. Once that happens, the country risks replacing the rule of law with a dangerous cycle where wrongdoing is rewarded with political accommodation.
We should therefore distinguish between political dialogue and dialogue used to legitimise criminal behaviour. Zambia needs dialogue that protects citizens, strengthens democracy and preserves peace—not dialogue that gives cover to violence, intimidation or criminality.
No political objective is more important than the safety of Zambians. Those who genuinely want dialogue should demonstrate their commitment to peace, accountability and the law. The message must be clear: political differences can be discussed, but criminality must be confronted through lawful institutions.
BY BA MEDIA 100%
R. CHIKANYA