A GOOD HEART THAT WILL NEVER BE APPRECIATED: The Painful Past – Political Persecution and National Trauma

By R. Chikanya.

A GOOD HEART THAT WILL NEVER BE APPRECIATED

The Painful Past – Political Persecution and National Trauma.

In the political history of Zambia, no man has endured more undeserved suffering, vilification, and persecution than President Hakainde Hichilema. Long before he occupied the presidency, he was branded an enemy by the very system he sought to reform. His only “crime” was standing for the truth. He was a man with a vision to serve his country better—but in return, the state machinery turned against him with brutal force.

The previous regime did everything imaginable to destroy him politically, socially, emotionally, and even physically. They made sure no corner of Zambia was safe for a UPND supporter. Wearing red, a simple party colour, became a declaration of war. Countless youths were shot at in broad daylight, and some still carry the bullets in their bodies. Peaceful protestors were met with teargas, arrests, and beatings. Zambia, under their leadership, became a battlefield of political intolerance.

President Hichilema was unlawfully detained for 127 days without committing any crime. He was thrown into solitary confinement, denied family visits, legal rights, and medical attention. He was treated worse than a convicted criminal, simply because of his rising popularity. They tried to break his spirit, but what they did not realize was that they were forging a leader of unshakable resilience.

In Mongu, he was hunted like a criminal, forced to flee into the bush as gunshots rang out around him. In the Copperbelt, he escaped through a rooftop from bloodthirsty cadres who had been instructed to “finish him.” They blocked him at airports, denied him entry into towns, and accused him of every possible crime—from land grabbing to mine privatization—none of which held truth.

They attacked not only him but his family, turning loved ones into weapons against him. It was not enough to paint him as a villain—they needed to strip him of dignity. The most humiliating moment came when he was denied a chance to mourn the First Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. He watched the funeral on TV like a prisoner in his own country. They treated him like an outsider, even in national mourning.

The Culture of Oppression – Fear, Violence, and Tribal Hate

The previous administration introduced a culture of fear that poisoned every corner of society. It was an era where machetes and guns became political tools. Lebanese shops in urban areas sold pangas like tomatoes, because it became “normal” to carry one. Pupils walking to school could be attacked. Pregnant mothers feared wearing red chitenges. Marketeers and ordinary Zambians were regularly brutalized by cadres.

Their rule institutionalized tribalism, aimed particularly at demeaning and alienating the Tonga-speaking community. They dismissed workers based on surnames. Tribal hate was paraded on national television. Whole ethnic groups were insulted with impunity. Their mission was clear: paint Hichilema as a “tribalist” to isolate him from national appeal. They didn’t hate his policies; they hated his identity.

They introduced Bill 10, not to improve the Constitution, but to eliminate one man from contesting elections. Every move they made was not about development—it was about removing Hichilema by any means necessary. They feared his clean record, his economic knowledge, and the love Zambians had for him.

In all these dark years, Hichilema maintained his discipline. He never called for revenge. He never incited his followers to violence. Instead, he kept calling for peace. Even when no one was listening, he kept offering his good heart to the nation.

The Triumph of Peace – A New Dawn, A Different Path

In 2021, Zambians rose and made history. They voted out a violent regime and gave power to the man they once saw hunted through the bush. Hakainde Hichilema became President. And what did he do with that power? Did he arrest those who jailed him? Did he dismiss civil servants the way they did to his people? No. He forgave them.

Unlike past transitions, he refused to touch his predecessor’s presidential immunity. When President Fredrick Chiluba lost power, he was dragged to court. When President Rupiah Banda lost, his immunity was stripped and he faced prosecution. But President Hichilema chose the higher road. He refused to weaponize the law against his opponents, not because crimes hadn’t been committed, but because he didn’t want to rule through vengeance.

He increased the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to K36.1 million. He rolled out free education, even for the children of those who had insulted him. He appointed officials from various tribes. He opened the airwaves. He gave freedom to media houses, and under his government, no journalist has been jailed for doing their job. He gave this country peace and freedom it had long forgotten.

But even after all this, his good heart was met with more attacks. Former oppressors and their sympathizers continue to insult him daily. They still run smear campaigns. They still fabricate stories. They still try to discredit every achievement of his government. The same people who banned him from funerals now want to ban him again—even when one of their own, the Sixth President, has passed away.

The Latest Insult – A Funeral in Foreign Land

And now, the ultimate insult. The former Sixth Republican President has died. The same man who persecuted President Hichilema, denied him space in national events, and tried to silence him forever, has passed on. And what have his loyalists done? They have chosen to bury him in a foreign land, just to stop President Hichilema from attending, or worse, from saying a word of farewell.

To them, a man who forgave, who moved on, who never retaliated—is still a threat. Even in death, they fear what his presence represents: the truth. They are determined to deny him the dignity of closure, just as they denied him before. But President Hichilema is not surprised. He has lived through this script too many times.

When President Michael Sata died, he was denied a chance to speak. When Dr. Kenneth Kaunda died, he watched on TV like an outsider. This is nothing new. It is just a continuation of old hatred.

But let it be clear: he regrets nothing. He loses nothing. He carries no bitterness. And if they want to go ahead and bury their leader far from the people, let them do so. The pain is not his. The shame is not his. It is the shame of the ungrateful.

A Heart That Forgave – But Was Never Respected

Indeed, sometimes, a good heart is not what some people deserve. President Hakainde Hichilema has shown Zambia and the world what it means to lead with love, humility, and maturity. He was hunted like an animal, yet he ruled like a statesman. He was mocked, yet he did not retaliate. He was jailed, yet he freed others. He was hated, yet he chose to serve even those who wished him harm.

And yet, he is still not appreciated.

But that’s fine. He is used to this. He will continue to lead with compassion, even when others respond with hate. Because he understands that leadership is not about revenge—it is about legacy. He will continue to build schools, improve healthcare, provide bursaries, create jobs, and unite this country—even if his enemies continue to resist.

Zambia must remember: you can curse the sun, but you will never stop it from rising. The hatred towards Hichilema is not based on his policies. It is based on who he is, and where he comes from. But regardless of that, he remains unshaken.

He once roamed the prison halls of Mukobeko. Today he walks in the corridors of State House. If that alone doesn’t tell you about the power of resilience and grace, then nothing ever will.

Indeed, a good heart which has been never appreciated.
But he will remain faithful to Zambia—even if Zambia remains ungrateful to him.
Because he is not doing it for applause. He is doing it for posterity.
And history will remember.