A STATESMAN ISN’T SUPPOSED TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY ACTIVE POLITICAL OFFICIALS & CADRES.
- THERE ARE SO MANY SIGNS TO SHOW THAT EDGAR LUNGU IS STILL IN ACTIVE POLITICS AND HUNGRY FOR POLITICAL POWER. –
By: Maxwell Nsama.
Monday || March 13th, 2023.
When a former Republican President (Head of Government & State) is still surrounded by Senior Officials of the Political Party that he led as Republican President then he is still active in Politics… The Constitution of Zambia provides that when an incumbent Republican President seeking another term loses an Election and after the swear-in ceremony of his successor, he is given a duration of at least 6 months to decide whether to resign from active politics and begin to draw Presidential Retirement Benefits & Pension or continue with active politics to bounce back to Power.
Edgar Lungu as the Sixth Republican President on his path to seek a third term after holding the Office of the Republican President twice lost the August 12th, 2021 Presidential Elections by a million vote margin and handed over the Instruments of State Power and Authority to his successor the incumbent 7th Republican President of Zambia, His Excellency, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema on August 24th, 2021 and later wrote to both CABINET and PF that he resigned from active politics on August 28th, 2021 and has since been enjoying Presidential Retirement Benefits unfortunately he has failed to conduct himself as a STATESMAN and there are numerous SIGNS to show of his behavior.
HERE ARE THE MAJOR SIGNS TO SHOW THAT EDGAR LUNGU HAS FAILED TO CONDUCT HIMSELF AS A STATESMAN.
Firstly, it’s his position of accusing President Hakainde Hichilema and his ADMINISTRATION for coming for him through the arrests, charges and prosecutions which he describes as harassment & persecution of those that served in his ADMINISTRATION as well as his relatives. Edgar Lungu has gone to extents of demanding that Government lift his Presidential Immunity according to him, it’s a quicker way of the LAW coming to him without having his Political Cadres and relatives having to pay for his sins and tolerance. As if it is not enough, Edgar Lungu has been describing President Hakainde Hichilema as a hypocrite which is an INSULT.
It’s a known issue that Edgar Lungu through late 4th Republican President, Mr. Rupiah Banda begged for mercy from President HICHILEMA and promised to operate with him on the path of rebuilding the Country but Edgar Lungu has failed to live up to his words and what is happening to him and his people are merely consequences of their actions.
Secondly, it’s on the position of those who were appointed as PF Members of the Central Committee after his resignation letters from active politics and PF President. Edgar Lungu and his Secretary General resigned on the same date hence leaving a leadership vacuum in the PF to trigger an immediate General Conference (Convention) after 3 months to elect a new Party President (who would appoint his Vice-President, Secretary General etc) and Members of the Central Committee but it’s been a year and 7 months without the PF having a public President and a newly elected MCCs.
In June 2022, we witnessed the likes of Chishimba Kambwili, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba (Vice Chairperson for Information and Publicity), Dr. Canisius Banda, Bowman Lusambo, Hon. Mutotwe Kafwaya, Miss Charity Kapona, Cll Tapiwa Mhango and Japhen Mwakalombe being included as newly appointed – ratified Members of the Central Committee therefore the question is, who appointed them and whose PF Presidential signature is on their appointment and approval documents. Given Lubinda as Vice-President appointed by Edgar Lungu on the date of his resignation has no power to conduct himself as acting President. The deputy Secretary General has no power to conduct himself as acting Secretary General where the Secretary General position is vacant and the Members of the Central Committee have no power to appoint and approve any new Member of the Central Committee.
Since Hon. Miles Sampa has sued both the PF Vice-President and Deputy Secretary General in the Court of Law, there is no doubt that soon the truth will surface of Edgar Lungu still holding on to the PF PRESIDENCY as documents will show that he has been signing them this is the more reason that Edgar Lungu and his MCC are massively attacking Hon. Miles Sampa and seek to expel him as to trigger a Parliamentary By-Election so that he loses his Parliamentary Seats as they hope for.
Lastly, it’s his position of having Senior PF Officials as his advisors and company to every events he attends. A STATESMAN enjoying Presidential Retirement Benefits & Pension must have a professional company and advisors who are not politically aligned to avoid the need of growing Political Ambitions unfortunately for Edgar Lungu, he has continued to accompany himself with those he illegally appointed as PF Members of the Central Committee and mingling with individuals facing criminal arrests, charges and prosecutions. Edgar Lungu is also seen describing PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA as a liar and failure who deceived the People of Zambia, surely!! How can a STATESMAN issue such a statement in the full view of the press and Senior PF Officials are seen to be cheering to him during the time that his son Dalitso Lungu was summoned by the Joint Investigation Task…?
Edgar Lungu is at LIBERTY to be ACTIVE in Politics by giving up the Statesmanship Status but he should stop defrauding the Government and State of enjoying Presidential Retirement Benefits and Pension which include a 80% Salary of an incumbent Republican President, Immunity from Arrests, Charges & Prosecutions, Medical Allowances, Housing Allowances, State Security & Secret Intelligence Services and a State Funeral while holding on to the PF PRESIDENCY. Edgar Lungu should for once do something right and good for the Country by being a law abiding citizen otherwise his ending will be very bad and shameful compared to his 2021 Election loss.