AN APPEAL TO STATE HOUSE AND THOSE REPRESENTING THE PRESIDENT’S FACE, AVOID FACEBOOK WARS, EMBRACE MWANAWASA STRATEGY
By Hon Isma’il Austin Phiri
I have seen the statement attributed to State House Chief Communications Specialist Mr Clayson Hamasaka in response to former Botswana President Ian Khama see attached.
With due respect, this is NOT how we represent the President’s face.
My Appeal
Mr Hamasaka and team, you carry the face of President Hakainde Hichilema. When you attack personally marriage, children, “weird human being” you are not attacking Khama, you are lowering the Presidency.
President Mwanawasa taught us strategy, When criticized, he put criticism into policy.
– When told Zambia is corrupt, he formed Task Force on Corruption
– When told Judiciary weak, he reformed Judiciary
– He never insulted critics on Facebook he answered with work.
That is statesmanship.
BRIEF FACT:
Since these trade of wars started:
1. Botswana our direct neighbour and trade partner relations sour
2. Zambia sidelined in SADC quiet diplomacy DRC, Zimbabwe, Botswana meetings happening without Lusaka leadership
3. Investors read these Facebook wars and ask “Is Zambia stable?”
4. Every arrest of a critic becomes international headline not copper 3 million tonnes, not jobs
Consequence if trade of wars continue: Zambia becomes isolated. We need Botswana for beef, for transit, for intelligence. We need SADC for DRC peace. We cannot fight everyone.
MY ADVISE:
1. Curb the national arrests – it’s eating government time. Police investigating Facebook posts while fuel is K33.67, traffic Silverest 2 hours, vendors chased with no plan, cholera 30 dead.
2. Government must work answer Ian Khama with performance,show economic stability, show rule of law, not insults.
3. If former President Khama said wrong, let Ministry of Foreign Affairs issue diplomatic note not personal attack on marriage and children. That is not Zambian culture.
4. Embrace Mwanawasa Doctrine,Criticism is free advice put it into policy.
President HH is bigger than Facebook wars. His face must be represented with dignity, data, diplomacy not insults.
Zambia is a Christian Nation known for peace let’s keep it.
Hon Isma’il Austin Phiri
Imwe ba Hon Austin Phiri, it is important to do some background research before making careless and inaccurate statements. State House studies online comments and choses those worth dignifying with a response. And when they respond, they have done their research. You haven’t. Khama and the pastor in custody are family. Via marriage. There is therefore nothing positive Khama can say about the current Zambian regime. Just as JJ’s mother can not say anything nice because her son is in custody. It’s called conflict of interest.
As a leader (I am assuming the Hon means you are an MP) yowa job is to find solutions to challenges, not to place the challenges on someone’s front door. Leadership is a collective responsibility. Add your ideas to sort out challenges instead of magnifying the failure to address the challenges.
The honourable needs a lot of education, he’s touching on issues that he has no idea about.