JACK Kalala says it is an illusion for those in the PF to believe that they will be in power in perpetuity.
“Even dictatorships have an expiry date,” Kalala, a former aide to president Levy Mwanawasa, said in interview.
He was commenting on the PF government’s resolve to enact a cyber-crime and cyber security bill in Parliament.
Kalala argued that the fact that information minister Dora Siliya, for instance, reported to the police the social media money video that implicates her, was indicative of availability of law.
“It means that we have laws to deal with people who would commit cyber-crimes and it is not necessary to make a law to spy on citizens and infringe on their privacy,” Kalala said.
He cautioned PF leaders against wanting to enact certain laws that may be a trap to themselves in the future.
Kalala noted that it would be a fallacy to assume that they would be in power for the rest of their lives.
“Zambia is a democracy. No matter how the PF leaders may scheme to remain in power, they must be mindful that the final arbiters are the people of Zambia,” he said. “The Kaondes have a saying that bintu bicinja, meaning that things change. The only thing that is constant is change. Anything else changes!”
Kalala further recalled that during the Frederick Chiluba administration, some laws were made to target certain individuals.
“[But] some ministers later became victims of the same laws they had enacted, after leaving office. The same may apply to the PF ministers and members of parliament. Be careful with the laws that you make today,” he said. “If it will not be yourselves, it could be your children or grandchildren. It would be too late to cry foul then! It’s an illusion to believe that you would be in power for good. Even dictatorships have an expiry date!”’
Kalala, however, clarified that he was not in support of cyber-crime.
He said he was utterly against making draconian laws which were targeted at perceived enemies or aimed at infringing citizens’ privacy.
“Good laws should be neutral and should serve people’s rights. They should be user friendly,” said Kalala. “Leaders should desist from making laws that would be used as weapons against others. Laws should be good for everyone, including those who don’t agree with them.”