BEYOND GRATITUDE: CHELLAH TUKUTA’S JOURNEY OF MISSED CHANCES AND UNCHARTED PATHS- Sikaile Sikaile

By: Sikaile C.Sikaile

BEYOND GRATITUDE: CHELLAH TUKUTA’S JOURNEY OF MISSED CHANCES AND UNCHARTED PATHS.

When UPND came into power, Chellah TUKUTA was behind bars, yet the president never forgot him. As far as I’m concerned, TUKUTA was among the first people in the UPND government to be appointed, where he was assigned the rare privilege of being a presidential photographer. Some of us thought he would cultivate decent manners, but no; the story of ‘a pig can be cleaned and still goes in mud’ perfectly describes him.

Later on, he was moved out of State House and sent on a foreign mission where, if he were a critical-thinking person, he could have brought something back to the country to benefit the lives of the young people and Zambians at large, whom he claims to speak for now after being fired for misconduct. In a technologically advanced country like Brazil, what has he brought back to the nation? How does he become a spokesperson for us, the struggling youths and ordinary Zambians? HH dearly loved you, Chellah, but you lack self-discipline and are unteachable. Borrowing from president Edgar Lungu’s words you’re ‘incorrigible’.

You can brag about being a professional photographer, but show us what you achieved before serving in the government in your photography career. Today, you are flaunting a mansion. It is utterly ridiculous for you to point a finger at HH and claim you speak for the Zambian people. Why didn’t you speak for us when you were serving in the government? HH gave you an opportunity, and in fact, you are a huge embarrassment to the youths because you are one of those people who will be used as a bad example whenever youths are seeking opportunities.

If you were wise, you could have toned down a bit and reflected, but each day you give us more reasons that surround your real lifestyle. We totally agree the economy is not doing well, but the issues surrounding our economy are too complex for you to comprehend, and grasp what it takes to get things back to normal. If you were wise and meant well for the youths, the time you were near the president was the best time to lobby for youth-driven projects and various opportunities across the country so that our fellow youths could benefit. But you were busy praising the government every day even insulting those who don’t agree with UPND government. What has changed today?

As Zambian youths, we have been hustling before 2021, and you cannot be our spokesperson, sir. You missed opportunities that you will never see again in your life. Working closely with the president was an opportunity that you ridiculously missed. If you had safeguarded it, you could have been on another level by the time President HH is going out of office. You could have had very sophisticated business connections. If you truly depend on photographing people, why make noise, sir? Just go and work silently. Our economy needs genuine strategic planning for it to be stable; those cosmetic solutions that we used to see in the past are what brought us into this trouble. Being in Brazil, you should have come back with a different mindset on economic development, but you were busy gossiping and fighting on social media about baseless things. This is why you brought nothing that can inspire young people.

You can deny it because you are an ungrateful human being, but HH treasured you and granted you endless opportunities that have helped you build that house. Sometimes show gratitude rather than ranting. There are more deserving people who could have gotten those opportunities, Chellah, and the fact that the president gave you a lot of chances doesn’t mean you are too special. If you want to go higher in life, try to be humble and grateful, even for the little things.

SIKAILE C SIKAILE