Edgar Chagwa Lungu and His Call for Uprising
By David Zulu
I watched the video of the sixth President, Edgar Lungu, addressing a small group of supporters at Kabwata Police Station yesterday, and frankly, I felt sad, if not somewhat embarrassed and bewildered. Each time I see the former President addressing an audience, I hold my breath, thinking, “Here we go again… for more embarrassments.”
I’ve often considered declaring any area or studio where Edgar Lungu speaks from as a potential disaster area. This is because the man is not a natural politician. In his days, others spoke on his behalf, knowing that each time he stumbled through an unprepared script, it would result in a disaster. Phrases like “I will lock up HH immediately after winning the election,” “I will hand over power to myself,” “Mfwiti Mfwiti,” “Ubomba Mwibala alya mwibala” or “I will abolish free education” were cringe-worthy disasters!
The only difference in yesterday’s incident is that Lungu touched on a matter of national security. When he was President, he would have locked up anyone advocating for what he was advocating for yesterday – insurrection.
In hindsight, Lungu’s utterances are testament of the Democratic space in the current administration. In his time, not only would the PF militia and police physically maim citizens, Zambians were even scared of whispering their dissatisfaction because of the terror inflicted. The rising he now refers to was through the ballot, which clearly he finds hard to accept.
He reminds me of the recently held Presidential elections in the DRC, where one losing candidate called on the Congolese people to follow him into the bush to start a guerrilla war against the government. He only managed to mobilize two Landcruisers; the people refused to follow him. Similarly, the Dictator President Bongo called on people to “make some noise,” but not a single human being even made a whisper. He was on his own.
A call to insurrection? My advice to former President Edgar Lungu: you are on your own.
Very well articulated.
I will, however, add that it is now time for ECL to reap a whirlwind. He has crossed the red line.