Edgar Lungu’s ‘resignation’ from active politics

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Edgar’s ‘resignation’ from active politics

IN his letter to a Lusaka resident, Joseph Busenga, dated January 18, 2022, on “Paying of benefits to a former president who is in active politics”, acting Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa stated that:

“I wish to confirm that the Sixth President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu informed Cabinet Office through a letter dated 28th August, 2021 of his decision to resign as Patriotic Front (PF) President and indeed from active politics. On the basis of his resignation, Cabinet Office preceded to provide the Pension Benefits with effect from that date. According to records held at Cabinet Office, the Sixth President is not in active politics and has resigned from the PF presidency.”

Clearly, Edgar has put Cabinet Office in an awkward position. He is also seriously impacting negatively on the Patriotic Front.

It seems he still wants to eat with both hands – he gets State funds (benefits) at the same time continue with his political manoeuvres. Sixteen days after the purported resignation which he communicated to Cabinet Office, Edgar went ahead to appoint key individuals to the PF.

Only a PF party president had the mandate to appoint individuals to party senior positions. The appointment letters were signed by him as party president. Clearly his letter to Cabinet was deceptive for him get the fringe retirement benefits.

What kind of a person is Edgar? He must that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world, it’s the beginning of a new life.”

And Jon Kabat-Zinn said “It’s not a matter of letting go – you would if you could. Instead of ‘Let it go’ we should probably say ‘Let it be’.”

But it is also his own constitutional right, if he so desires, to actually carry on with PF activities until his motivations die down. But he can’t be both a retiree and PF prime driver.

The choice is yours, Sir. You have made several changes to the party leadership since that overwhelming electoral defeat in August 2021. And the party, from that meeting you held at Ndozo Lodge, elected to have its elective conference in June. But Edgar caused the current predicament in the PF.

Had he allowed an elective general conference ahead of the August presidential and general elections, all this confusion would not have been there.

PF gave Edgar a blank cheque to appoint and deploy people he liked to central committee positions. He did it in the very manner he had suggested – wanted – that he would hand over power to himself, of course, after August 12 polls, which opportunity unfortunately eluded him.

And some of those leaders have since resigned. Samuel Mukupa has resigned. Davies Mwila has resigned. So the entire central organ of the party has no elected leader. The PF as it come out clean – without ambiguity – that he has resigned or retired. That he’s no longer an active PF president or crucial godfather. He can’t enjoy both desirable but mutually exclusive alternatives.

An unknown author said, “There are were, is deaf, blind and dumb! Is this what Edgar and the party desires – the death of the mighty boat?

Phil Jackson advises that, “Leadership is not about forcing your will on others. It’s about mastering the art of letting go.”
While David Elliott said, “I welcomed who I was and left behind who I was not.”
And Shannon L. Alder aptly put it in saying,“Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you.”

If there’s anything that led to Edgar’s mortifying electoral defeat it is that craving to cling on to power! There’s time for everything!

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