Edgar’s ‘resist giving up power’ disclosure
Former president Edgar Lungu on Tuesday told a cheering crowd of PF members at his residence in Ibex, Lusaka, that many people including former PF media director Antonio Mwanza told him to resist conceding defeat following the 2021 elections.
“Antonio, when you blamed me for giving up power, a lot of you were saying, ‘you should resist’. But I can assure you it was the right thing to do so that you can see and compare… We are standing head and shoulder above them now,” Lungu said, in reference to President Hakainde Hichilema’s UPND government, as he looked out in the crowd for Mwanza. They say I am hiding behind the immunity. I am not hiding behind anything. I know what is going on. The aim is just to make sure that they kill PF, they kill my political life. I am still politically active although not in leadership. But I can still give an opinion. I still have influence. They are worried about that. I have said I am no longer there but I am a living being. In short you can consult me,” said Lungu. So, they want me out of it completely, but you can kill the body but you can’t kill the soul. You can’t kill the ideas. So, there are people who believe in what we believed in as PF and we still believe in…People have been able to compare oranges and they can tell which ones are wholesome and which ones are rotten.”
Resisting what? Blamed for giving up power?
Emily Dickinson said, “I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine.”
So, Edgar has finally disclosed what was going on at State House in the final hours of his presidency.
Now he is exposing his inner circle’s ill-intentions.
Mikhail Bulgakov once warned that, “You should never ask anyone for anything. Never – and especially from those who are more powerful than yourself.”
But what is motivating this disclosure? Was it voluntary or it’s a thought that just escaped his lips because he was emotionally charged on Tuesday – as the Drug Enforcement Commission seems to be getting closer to his bedroom? What’s the truth, Edgar? Did you democratically – on your own free will – accept defeat? Did you resist until some African leaders engaged in shuttle diplomacy to make you see sense; to accept your rejection by the masses – the electorates? Why was Antonio and others telling you to resist the poll outcome? What was the basis, in whose interests? Was it for Edgar to keep power unilaterally? Was State power absolutely for Edgar and his PF minions like Antonio to keep regardless the outcome of the election? How did Edgar ascend to the Republican presidency? Was it a usurpation of power or through democratic means – the vote?
Edgar and his PF were ushered into office through a democratic election in 2015 and 2016. And they were removed in the same way. Citizens rejected Edgar and his Alebwelelapo team by giving Hakainde and the UPND a huge mandate. Edgar had no choice but to abide by the Constitution. And he’s intelligent enough to know that he had reached the dead end in his presidency. It was over. That’s why and how he exited State House. He received unequivocal marching orders from citizens.
So, for Antonio and colleagues who were trying to poison his mind to resist, to resist the people’s vote? How? What does our Constitution say about this? Were those lawful requests or suggestions? What Antonio was asking Edgar to do is no small matter!