By Thomas Ngala
INDEED, in Hakainde Hichilema we have a President who is either extremely naive or who has an extreme appetite for dictatorship or both, Sean Tembo has charged.
The Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader insinuated in a press statement that President Hichilema appears to see trial as an unnecessary inconvenience.
He charged that to the President, a person is guilty simply because they have been accused of committing an offence “even if they have not been subjected to any trial”.
Tembo has been using his Facebook page to advocate the release of former PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri, who is in detention charged with murder but yet to be tried.
He has been calling on President Hichilema to either take the Phiri to court or release her.
“Hakainde Hichilema made a very unfortunate statement during his last press conference at State House in which he said if it was up to him, he would change the law so that those accused of corruption can be detained for up to 90 days before being taken to court. Clearly the President appears to have very little understanding on how the rule of law should work,” Tembo said. “To him, a person is guilty simply because they have been accused of committing an offence even if they have not been subjected to any trial. He sees a trial as an unnecessary inconvenience. For a person who wields so much power as Republican President, that is a very dangerous mindset to have. Indeed, in Hakainde Hichilema we have a President who is either extremely naive or who has an extreme appetite for dictatorship or both. Either way, if we relent in holding him accountable, this country will take so many backward strides as far as the rule of law is concerned.”
Tembo said President Hichilema must aspire to be a better person than those who persecuted him.
“Our advice to Hakainde Hichilema is that he should use the power which the Zambian people bestowed on him on 12th August 2021, to do good for the people. Let him use his presidential power to lift people out of poverty, reduce the cost of living, grow the economy, create jobs, enhance the rule of law and constitutionalism and just make Zambia a better place than he found it when he ascended to office,” said Tembo. “It is common cause that Hakainde Hichilema was mistreated and persecuted by the previous regime during his time in opposition, but he must aspire to be a better person than those who persecuted him. He must set better standards, for it is on the basis of the standards that he sets today, that he will be treated when he leaves office. He must be continuously conscious of the bed that he makes today, for he shall one day be required to lie in it. Take Mumbi Phiri to court or release her from prison.”