Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Patriotic Front lost elections partly due cadreism, political violence, tribal talk, and hate speech.
In the occurrence of Holocaust, Genocide and Xenophobic attacks, perpetrators use some genuine facts to peddle hate, bitterness, and anger against a group of people…
And when people respond and act on the negative rhetoric, and attacks occur, lives are lost, politicians are the first ones to issue regret and words calling for calm.
Many times, they play a role by preying on legitimate discontent and turning it into a desperate cause.
In this case, Hakainde Hichilema’s arrest, a regrettable and violent affair, an abuse of the due process of the law in the manner he was arrested, is being used to peddle hatred and not Justice, to incite anger against Edgar Lungu, the leaders and followers mentioned.
Do we need to tell this story or any other acts of injustice and abuse of the law? Yes….in a professional, objective and fair manner.
Besides, wasn’t Hichilema voted in to resolve things that went wrong? And not to repeat the very mistakes…and not to use and practice revenge, retribution or injustice during the process?
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Genocide occurs because institutions and a compliant media participate in the fanning of flames of anger, bitterness and divisions against a group of people.
This is what a documentary,shockingly, shown on ZNBC , a public broadcaster, and circulated and aired on private media like Prime TV and others, is doing.
The documentary script is dangerous, makes unfounded allegations against the Patriotic Front Government and former President Edgar Lungu, and it is scripted to wake anger against Lungu and all those that served in his government.
Sadly, the documentary relies and exploits heavily, the images of the foundation of the treason case and the narration that was made by the now First Lady, when President Hakainde Hichilema was arrested and the manner in which the arrest was done, to cast broad negative aspersions against former leaders and members of the Patriotic Front government.
If anyone wishes to investigate the entire episode of how that charge was handled, and abusers brought to book, a proper legal process can be set in motion, than conducting a one-sided public trial in a court of public opinion, capable of causing and inciting a lynching against former President Edgar Lungu and others.
The documentary also abuses the images of the late President Rupiah Banda, cataloging how he was allegedly extensively mistreated by the Patriotic Front government led by President Michael Sata.
Does someone want a group of people to rise against another? Is there no rational gate-keeper who could have applied sense before such an inflammatory documentary was approved and aired on national television?
Do people remember that Jackson Kungo and many other persons aligned to Patriotic Front were also victims of political violence?
Does ZNBC Management know their sacred public role? Are we back to “Stand Up for Zambia” type of dangerous documentaries?
National unity is an on-going national-building project but we must remind ourselves, that it is quickly lost by programmes like the documentary in question.