How far will HH go with this PF project?

THE MAST COMMENT FOR SATURDAY DECEMBER 9, 2023

How far will HH go with this PF project?

The unfolding events in the Patriotic Front are nauseating! These State-sponsored wrangles should worry citizens because the new dawn government is setting a precedent that may consume them sooner or later. We recall how Edgar Lungu, who was supported during the 2016 general elections by Rupiah Banda, had the MMD divided and annihilated by one undertaking of endorsing and going into a so-called alliance with a Felix Mutati-led faction after an illegal convention. Mutati ended up becoming finance minister for a short period, shunted at the then ministry of works and supply before he was left in the cold. Next, Edgar chose to elevate Raphael Nakacinda as water development minister.

So this villain role the PF leadership played or assumed for themselves to steal the MMD from Nevers Mumba and put a final nail on its political fortunes, the UPND government today has adopted the Machiavellian manual in their desire to kill PF. So far they have ensured the legislature and police have been coopted to legitimise the scheming. As at now the only hope for civility and retention of our multiparty democracy, in real terms and not on paper only, lies in our Judiciary. We know that this institution too has got mercenaries who offer themselves for destructive missions even before they are approached. We only hope that those few who have some integrity in them can stand up and defend our democracy and the Constitution. It’s possible to have a judge that can forego other gains to defend the Constitution of this country and stop this nonsense from the new dawn. It is disappointing that a man who two years ago amassed over two million votes from Zambians on a platform of promoting the rule of law can today stand head high and encourage Robert Chabinga and company to continue with an illegality. This is a man who had always projected himself as a gentleman. Hakainde Hichilema lied to Zambians that he would practice politics of civility and the rule of law. Today, within two years, Hakainde has surpassed PF’s 10-year record of evil acts, including abuse of state institutions.

And to some gullible Zambians who are supporting this nonsense of destroying PF which the UPND has embarked on, what will the country benefit from this? If Hakainde finishes PF today, then what? Are you going to stand up to his dictatorship or you will start regretting that you never stopped the lot? By then it will be too late. Just as we have said before, the PF wronged so many of us. PF injured many souls while others were clapping about the ‘humble leader’. But for now, PF are a necessary evil to stop Hakainde from imposing a dictatorship on this country. And so far they have been providing the necessary checks and balances. Zambians gave Hakainde the presidency he was crying for for 15 solid years. But within two years, he has failed, and so he is looking for someone to blame for his failure hence this journey of breaking up every institution that can hold our democracy so that no one speaks against him. By next year, we will not be surprised if he declares a state of emergency. It looks like this is the script they have written and they are following it keenly. They want to agitate Zambians so that when people take to the streets through peaceful demonstrations, then Hakainde will have a reason to declare a state of emergency and lock up all critical voices.

We are aware of how this new dawn leadership is stubborn and determined to wipe the PF out of the political map. And they’ll not back out. In their infantile politics, the end justifies the means. They have no sense of shame, can’t seem to have a proper end game in their malfeasance. But there’s no need to stick to a strategy which was covert when you have been caught pants down!

The water that “lets the fish swim is the same water that boils him”. This copy and paste schemes from the past administrations which the new dawn has employed in their hopes of causing confusion in the PF will not end well.

Patrick Rothfuss warns that, “Power is okay, and stupidity is usually harmless. Power and stupidity together are dangerous.”

The UPND’s tricks are too transparent. It could be that they are too eager not only to steal the PF but also to add to their numbers in parliament for reasons best known to themselves. You don’t need to be a politician to understand what is going on. But we hope when all is done and dusted, PF won’t emerge fully laundered and UPND soiled to the bone. Stop these schemes! Concentrate on the economy and other reform programmes that you promised citizens. These dirty games won’t lower the cost of living, reduce fuel and food prices nor restructure Zambia’s burdensome foreign debt. They’re not adding value to your government but massively eating away at your governance record. Learn from the PF itself. They didn’t survive the sponsoring of MMD wrangles. This is how Felix ended up forming MDC which he’s conveniently appended to the UPND and has been rewarded with a ministerial job. As for Raphael he is back where it all started, in court fighting a state-sponsored intraparty wrangle albeit from a weaker position; in opposition that is. Karma!

We urge the UPND to reflect on Mahatma Gandhi’s notice, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

The PF messed up the MMD; they got no dividend out of it. Why is the new dawn insolently poking its nose into PF’s affairs? And what makes the UPND think that they will come out of this fight unbruised? Let’s watch the space.How far will HH go

with this PF project?

The unfolding events in the Patriotic Front are nauseating! These State-sponsored wrangles should worry citizens because the new dawn government is setting a precedent that may consume them sooner or later. We recall how Edgar Lungu, who was supported during the 2016 general elections by Rupiah Banda, had the MMD divided and annihilated by one undertaking of endorsing and going into a so-called alliance with a Felix Mutati-led faction after an illegal convention. Mutati ended up becoming finance minister for a short period, shunted at the then ministry of works and supply before he was left in the cold. Next, Edgar chose to elevate Raphael Nakacinda as water development minister.

So this villain role the PF leadership played or assumed for themselves to steal the MMD from Nevers Mumba and put a final nail on its political fortunes, the UPND government today has adopted the Machiavellian manual in their desire to kill PF. So far they have ensured the legislature and police have been coopted to legitimise the scheming. As at now the only hope for civility and retention of our multiparty democracy, in real terms and not on paper only, lies in our Judiciary. We know that this institution too has got mercenaries who offer themselves for destructive missions even before they are approached. We only hope that those few who have some integrity in them can stand up and defend our democracy and the Constitution. It’s possible to have a judge that can forego other gains to defend the Constitution of this country and stop this nonsense from the new dawn. It is disappointing that a man who two years ago amassed over two million votes from Zambians on a platform of promoting the rule of law can today stand head high and encourage Robert Chabinga and company to continue with an illegality. This is a man who had always projected himself as a gentleman. Hakainde Hichilema lied to Zambians that he would practice politics of civility and the rule of law. Today, within two years, Hakainde has surpassed PF’s 10-year record of evil acts, including abuse of state institutions.

And to some gullible Zambians who are supporting this nonsense of destroying PF which the UPND has embarked on, what will the country benefit from this? If Hakainde finishes PF today, then what? Are you going to stand up to his dictatorship or you will start regretting that you never stopped the lot? By then it will be too late. Just as we have said before, the PF wronged so many of us. PF injured many souls while others were clapping about the ‘humble leader’. But for now, PF are a necessary evil to stop Hakainde from imposing a dictatorship on this country. And so far they have been providing the necessary checks and balances. Zambians gave Hakainde the presidency he was crying for for 15 solid years. But within two years, he has failed, and so he is looking for someone to blame for his failure hence this journey of breaking up every institution that can hold our democracy so that no one speaks against him. By next year, we will not be surprised if he declares a state of emergency. It looks like this is the script they have written and they are following it keenly. They want to agitate Zambians so that when people take to the streets through peaceful demonstrations, then Hakainde will have a reason to declare a state of emergency and lock up all critical voices.

We are aware of how this new dawn leadership is stubborn and determined to wipe the PF out of the political map. And they’ll not back out. In their infantile politics, the end justifies the means. They have no sense of shame, can’t seem to have a proper end game in their malfeasance. But there’s no need to stick to a strategy which was covert when you have been caught pants down!

The water that “lets the fish swim is the same water that boils him”. This copy and paste schemes from the past administrations which the new dawn has employed in their hopes of causing confusion in the PF will not end well.

Patrick Rothfuss warns that, “Power is okay, and stupidity is usually harmless. Power and stupidity together are dangerous.”

The UPND’s tricks are too transparent. It could be that they are too eager not only to steal the PF but also to add to their numbers in parliament for reasons best known to themselves. You don’t need to be a politician to understand what is going on. But we hope when all is done and dusted, PF won’t emerge fully laundered and UPND soiled to the bone. Stop these schemes! Concentrate on the economy and other reform programmes that you promised citizens. These dirty games won’t lower the cost of living, reduce fuel and food prices nor restructure Zambia’s burdensome foreign debt. They’re not adding value to your government but massively eating away at your governance record. Learn from the PF itself. They didn’t survive the sponsoring of MMD wrangles. This is how Felix ended up forming MDC which he’s conveniently appended to the UPND and has been rewarded with a ministerial job. As for Raphael he is back where it all started, in court fighting a state-sponsored intraparty wrangle albeit from a weaker position; in opposition that is. Karma!

We urge the UPND to reflect on Mahatma Gandhi’s notice, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

The PF messed up the MMD; they got no dividend out of it. Why is the new dawn insolently poking its nose into PF’s affairs? And what makes the UPND think that they will come out of this fight unbruised? Let’s watch the space.- THE MAST