The biggest lesson in the August 12 General Elections is that Zambians abhor lawlessness, violence and intimidation. In short, Zambians hate political chaos and hooliganism. They were just waiting for the moment to punish PF, even as the then ruling party thought they had put every Zambian in a corner.
No wonder Governance, Elections, Advocacy, Research Services (GEARS) Initiative executive director McDonald Chipenzi is warning UPND youths that there is no need to unleash violence on those perceived to be attacking President Hakainde Hichilema, adding that the law protects the Head of State from such.
Chipenzi expresses concern with the threats of violence against other citizens perceived to be attacking the President and against the judiciary by the UPND youth.
“We are concerned with the threats of violence against other citizens perceived to be attacking the President and also against the judiciary by the UPND youth. These threats are coming at a time when Zambia joins the rest of the continent of Africa celebrating and reflecting on Africa Day and promote continental freedom and independence from economic and political exploitation. This must be a day that a nation especially youth from the ruling party should preach love, peace, hope and freedom from oppression, suppression and intimidation, harassment than violence,” says Chipenzi. “There is no need to unleash violence on those perceived to be attacking the Republican President because the law, as it is now, does protect the President from such; and any attacks, in the physical, verbally or using cyber. The moment the UPND youth will start unleashing violence on their opponents in broad daylight in the name of protecting and defending the President and the presidency while the police watch on helplessly without making these youths accountable, then that will be a vote-of-no confidence in the operation of the law enforcement agencies such as the police. If the UPND youth feel aggrieved and decide to take the law into their hands, then as citizens, we would have failed our institutions and probably undermined their existence and operations like that of the Zambia Police Service. That will be a recipe for lawlessness of the highest order which Zambians rejected under the PF administration and continue to abhor even under this administration.”
McDonald is right.
We all understand where we are coming from as a country. We were exposed to the most brutal conditions by Edgar Lungu’s PF – we literally became a Banana Republic. It was a situation where Edgar himself enjoyed governing the country through terror. This is the more reason Zambians kicked out Edgar and his minions who are still refusing to be remorseful today.
It is therefore true that not only UPND members, but ordinary Zambians are also still angry with PF. In fact, most Zambians expected these PF criminals to be caged immediately they lost power. But reason has prevailed. So far, Hakainde has shown leadership by stopping his cadres from avenging themselves against their adversaries who persecuted, maimed and killed their people. On this one, we take our hats off to Bally for being resolute and affirmative. This is good leadership shown so far.
It is with this background that we also agree with McDonald in his advice to the UPND cadres. They should not threaten violence against anyone criticising Hakainde. Bally is now our President, so he is prone to checks and balances even if some of the criticism could be radical. Like McDonald has correctly said, this country has enough laws which can deal with the critics if they crossed the line. If anything Hakainde needs the criticism for him to govern properly. After all he is no saint – and none of us is pure. Any politician must be guided through critical criticism for them not go off tangent.
As such it should not take the wrath of UPND cadres to protect Bally. If we degenerate to such levels again, then UPND will be digging its own grave. They risk being kicked out the same way PF were kicked out. Two wrongs cannot make a right the old adage goes.
Archie Lee Moore warned that, “If we resort to lawlessness, the only thing we can hope for is civil war, untold bloodshed, and the end of our dreams.”
And speaking of revenge, Vidkun Quisling advised that, “Do not handicap yourself with the idea of revenge, for the trend of things will revenge your wrong not only upon the individuals responsible for your persecution, but on the society that has permitted this lawlessness.”
UPND loyalists must expend their energies to explain their government policies and programmes and not abusing their newly acquired political power.
They have more to lose should their flagship policies, programmes falter!