Laura Miti
There is a question doing the rounds, and being answered differently depending on which side of the political divide one’s tent is pitched. It is whether President Lungu is retired from active politics?
The answer to that, of course, determines whether the former President should be taken care of by the state or not.
In response to that, I think there is a principle that can be paraphrased as – the last officially known position obtains, until it is officially changed. Actually I think it about orders in the army, but it works here.
Applied to this situation, it means, if in 2021, EL sent an official letter to Cabinet Office declaring his retirement, that’s what government knows. It is how it should act.
If, though, government is of the view that President Lungu’s actions would suggest to a reasonable person that he has returned to active politics, it should communicate with the former President officially. It should express its concerns, and the implications of any return to the political fray.
It is on the basis of that documented engagement that a decision should be made.
In other words, government is not a private individual that should act emotionally as in – ohooo, nivamene uchita? Uzawona suzadya
Government must work according to its systems, even if it takes time.
That said, I’m not sure if too many people in the EL faction of PF are thinking their statements and actions through. For example, Mr Bowman Lusambo is quoted as saying EL never retired from politics. He simply went on leave.
Does he know what that means? Well I can tell him. If what Mr Lusambo says is true, then the former president owes government loads of money, paid to and for him on the basis that he was a retired head of state.
Eh, kaya mama.
