LAURA MITI ASKS M’MEMBE A SERIOUS QUESTION: M’MEMBE, ARE YOU A TRIBALIST AND ARE TONGA PEOPLE YOUR ENEMY TO ABUSE ALL THE WAY?
Write up Laura Miti
Picture: bitter
One of the saddest things about our discourse in Zambia is how empty it is of substance. The nation so easily replaces debate and intellectual argument with insult and attempt to divert issues via personal provocation. You know the – insult the other so we can go off the road into the bush, and everyone forgets what the initial matter was.
Now, it’s one thing when that’s done by everyday citizens. Still sad, but hey. When it is leaders, especially those who want to be Republican President, who seem to absolutely fail to advance thought, or defend themselves with substantial arguments, one feels so depressed about the state of the nation as an intellectual space.
Let’s take the recent object of my postings, Socialist Party President, Fred M’membe. We all know that his deepest desire is to be President of Zambia.
Without question, I have upset him. Said, with examples, that he is endlessly and intensively tribal.
Guess how he responds. He does not argue that he is not a tribalist. Neither does he try to defend the assertion that his main political platform – the Post Newspaper he owned, and the Mast that he “does not” have been used for unapologetic attempts to poison the nation against the Tonga people. He also does not not try to show that positions against the Tonga people are justified.
Oh no! He goes as base as one can. Hits back with a statement so devoid of anything but personal insult and attempt to upset.
Unfortunately for Fred, his response leaves me with the justification to add another unflattering adjective to him. I now think he is, at heart, a coward. That’s because the man failed to mention my name, in his response, like I had his.
So Fred, this is to say – engage Sir! Agree or disagree. Prove that I am attacking you, with no justification. Show yourself to be an intellectual – equal or better than me. Win the people over to your tribal side, if you can.
Iean, you want to be President don’t you?
Now, if as an ordinary mortal, you can lack even minimum restraint under provocation, losing all ability to respond to the accusation and, instead, insult the accuser, what would you be like with the unmitigated power of State House?? It would not end at verbal abuse, would it?
Anyway Fred, the question is simple. Are you a tribalist or is your incessant hate against the Tonga just a means to power?
Do you think you could answer that – maybe? You could even use a proxy to do it. Just make sure their style is not too recognisable.