HUMAN rights activist Fumba Chama says leaders and those that aspire to lead must never be intimidated by the ideas of those they lead.
Chama, aka Pilato, says the power of any idea is in its ability to live outside the mind that formed it because ideas must be shared.
In a series of tweets, Chama says he believes in the power of ideas.
“As a boy, it is the ideas that were passed on to me by my parents that guided me even when they were no longer there. We are all governed by ideas that were expressed in one way or another even when the initiators of these ideas are no more,” he wrote. “The idea of democracy still regulates & guides nations today even when the people that conceptualized it are dead & less known. The expression of these ideas have a potential to influence the direction we take as a country and so is the failure to express them. Even our own evolution as a species depends on what ideas we conceptualize and express. Where we are today is a result of the ideas that were entertained when they were expressed by those that lived before us. Our next level will be determined by what ideas we possess now.”
Chama stated that Zambia like any developing country must be alive to the fact that “our people are more than their smiles and heights”.
“The real substance of our people is in their minds and the ideas they possess. It is what they think that we must treasure because our power lies in there. Leaders and those that aspire to lead must never be intimidated by the ideas of those they lead. This is what democracy is expected to achieve when it proposes free expression. The power of any idea is in its ability to live outside the mind that formed it. Ideas must be shared,” he stressed. “Democracy allows for the competition of ideas. The internet today gives us a big advantage that many developed states never had when they were developing. With the internet our people can access and share information quickly and affordably. This advantages our democratisation.”
Chama stated urged processing and instead of closing the space to protect individual privileges of politicians.
“We should be advocating for even a more open space to accommodate the bigger population of our people who are still not covered. With the internet, education is more accessible now,” he noted. “My appeal to the Zambian people is that…numbers don’t mean anything if the only ideas you tolerate are of the few amongst yourselves. The power of numbers is in the number of contributions that you get from all of them. The internet makes this sharing of ideas easier. The statement by President Lungu and his minister on social media abuse has a potential to instill fear in the public and in the end many will be intimidated to express their thoughts on key national issues. The danger here is that we will continue surviving on old thoughts.”
Chama stated that while many had abused social media, the opposite is true also.
“Many of us have used it well and have continued to do so. The problem is we will never benefit from the ideas of those who will fear to express themselves on key issues,” wrote Chama. “My prayer and wish is that…we the people will defend our right to express ourselves on social media and outside of it. Humanity is expressive and we must never be intimidated out of it. God Bless you and God bless Zambia.”