OF PF v SAMPA CASES: let us read to understand, not to respond

OF PF v SAMPA CASES: let us read to understand, not to respond

By Vicki Tembo

A few days ago, prominent political commentator and historian Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa pointed out that ALL PF VERSUS MILES SAMPA cases (there are currently 3 in the High Court and 1 in the Constitutional Court) have been allocated to Lozi-speaking judges.

While most well meaning people welcomed his observations and questions with concern, Miles Sampa, the praise singers and the UPND including the State House-run Zambian Watchdog attacked and insulted him. In an attempt to discredit him, they even published the attached list purportedly issued by the Judiciary of Zambia containing 7 cases.

Yet anyone who looks at the list provided can clearly see that only three of the seven listed cases are PF v Sampa matters and all three are being handled by Lozi judges. The remaining four cases on the list have nothing to do with Miles Sampa v PF. They are matters between (i) former President Edgar Lungu v the Attorney General (ii) Raphael Nakacinda v the DPP (iii) Brian Mundubile v the Speaker, and finally (iv) Mulenga Fube v the Speaker.

So what is there to oppose about what Dr Sishuwa specifically said? He never talked about the qualifications of the judges. He merely asked why the PF v Sampa cases are all being allocated to judges who were either recently appointed by President HH or are Lozi. The man only talked about the case allocations. Why do so many people choose to respond to what he did not say, to deliberately misrepresent what he says, in addition to insulting and calling him names? Why do people find it difficult to argue against what the man has actually said?

Others even accused him of being a tribalist. But Dr Sishuwa is Lozi. How can he be a tribalist against his own tribe? Someone even accused him of being a Bemba who was adopted by Lozis? Yet Dr Sishuwa himself has previously written about his history including how he struggled to finish school using a government loan that he only managed to repay last year. I am not making things up. I have closely followed the guy’s writings including the one on the link below where he shared his story.

Ok, I will admit. I used to dislike him for his persistent attacks on the PF and ECL. But I have come to appreciate him as a patriot who loves Zambia. Democracy needs people like him. People who point out wrongs when many are clapping for those in power. It is Dr SISHUWA’s right to make the observations he has made, privately or publicly, for whatever intentions he may have, for doing so, including merely just pointing out those obvious facts. Those jumping to “refute” the facts he has outlined are insane. They cannot wish these facts away, no matter how hard they try. A more interesting discussion is to explore, as he suggested, why and how this has happened: what interests are being served, by these allocations? Are they accidental, unintentional and unplanned allocation?

If someone pointed out, for example, that the Chipolopolo national team is dominated by Bemba and Chewa players, such a person would be pointing out these are facts – interpretations of these facts must respect the facts, and proceed from there!

I read how the UPND praise-singing mobs have attacked Dr Sishuwa, and exposed their political interests in the process! There is nothing to argue about the facts he pointed out. Anyway, I am sure Dr Sishuwa to these attacks now which might explain why he has not responded. He was insulted and called all sorts of names by the PF before 2021 in the same way that he is being insulted by praise singers today. Nipano tuli.