OPEN LETTER TO ZAMBIA ARMY, ZAF, ZNS, POLICE AND INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
Tuesday, 10th August, 2021.
Ref: An Appeal to the Military and Security Wings Conscience as the country votes this Thursday.
Fellow Country men and women,
It’s is said that the greatest prison to be feared more than any human facility is one’s conscience. A man who betrays his conscience loses his humanity and forever confines himself to the dungeon of mental isolation.This week is decisively a defining moment for the restoration of our lost glory as a nation.While the masses are decided, evidence suggest that the enemies of the masses are squarely decided to shed blood just to keep the masses they have held captive for the past 8 years. As things stand now today,they are entirely dependent on you, our Men and Women in Uniform.
When you took your oath of duty, you all swore allegiance to protect the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia which by extension implies the helpless masses. Now is the time to live up to your sworn duty. It’s is evident to the whole world that the Police command has been deeply polarized and is held captive. Hakainde Hichilema is not a person as it where in the context of our political discourse. He is a representation of the majority Zambians on the flip side of the massive economic mismanagement of our nation at the hand of the Patriotic Front government.
What is frightening is seeing the whole alot of the president Mr. Lungu suggesting death against HH barely two days when another PF official Mr. Antonio Mwanza suggested that HH would have been shot in the head if it was in Rwanda. We thought president Edgar Lungu would apologize to Mr. Hakainde Hichilema and the Zambian citizenry and the entire international community for such remarks by Antonio Mourinho Mwanza . But he comes with more death threats. This is unacceptable. This is a big threat to our democracy as indicated by the US embassy in Zambia and we condemn it.
Our dear men and women in uniform, these are the people that the Patriotic Front government has caged, blocked and are willing to eliminate in order for them to continue on the spree of wanton treasonable orgy on national identity. They can not do this by themselves. They are currently counting on you men and women in uniform to aid them kill your own brothers and sisters for exercising their democratic rights. Are you going to betray your conscience and the many helpless dieing masses by siding with the oppressers? We are not asking for any insurrection. All we’re asking for is the restoration of your sworn duty to ensure a free polling process before, during and after. Hakainde Hichilema has been denied flying permits when the Patriotic Front government is flying six aircrafts everyday traversing the country and promoting tribalist such as Chishimba Kambwili, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba and many others. Hakainde Hichilema has been blocked from entering some parts of the country when PF is everywhere using tax payers money and that comes from our donors.
The sad part is that this is being supported by the very people who should have been moderating in this acrimonious shift of public confidence in the key institutions. Where do people run to in such times?
The deployment of the men and women in uniform is not warranted by any public interest concern. This is a well calculated move to secure a crooked and cooked up poll using a cordon of military perimeter. But we have so much confidence in you our army that you will stand by the citizens. Edgar Chagwa Lungu forcefuly pushed for a third term through a highly divisive legal debate another assault on our democracy. Now, he wants to forcefuly still impose himself on the Zambians! No we can’t allow this anymore.The grand finale of this mischievous scheme currently lies squarely in the hands of our loyal men and women in uniform.
There should come a time in life when conscience should ride over blind unethical commands. We have faith that our men and women in uniform will uphold their sworn duty to protect the weak masses from the internal aggression of the few desperate looters. The simmering tension needs to be managed with patriotism. Why should one man be blocked and the others allowed to move freely. We as citizens have lost confidence in the Electoral Commission of Zambia which is purely getting instructions from state house. Under normal circumstances,if we had independent institutions and credible observer groups, this Election could have been declared unfree and ultimately a sham. Electoral participation dictates a free interaction with the electorates. The ECZ should be ashamed to referee a game where one contestant is shackled.
To our men and women in uniform, this is a defining moment not only for you but for our country as a whole. The window of opportunity is fast closing. Stand up for the right and be part of the heroes that carry the torch of excellence in this hour of darkness.
Wishing you all God’s blessings and strength as you diligently discharge your national duties. May the almighty God bless mother Zambia.
Yours sincerely
Sikaile C Sikaile Good Governance and Human Rights Activist for Zambia and Amnesty International
CC: UN SECRETARY GENERAL
: ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS ACCREDITED TO ZAMBIA
: ALL CHURCHES IN ZAMBIA
: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
: CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
: ALL POLITICAL PARTIES