The writing on the wall seems very clear for Zambia’s ruling party, the Patriotic Front (PF) in tomorrow’s 12th August 2021 general elections – Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin! There is more evidence in that direction than there is to the contrary. Only few hours are remaining to prove my hypothesis. I have a lot of conviction in this hypothesis. Even using statistical and mathematical models, I am sure the PF will not escape the pending fate, the Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. The holy Bible in Daniel 5: 25-28 accurately records: [25] This is the inscription that was written; mene, mene, tekel, parsin. Here is what these words mean: [26] Mene – God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. [27] Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. [28] Peres[g]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. Before this interpretation by the Prophet Daniel, the Bible in verses 5 and 6 gives the background that during the great banquet thrown by King Belshazzar for a thousand of his nobles, his wives and his concubines, something strange happened: “Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking”.
Behold, the above scenario did not occur without a purpose. King Belshazzar’s tenure of office or regime was not condemned by God out of malice or hate—there was a list of societal and developmental sins his regime had committed upon the people they were privileged to lead for many years. In my consideration, God wouldn’t have punished King Belshazzar and his regime if he did not commit the many atrocities against his people, the poor masses. This is the evidence which has convinced me that if God gets unhappy with socio-economic mistreatments of the poor by those in public leadership positions, then the PF regime will never survive the ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin’ fate in tomorrow’s grand general election. [7] The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” [8] Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. [9] So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.
[10] The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! [11] There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. [12] He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”
[13] So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? [14] I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. [15] The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. [16] Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
[17] Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means. [18] “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. [19] Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. [20] But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. [21] He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.
[22] “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. [23] Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. [24] Therefore, he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. [30] That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, [31] and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.
In tomorrow’s elections, I hold a strong belief that God has a purpose for Zambia. It will take God to change His laws to give a victory back to PF. But I spiritually doubt if He will. Gifts will be promised to the police, soldiers, ECZ officials, opposition leaders, etc, but just like Daniel denounced such gifts, the PF will face the same rejection and the will of the people will prevail and PF will still face the mene-mene-tekel-parsin fate! For the past 10 years, the PF regime mistreated the Zambians. Particularly, the Edgar Lungu-led PF destroyed this country to catastrophic levels—socioeconomically. Similarly to King Belshazzar, the PF probably hosted countless great banquets for a thousand or millions of their nobles, wives and concubines and drank wine with them.
I seem to be convinced that God will look into the performance of the Edgar Lungu-led PF regime and find it extremely wanting on the following—unaccounted for Euro Bonds ($750m, $1billion & $1.25billion); retired civil servants on nepotistic and tribal grounds; $42million fraudulent fire trucks; Mukula tree saga; 48 miracle houses; forest 27; non-existent $1.3billion Lusaka-Ndola Dual carriage-way; illogical numerous judicial judgements; police brutal killings; massive re-distribution of land to Chinese nationals; corrupt smeared civil service staff recruitments, questionable Christian agenda; criminal dealings at Kasenseli Gold mine in Mwinilunga; cheated retirees; shameless thefts of Social Cash Transfer funds; and the $17 million HoneyBee scandal; misapplied pandemic funds including expired drugs, leaking condoms and malfunctional medical equipment. I also doubt if God will bypass the PF on drowning the economy—Inflation at 24 per cent, perpetually unstable exchange rates, high youth and women unemployment, high disease burden, deteriorating education system (both general & higher), tribal and regional Cabinet appointments, failed agricultural policy, expensive energy products, university student hatred and punishment, partial judiciary system, and increasing vengeance on political opponents. For these and many other ills inflicted on the people of Zambia by the PF regime, I will not take offense if the ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin’ fate collapses on the PF in tomorrow’s Polls. Aluta continua for seriousness in governance issues by successive regimes in Zambia. Best wishes to all the voters and election managers country-wide, be peaceful.
Dr. Vincent Kanyamuna holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Monitoring and Evaluation and is lecturer and researcher at the University of Zambia, Department of Development Studies. For comments and views, email: vkanyamuna@unza.zm