PF STRIPPED OFF LUNGU’S INTEGRITY AND RESPECT BY LYING TO HIM THAT HE WOULD RULE FOREVER
By Sikaile Sukaile
This comment is specifically to respond to a post by former ambassador my brother Emmanuel Mwamba yesterday who is attempting to compare the respect Uhuru former Kenyan president is alleged to have been accorded on the handing over power to president Ruto.
Dear Ambassador Mwamba, I like the way you have put forward your arguments my elder brother in the Kenyan case of a former president’s treatment. However, it should be a big lesson for each one of us going forward that citizens deserve to be respected including our political opponents. The case of Kenya and Zambia differ a lot and respect is earned not forced on anybody. You being a senior most man and well educated person in the PF, you should blame yourselves ba (PF) for the ECL situation. Whilst you think ECL is not being respected, I advise you to look at these critical issues that define Lungu’s legacy in our political space which you should not isolate.
1.Hatred. Former president Mr. Lungu is a man who believed in hatred during his reign. Remember his words on the copperbelt suggesting that his rival HH would have died of gunshot if it was in other countries and a few days later HH escaped live bullets on the Copperbelt . Which genuine leader in senior public office speaks like that? Is this worth celebrating someone after he loses power since he is called a former president?
2.Third term. ECL refused to respect the constitution of Zambia and went for the third term whilst Kenyata left power within the stipulated duration of their constitution. Just this behaviour by Uhuru, has earned him respect no matter how many mistakes he made during his term which ECL doesn’t have. A person in the highest office in the country disrespecting the constitution like ECL did is a big insult to the Zambian people. And my advice to you is to be cautious about how you defend the wrong things ECL did because us spectators will assume that you are aspiring for the presidency to be another ECL who became a nightmare to majority citizens.
3. Arrogance and Pomposity. PF led by ECL was an arrogant organisation that did not regard the voices of Zambians including public institutions such as the Judiciary,police etc where ECL used to threaten judges when they ruled against his government and political party (PF). Look at how ECZ was abused to conduct an induced election? Voter registration process was biassed and all forms of political violence sanctioned by the big man himself saw our political space and you seniors watched him. Such behaviour made ECL unpopular and he lost his integrity and respect so, Compare with the Uhuru situation and tell me if they both match.
4. Tribalism. PF you divided our nation by championing tribalism which was again sanctioned by ECL because he watched his seniors and juniors demeaning other tribes and regions without shame, how do you expect such a person to be celebrated by any sane Zambian? This made him unpopular and lost lamentably. As leaders speak unity and not the divide and rule formula PF had implemented. In Fact he too participated in this scheme openly I remember him publicly saying and I quote “One day a Tonga will zambia but not this one” whilst referring to HH. Did it take him( ECL) to know which tribe would rule at what time, all these are reasons why he is guilty and looks sad and he should blame himself together with you people who failed to advice him. Leaders should have a choice of words whenever they speak because political powers comes and goes. Not even HH we can celebrate if he utters such ridiculous words against other tribes. So, tell us what really demands us to celebrate ECL as a former president. Is it because you are not a victim of his misrule and therefore, you cannot see, what about those who lost their beloved relatives? When Matapa was killed by PF cadres who some are in prison, what did ECL say on public media? All these went into his retirement package.
5. Hologanism and Thuggery: PF you solely relied on abuse of public institutions and by doing so you became enemies of majority Zambians. Only those who benefited were and are still loyal to PF today. When we tried to genuinely advise you unleashed police on us and we lived like criminals in our own nation. Is this something worth celebrating ECL? Should we celebrate injustices?
The list of bad things you people watched ECL committing through various agents is endless. So, don’t rush to condemn citizens who will not agree with his misrule and criticise him because you people had a great opportunity to make him secure his respect after retiring from politics. There is no vengeance as far as I’m concerned about correcting the wrongs PF you did.
Wrong things must be corrected. Why has ACC not summoned you? The answer is because you have not probably stolen anything or killed anybody. “The only problem is that PF thought they will rule until Jesus Christ comes back”. Real democrats don’t reason like that because politics is dynamic. Therefore, comparing ECL-Zambia vs Uhuru-Kenya without pointing out big differences is not being realistic. Let ECL apologise for what he did to the Zambian people who became victims of his misrule. If you people want a closest match of ECL maybe try Museven.
One thing I know is that even on the judgment our works will speak for each one of us…..
I submit.
Sikaile C Sikaile