Politically, somebody is finished, Completely finished. The tragedy is that they may be the last to realise it- Linda Banks

By Linda Banks

#BanaBaabo~ Politically, somebody is finished, Completely finished. The tragedy is that they may be the last to realise it.

When criticism is no longer confined to opposition supporters, when regional leaders are raising concerns openly in their parliaments, and Western legislatures are questioning Zambia’s democratic credentials, the problem is no longer political propaganda. It is a crisis of legitimacy.

Even within the ruling party, there are those who can see the writing on the wall. Their silence should not be mistaken for loyalty. Some are simply terrified of a government increasingly accused of treating dissent as a crime and political disagreement as a personal vendetta.

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We have reached the grotesque point where allegations of abductions, killings, intimidation of families and even the seizure of a deceased critic’s ashes form part of our national political discourse. Imagine that! A government so apparently threatened by criticism that even death offers no guarantee of being left in peace.

But here is the greater humiliation.

For decades, Zambia was one of the countries African leaders could point to when defending the continent against accusations that democracy could not flourish here. We were not perfect, but we represented something precious: the possibility of peaceful political change, constitutional government and democratic maturity.

Today, that reputation is being squandered.

And perhaps the most damning verdict comes not from those African leaders speaking out, but from those remaining conspicuously silent. Do not confuse diplomatic silence with admiration. Some may simply be too polite, too cautious or too politically calculating to say publicly what they recognise privately

You have not merely damaged a political party’s reputation. You have diminished a country’s democratic standing and embarrassed a continent that once held Zambia up as an example.

What an extraordinary achievement. To inherit a nation admired for its democratic promise and turn it into a subject of international concern.

And the supreme irony? Those responsible may still be congratulating themselves on their leadership, while the rest of the world is questioning what on earth happened to Zambia.