PRESIDENT HICHILEMA IS NOT A POLICEMAN TO BE ORDERING ARRESTS, IT’S ABUSE OF OFFICE
18th March, 2022 – Lusaka
Anthony Bwalya, President Hakainde Sammy Hichilema’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations says the President is failing to arrest and prosecute alleged corruption thieves because he does not want to abuse his powers.
Anthony was reacting to Patriotic Front Acting President, Hon. Given Lubinda’s remarks that President Hichilema must stop begging the corrupt to return what they allegedly stole but should simply follow the culprits and secure convictions.
- Anthony must be taught that it is not the job of the President to arrest and prosecute people; that is the preserve of the Police, the Investigative Wings and the Courts of Law.
- Anthony must know that Abuse of Authority is a crime and it is quite hideous for him to be intimating that the President could actually abuse his powers to arrest people.
- Anthony should know that Zambia is a functional democracy governed by laws not men and abuse of power is a serious crime punishable by law.
- Clearly Anthony Bwalya doesn’t understand the duties and functions of his office. He thinks he is a politician and spokesman of the UPND Alliance. He needs induction lessons to fully appreciate his new role. He doesn’t realise that he is no longer a UPND cadre but a civil servant on government pay roll and must therefore stop acting and behaving like a UPND cadre at the Party Secretariat.
- It is not the job of Anthony to be spewing propaganda; it is not his job to be reacting to everything and everyone. Let him leave politics to politicians. Let him concentrate on executing his duties as a civil servant.
- Anthony is not the first person to be Presidential Press Aide and he surely won’t be the last; let him learn from his many predecessors how to carry himself in that position.
- The job of a Presidential Spokesperson tekubwata-bwata fye; it’s not about going to the media everyday for the sake of appearing in the news; you must learn which things to respond to and which issues to ignore.
- A presidential spokesman must communicate issues in a mature and informative manner devoid of pettiness and emotions.
- The Office of President has a special decorum and those who work in the presidium of the Presidency must weigh their words and actions because whatever they say or do is a direct reflection on the Presidency; they are a mirror image of the man at the helm of Government.
- We want to reiterate Hon. Lubinda’s position; Zambia has sufficient laws and government agencies to arrest, prosecute and convict criminals, there’s absolutely no need to be begging anyone to return what they stole.
Issued by
Antonio Mourinho Mwanza
PF Media Director