PeP STATEMENT No.45 ISSUED ON MONDAY, 14th JUNE 2021: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1. As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) we are saddened by news of the sudden collapse of President Edgar Lungu during the commemoration of the 45th Defense Day in Lusaka yesterday. We wish His Excellency a speedy recovery.
2. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we wish to take this opportunity to advise President Lungu to give his health priority over political posturing. We say so because of the photos that emerged soon after the President’s collapse in which the President was pictured fishing in front of quickly-assembled journalists at State House. Our considered view is that any person who is just from collapsing needs a rest and does not deserve to be paraded in front of TV cameras just so as to falsely portray them as being fit and healthy.
3. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we further wish to advise the President to consider taking a short leave to rest and refresh. We are fully aware that as a Presidential Candidate in the 12th August general elections, President Lungu has had and will continue to have a grueling campaign schedule which can take a toll on any person. However, the President should prioritize his health over politics.
4. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we would also like to appeal to President Lungu’s handlers to avoid exerting unnecessary pressure on the President for him to portray an image that all is well. We say this with particular reference to the Press Statement that was issued by the Secretary to Cabinet who also doubles as the Principal Private Secretary to the President, minutes after the President’s collapse; that the President is fine and will continue with his scheduled activities.
5. As Patriots for Economic Progress, our considered view is that any person who has suddenly collapsed deserves a detailed medical inquiry before they can be certified as fit to resume their scheduled activities. It is common knowledge that collapsing is merely a symptom of an underlying medical condition and it is important for medical personnel to be given an opportunity to undertake their medical investigations so as to find out what that underlying medical condition is and address it.
6. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we would therefore like to condemn in the strongest terms possible the decision by the Secretary to Cabinet who also doubles as Private Secretary to the President to make a conclusion that the President should proceed with his scheduled activities barely an hour after the President collapsed and ostensibly in the absence of any proper medical investigations. It is evident that Dr Simon Miti put political interests above the health and personal well-being of the President. This particular situation particularly exemplifies why the roles of Secretary to Cabinet and that of Principal Private Secretary to the President are deliberately separate and should not be occupied by a single person, as the case is at the moment. The conflict of interest by Dr Simon Miti in the discharge of the two roles is clearly evident in this matter.
7. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we finally take this opportunity to appeal to President Lungu’s family in general and the First Lady in particular to put the health of the President first and not allow any political interests to compel the President to resume his activities before the real cause of his collapse has been investigated by medical personnel and resolved. We have seen this script play out on too many occasions in the past and we would not want to see it play out again this time around. Political posturing should not be done at the expense of the health of a President.
Thank You and May God Bless the Good Citizens of the Republic of Zambia and our Ailing Nation.
YOURS SINCERELY
SEAN ENOCK TEMBO (SET)
PARTY PRESIDENT
PATRIOTS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS (PeP)