REPRESSION, LIES, ELECTORAL FRAUD AND BRIBERY WON’T SAVE HICHILEMA
It’s not only the food shortage emergency Zambia is today facing.
Zambia is also facing a very serious emergency of governance deficiency. And both need emergency measures.
History has shown that when a ruling clique has lost public confidence, trust, and respect, it automatically resorts to repression, lies, and electoral fraud to preserve its hold on power.
In this case, Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND know that their political fortunes have rapidly dwindled. They know that they have lost popularity and control over the masses. They know that the people are not with them.
They’ve seen that the people are frustrated, hungry and angry with them because they’ve failed to make this country better and different. And so, this corrupt tribal puppet regime is desperate to remain in power.
In truth, the UPND is not genuinely winning any by-elections. They are simply involved in crass electoral bribery and fraud. They’re buying votes from the poor people of this country. Today, we have cabinet ministers whose only discernible preoccupation is to move from one by-election campaign to another, distributing money, foodstuffs, and other materials. They have literally stopped performing their ministerial duties and have become full-time by-election campaigners and distributors of food and money. District commissioners are also part of these campaigns and are using government motor vehicles with registration plates removed. Why?
Mr Hichilema is in a very serious crisis. His leadership has completely failed. And fraudulent by-election victories won’t save him and his league from the impending political armageddon. They can cheat themselves and their supporters with these fraudulent victories but time is coming when they will be so ashamed of their senseless actions.
In fact, this is the worst form of political self-deception any leader or political party can subject themselves to. It’s a fruitless expedition with a predictable outcome. The PF tried it, and the result was disastrous.
Why can’t Mr Hichilema and the UPND learn from what happened to the PF not so long ago? Are they blinded with power so soon? Time will tell.
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party