SATA’S DEATH MADE ECL AN ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT 

SATA’S DEATH MADE ECL AN ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT 
It is and was only true that president Lungu had no vision for Zambia, because even himself never knew that he would be president.

By the time Sata was sick, PF had many Ministers who were more deserving and popular to be presidents than Edgar Chagwa Lungu (ECL). ECL was not even close to them. Even Sata himself knew that ECL would never be president.

Analytically speaking, a sitting president would never appoint someone with presidential aspirations to be Minister of Defense and later acting president. The exact reason why Sata had forced GBM to resign as Minister of Defense and appointed ECL as a replacement. Sata was later, able to let ECL act as president, because he knew that ECL was not a threat to him.

You didn’t get that?
God doesn’t use the obvious.

The funny part is that ECL’s political journey is not different from that of HH. Lungu was a very consistent personality. He tried to contest the  Chawama MP seat, for a long time without giving up.

In 1996 he stood on the Independent ticket but lost to Christon Tembo who stood on the MMD. 2 years later, in 1998 UPND was formed and ECL joined the party. When Sata formed Patriotic Front (PF) in 2001, ECL left UPND and joined PF. He contested the Chawama seat again in 2001, this time on the PF ticket, but lost; coming out 7th out of the 11 candidates who participated in that election. Fast-forward, in 2011 when Sata won as president, ECL had also won as Chawama Member of Parliament-on the PF ticket. ECL later served as Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Justice and Minister of Defense.

Lungu’s loyalty is seen not only in his appointments but also  joining political parties before they were popular. He joined political parties, just when they were formed.

After Sata’s death Miles Sampa tried to play the administrator of the deceased kind of politics, “this is my Uncle’s party, I must be the next PF president.” But, people knew how selfish Sampa was/would be if he were given that chance. So, they made sure to make his way to presidency impossible.

Nonetheless, the 2014 PF conventions were split into two parallel disputed gatherings: each, electing a different leader.

The two were, the Edgar Lungu’s Convention and Miles Sampa’s Convention. The ECL’s convention had the likes of Inonge Wina, who was at the time the PF National Chairperson and Davies Chama was appointed at this very convention as the new Secretary General (SG). The Sampa’s convention had Guy Scott (then vice president and acting president) who officially opened it.

GBM and Robert Sichinga were some of the party presidential hopeful, present. Chishimba Kambwili, Given Lubinda, Wilbur Simuusa and Christine Kaseba were also vying for the party presidency from this end, but were not present. Daniel Munkombwe was the chairperson at this convention.

On the ECL’s side, ECL went unopposed, and was announced legitimate PF party president while on the other hand Sampa was announced winner and legitimate PF party president.

The party was divided. Later, the high court declared ECL as the duly elected PF presidential candidate, nullifying the results of the Miles Sampa convention.

I believe you are following. The real division in PF started here, in 2014.

Anyway, disputes were resolved, PF was once again a complete piece. Because the people of Zambia loved Sata so much, the PF went round campaigning for ECL saying that he was the one  Sata had chosen before his demise, to lead the PF party and country. The people of Zambia reciprocated with their emotional votes. In the 2015 elections, ECL won as president, beating HH and the others.

Miles Sampa’s bitterness may be coming from genuine grounds, especially that Sata was his uncle and possibly knew more about his illness. I believe he had even started preparing to take over from Sata earlier than ECL and others. Anyway, after ECL won as president, many political careers ended. Especially, for those whose names were appearing at Miles Sampa’s side of a convention.

One thing one would never take away from ECL is that he courageously continued from where Sata left and saw most of the projects Sata started coming to completion. From visionless to visionary, ECL knew that the people who would come after him would not remember him; so, he built the most expensive technical school in Petauke and named it: EDGAR LUNGU NATIONAL STEM SECONDARY SCHOOL. As if that wasn’t enough, he built the most beautiful shopping mall in Zambia, on the Copperbelt, in Kitwe and named it: EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU MALL. He expanded and upgraded Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. Talk of schools.

President ECL initiated the construction of many district hospitals, 115 mini-hospitals and etc, across the country. He was simply: the king of infrastructure. He kept the Patriotic Front together, too. That’s why when he saw PF dividing, he forced himself back to active politics. He was a father figure. ECL loved his country and it’s people.

I bet when you are scared of making mistakes, you make many and it becomes difficult to develop a country. ECL was calm, but fearless. ECL is actually, the least appreciate president: while alive and in his death, but: with his flaws on, he turns out to be one of the best Presidents, Zambia, has, ever, had.

MHSRIP!

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