OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL – ADMINISTRATION
PF – PAMODZI ALLIANCE
PRESS STATEMESELECTIVE JUSTICE AND POLITICAL HYPOCRISY — A DANGEROUS BETRAYAL OF PUBLIC TRUST
*Date: 1st April 2026*
The Zambian people can not and will not be treated as if they have no memory.
Not long ago, President Hakainde Hichilema stood before the nation and consistently labeled members of the Patriotic Front (PF) as “corrupt,” “thieves,” and unfit to govern. These statements formed the moral backbone of the United Party for National Development (UPND)’s campaign narrative.
Today, that same leadership is welcoming those very individuals into its ranks.
This is not reform. This is political convenience at its peak.
Mr. President, Zambians are asking a simple but unavoidable question:
Were we misled then, or are we being misled now?
Because if those individuals were truly criminals, then embracing them today is a betrayal of justice. But if they are now considered valuable and credible, then it means the accusations made against them were politically motivated.
Both scenarios expose a leadership crisis.
Even more troubling is the issue of selective justice.
If today those once branded as “thieves” are being welcomed into government and celebrated as partners, then fairness demands that those who have been arrested and imprisoned under similar accusations must also be treated equally.
An olive branch must be extended to leaders such as Hon. Chitotela, Hon. Chilangwe, PS Mushota, Hon. Davies Chama, Hon. Bowman Lusambo and others. Justice cannot operate on political convenience. It cannot punish some while rewarding others for the same alleged offenses.
You can not invite “thieves” to your table while others remain behind bars under the same label.
That is not justice, it is discrimination.
To those defecting, this moment should not be mistaken for triumph. Crossing over into a system that once vilified you does not erase the past, it raises deeper questions about principle, consistency, and self-respect.
Meanwhile, the nation continues to suffer. The cost of fuel is rising, mealie meal prices remain high, and the energy sector continues to struggle. These are the real issues affecting citizens—not political recycling.
And yet, instead of solutions, we are witnessing a government that is now depending on the very people it once condemned.
What does this say about capacity?
Can a government that once dismissed others as failures now rely on them for survival? Can those labeled as corrupt suddenly become the backbone of national progress?
Mr. President, one thing is clear:
You can not continue calling PF members criminals in public while privately embracing them as partners.
That contradiction has now been exposed.
If anything, your current actions suggest that those you once condemned are, in fact, capable, experienced, and necessary—otherwise, why bring them in?
Zambians are not blind to this reality.
Selective justice, shifting narratives, and political convenience are eroding public trust.
Leadership must stand on truth, consistency, and fairness, not on contradictions that insult the intelligence of the people.
The nation deserves answers.
And this time, silence will not be enough.
*Issued by:*
*Celestine Mukandila*
*Office of the Deputy Secretary General – Administration*
*PF– Pamodzi Alliance*