Open Letter to Former President Mr. Edgar Lungu
It is my hope and trust that this letter finds you well, sir. Mr. President, I wish to bring to your attention some critical issues that surround your integrity and public image following the Zimbabwe documentary manufactured by your twin-brother ZANU-PF party.
Before I continue, I appeal to ZANU-PF and President Mnangagwa: as winners of the elections, prioritize Zimbabwe’s development instead of seeking help from imperialist nations. Asking for assistance from those who might wish harm is unwise. Address claims of imperialism separately. Remember, Zimbabwe once thrived economically. I urge the documentary journalists to conduct a thorough investigation, interviewing diverse sources, rather than focusing on individuals from a party that lost power due to indiscipline, corruption, and violence against differing voices. If those they accuse behaved as ZANU-PF did during the elections, their political survival in Zambia seems uncertain.
Furthermore, the documentary, featuring interviews with promoters of lawlessness and those responsible for citizens’ deaths, reflects inadequate research by the journalist.
This letter focuses on the recent manufactured documentary inciting neighboring countries to rise against Zambia. Mr. President, you led the delegation that featured in the video for the interviews. The question is, what role did you play in encouraging this? Was this a pre-calculated event that you and your entourage took advantage of the scenario?
Mr. President, several times I have reminded you of the importance of being grateful. I will not beat around the bush, sir. As a Zambian citizen, you let down this nation during your tenure. You allowed thuggery and criminality, and your government killed innocent citizens, despite my repeated appeals to you, which you ignored.
One critical issue that directly explains how you embraced wrongdoing and why I take the documentary inciting neighboring countries to rise against Zambia and its government seriously is the case of Lawrence Banda’s murderer. This case is unique because the murderer of Lawrence Banda, a citizen you were obligated to protect as a head of state, was protected by your government until you lost power. Meaning, if you were in power to date, Zambians wouldn’t have known who murdered Lawrence Banda. And Shebby Chilekwa would have continued cutting your hair and even killing more opponents of your government.
This is why I am demanding, on my behalf and of other concerned citizens, that you tell us the role you played in the documentary since you were a senior man in the delegation to Zimbabwe. You went too far with your delegation sir. Zambia has never had a war, and the desperation of you and your team to return to power could cost us as a nation.
If Zimbabwe feels like they are doing well, let them be. Why should you and your entourage be their spokesperson? President Mnangagwa won the elections by whatever means, who cares? But instead of you leading a delegation to represent us Zambians, you went to manufacture a documentary to incite divisions with our neighbors. You can distance yourself from this, but for anyone judging you on moral principles, you are very guilty of being part and parcel of this mischievous action.
Like I told you before when you were in power, learn to listen to genuine advice, sir. Most people around you led you into a ditch in 2021, and you lost lamentably. What can they offer you today that will make you believe and trust them? In case you have forgotten, you offended majority citizens thus they voted you out. The only way you can cool down our hearts is being a responsible former head of state. Help your brother Hakainde Hichilema in maintaining peace and order in the country and not vice versa, because the end results will have no winner and loser.
I will repeat this: if President Hakainde Hichilema could behave like the PF did under your leadership, you people cannot be moving up and down like this. But even when some of us wanted him to clamp down on all those who exploited and abused our nation, he has taken a different approach, which you, President Edgar Lungu, have failed to appreciate. If people are relying on you, thinking that you are being smart, they are blatantly lying to you, sir. Behave like a former president and someone who committed crimes and is willing to say sorry to the Zambian people you let down.
Yours sincerely,
Sikaile C. Sikaile
Good Governance and Human Rights Activist
18/09/202