Happy Africa Freedom Day
( fwevashala tuli ba ngwele as they say )
*Sishuwa Sishuwa, Pilato and Zambia’s 21st Century Freedom Fighters*
Happy African Freedom Day Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa! Today we remember those who put their lives on the line to liberate African states from its colonial masters. I am talking about Nelson Mandela, Kenneth David Kaunda, Uhuru Kenyatta, Nkwame Nkhrumah, Jurius Nyerere, Leopold Sehor, Ken Saro Wiwa, Samora Machel, Queen Nzinga, Milton Obote, Mrcus Garvey, Lucky Philip Dube, Chinue Achebe, Thomas Sankara and Maybe Robert Mugabe too.
Indeed, Africa owe its freedom to the above mentioned and many more who selflessly put their nations above self-gains; make no mistake about it, these guys could have easily cashed out on their influence to allow the white minority continue ruling, the idea of side kicks is no new phenomenon, it was birthed as soon as the first human being was born. That the above choose their nations over the riches of this world is enough reason to rejoice today un apologetically.
Twenty or so years have gone by since the last African Nation got independence from the West. Today Africa yet again finds itself in desperate need to be liberated, only this time from its own people! Luck enough for countries like Zambia, it has individuals of high moral standing and integrity who have not only demonstrated that they can fight and defend the country and its constitution but also not shaken by big money offers from oppressors. Here I am talking about individuals like Laura Miti, Linda Kasonde, musician Chama Fumba, John Sangwa, and of course Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa. These individuals deserve as much appreciation as those who began the freedom struggle in Zambia, for what is a plant abandoned at germination? Theirs has been defending the freedoms our forefathers died for, how difficult it must have been.
I do recognize the fact that not every reader to this piece will appreciate outrightly why the above-mentioned individuals deserve prominent mention on a day like this set aside only for heroes of Africa, that’s why I further take a bit of trouble to highlight below how these individuals have contributed so much to Zambia’s 21st century relative freedom. I must mention here that I don’t intend to do this in chronological order.
*Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa*: Before I say a word about him, I must make a prophesy, I am not a classical papa and neither do I wish I was one, but “Sishuwa will lose his UNZA job if PF wins the August 12 polls,”. In fact, he might lose it even before the election itself. His has been strong activism against injustice and poor governance by the PF administration. His impeccable drive for truth and justice has been a bother to Edgar and his friends, no wonder they want him behind bars for a non-existent sedition charge after a soul touching article in which he highlighted the dangers that lay ahead should something cannibal happen in the way this year’s election is handled. I haven’t even mentioned here that he and Linda have actually petitioned Lungu’s eligibility before the courts of Law. By actually doing that, Sishuwa did not only promote himself to the rank of a frustrated academician as far as PF is concerned but a political enemy too. Kennedy Kamba, the PF Lusaka Chair described Sangwa as a political enemy who should be treated as such. With Sishuwa having petitioned Mr. Lungu’s eligibility, forgive me for thinking Kamba will call another presser for purposes of adding Sishuwa among political enemies who should never walk around Inter City with their head high. I doubt if the former Kambule Tech trouble maker will care an aota about what will be said by the Kambas of this world anyway. That he is doing all this at a time when most of his colleagues at UNZA prefer to keep quiet and wait for delayed salaries, or at worst praise the status quo as does that Russian trained guy, Sishuwa has demonstrated that there are still a handful of UNZA dons who are ready to lift the cross. He is indeed a classical example of a modern-day freedom fighter!
*Chama Fumba*: Let me call him Pilato for the purposes of this article. There was a time when Pilato was the biggest opposition leader in Zambia. This statement is actually only half a joke; for Pilato’s checks and balances to the PF government through his music and actual voice at one point surpassed that offered by opposition political parties in Zambia. He has been arrested more times than 12 of this year’s presidential aspirants combined, all the time for simply trying to defend the country he calls home. Here, I must embarrassingly admit that at one point, I actually thought Pilato was somehow a hired gun for the opposition. I was wrong. No amount of Zambia’s depreciated currency can buy a brain like that of musician Chama Fumba. Morals, Integrity, Patriotism have no price and Pilato has demonstrated that. Let’s face it, this is a time when guys like him would be stinking rich by a mare five paragraphs of endorsing those who are not eligible to contest this year’s election, but as always, he’s chosen the side of the people, what a people’s hero he is!
*John Sangwa*: When I heard that Musician Slap Dee did a campaign song for PF merely for money, I was convinced money could buy ANYTHING! Still the idea that a gentleman like Sangwa could be bought so as to drop his petition against President Lungu’s eligibility seemed well beyond probable imagination. But what could it have been if not money? I wondered, frustratingly so. But I needed not to worry, Sangwa is a principled lawyer who has been squeezed so many times before but never for once sold his soul to the highest bidder, he cannot be bought by ngwees, no wonder he is the lead lawyer in Linda and Sishuwa’s eligibility case. But Sangwa has really done so much to fight Injustice and illegality beyond and before the issue of Mr. Lungu’s eligibility. Remember it was he who won the case of Ministers’ illegal stay in office? It was Sangwa who with others highlighted so much how evil Bill 10 was and indeed it is he who started and explained the clause on “holding office twice”. Remember, this is a man whose head has been priced and anyone who comes with it on the platter gets rewarded, but still he has chosen to ignore all that for the sake of his nation. Tell me then, what he is if not a freedom fighter.
*Linda Kasonde*: Linda Kasonde would still have firmly gone in the history books as a legend of good will even if she stopped breathing a day after ceasing to be LAZ president. Her work seem to betray logic as the iron lady has won so many legal battles at her age, most of whom for the good of her people. Look, there are top lawyers around who have chosen to go all out for money. They mingle and defend politicians and the corporates, they don’t care who stands how many times as president, they don’t care whether a minister remain in office after parliament is dissolved. Honestly, this is what Linda Kasonde is not. As we speak, she has taken to court President Lungu on grounds that the latter is not eligible. Do you know how dangerous that is?
*Laura Miti*: Laura Miti doesn’t take oppressors so kindly, she actually can physically slap one if given a chance to. That’s a joke! not exactly anyway. A graduate of Lucy Sichone School of Humanism, Laura has been a candid voice for the voiceless for as long as 15 years now. She has never been scared to speak out and match out where there is need to. Her resolve to speak against injustice has injured a few people especially those who stay along independence avenue, who so often struggle to distinguish objective and un compromising minds from party-oriented individuals. She needs to be celebrated for her valid contribution in upholding Zambia’s rapidly deteriorating freedoms.
So here you have it. To Sishuwa, Linda, Sangwa, Pilato, Laura and many others who risk everything they have ever wished to gain for the sake of the nation, I say happy African Freedom Day to you. Remember, the nation depends on you as much as it did to KK and co.
*The author is a coward and shameful being who can not even mention his name for fear of losing his job! I am a graduate of Mass Communication from UNZA class of 2019!