By Amb Emmanuel Mwamba
State House Should not Insult and Bully their Artists
After managing and being close to artists engaged in political campaigns, I learnt something.
The artists made thousands of people dance to their awesome campaign music or the comedian made the people laugh, but the artists usually went home without money or sustained financial support.
When the lights are out, the music is off, the stage is folded and the crowd have faded, sometimes I personally drove the artists to their homes because the person assigned to pay them had stopped answering the phone or just disappeared.
One immediate crisis was that the artists lost commercial opportunities to earn money, including from government, state, and parastatal jobs as they were deemed too partisan to be given government opportunities.
So they never perform at public ceremonies, events or activities except at political rallies or party events.
They then have to depend entirely on hand-outs from State House, their aides or Ministers or business men associated with the party.
I remember there was one person who understood this crisis and took it upon himself to help.
A Permanent Secretary who understood the pain of artists, became like their god father and used his own personal resources to help…It was such a big burden but a temporal relief.
Election campaigns are far apart, and the suffering by artists, usually unable to get commercial work, is intense in between.
So when I saw the angry outbursts by Lucky’s- comedy ( Lucky Hangwani) and Junior bally (Benard Mushingwa), this was embarrassing for State House officials but necessary.
But many don’t understand.
Usually, this is the act of last resort to get the attention of the President and is not an act to embarrass but a cry for help and it deserves attention.
But the reaction from State House has been but foolish and a display of utter immaturity.
The dedicated smear, abusive, and dirty attacks against the boys from State House rogue media, Koswe, is unacceptable, and the bullying tactics to silence them do not inspire.
Usually, the two boys were the brave ones, and this state of discontent could be widespread among the UPND artists.
My simple advice would be; “Just meet and help the artists, and do not insult them.”