By Chilufya Tayali

THE BITTERNESS AND TENSION BREWING IN THE COUNTRY NEED WISDOM, NOT SOLDIERS, WE WILL TALK AT 20:00HRS

In spite of what I have been through at the hands of the State and my subsequent flight out of the Country, I am genuinely concern about the bitterness and tension currently going on among citizens.

Those on the ruling party want to ignore, this fact, but their emotions in responding to national matters, including this article (just read the comments), is evidence enough that there is a bad smell of anger, hatred, fear, vindictiveness, etc, in our society.

Recently we saw UPND cadres holding press conferences sounding warnings and threats to President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and other citizens. If that is not bitterness brewing tension, then what is it?

We have also seen a number of politicians issuing tribal remarks, in response to what they perceive to be tribal practices by President Hakainde Hichilema and his UPND Govt.

Our criminal courts are flooded with cases of hate speech, sedition, insulting language, assault, among others. Our civil courts are also full of defamation claims and counter-claims.

The President’s language is also becoming stronger, where he is even thinking of calling in soldiers to maintain law and order.

Surely, we can’t pretend that all is well in the Country, which is why I spend some minutes of my prayers, every day, for mother Zambia. I am very worried.

On my part, I have created a mantra which I keep repeating in my heart several times as I go about my day, so that I don’t give in into bitterness and vindictiveness:

“no bitterness, no bitterness, no bitterness”;

“No vengeance, but forgiveness, no vengeance, but forgiveness”;

“We are all Zambians, We are all Zambians”.

Those at the helm of power may think they are safe, for how long what happens when you lose power.

I remember one day Hon. Clement Andeleki came to my house, after he lost his appointments and he was trying to find a way to get back into the system, but he did not succeed. Today, the man is a Member of Parliament and playing a big role in some these cases currently going on.

My point is, you just never know what tomorrow brings. Kaizar P. Zulu was once powerful, but today, is living at the mercy of other people. Amos Chanda is almost in jail, he can’t even fly to India for his medicals as he used to.

Nonetheless we can’t keep on having these agendas of sorting each other out; when we will unite and focus on the developmental agenda as One Zambia – One Nation.

I really wish President Hakainde Hichilema would consider dialogue, forgiveness and unity of the Country than clenching an Iron fist against the opposition, because it will just escalate the situation.

It feels safe to issue warnings and threats when you are the President, or in the ruling party, but it builds more negative emotions which might come to haunt you in future.

I honestly want peace than fighting, but it seems President Hakainde Hichilema thinks he can achieve that by bringing out soldiers from the barracks.

ANYWAY, I WILL BE TALKING TONIGHT AT 20:00HRS, IN THE MEANTIME, I WISH OUR DEFENSE FORCE A HAPPY DAY