THE FEAR OF LOOMING CHANGE DISORIENTS LAURA MITI
By Faston Mwale, Socialist Party Presidential Political Aide
There is no question that Laura Miti’s schizophrenic fear of the impending revolutionary change is finding expression in a string of vile attacks on Mr Sata’s legacy of exemplary leadership and on the public persona of Dr Fred M’membe, who, in all probability, is Zambia’s upcoming Eighth Republican President.
This is a reality that Miti is finding hard to process. Referring to the late Mr Sata as a “thug” is not only a desecration of Sata’s legacy, but also an ideal example of Miti’s furious animosity towards Mr Sata. That Mr Sata is gone entails that fate has conferred upon him the status of a “symbolic idea” from which to learn from his mistakes, shortcomings, deficiencies and from his admirable leadership posture. Common convention charges us not to speak ill of the dead in the manner that Miti is doing.
Miti’s unprovoked attacks on the iconic revolutionary and leader of the Socialist Party, Dr Fred M’membe, represents nothing other than the most savage malice, the most unscrupulous slander, and the most ferocious hatred. I call upon all Socialist Party members, supporters, sympathisers and allies of all shades to remain steadfast and resilient in the face of mounting unprovoked attacks from disgruntled petty minds of the likes of Miti. She is a miserable chieftain of politics of hate, generating more heat and less light for our people seeking justice, equity and peace.
It is not too difficult to understand the fact that UPND is reacting to its popularity decline in ways that are meant to stir public hate and hatred against the progressive leadership of the struggling masses. The strategy they are using is inherently evil and incapable of holding back the growing revolutionary waves of change sweeping across the country.
The irrational fit of attacks on comrade Dr M’membe is not a product of spontaneous spells. The attacks have a context in the deepening cost of living crisis. As the cost of living worsens, the general populace is finding it more and more difficult to accept an additional catalogue of fake promises from the UPND government to rationalise an obviously collapsing regime. The deep-seated feeling of shame, frustration and anger at the failure to fulfil campaign promises is what is being misdirected at innocent people.
Recently, the Catholic Church came under a spell of attacks when His Grace, the Right Reverend Archbishop Dr Alick Banda was called “Lucifer” by the UPND leadership. And today, the onslaught continues unabated as Laura Miti, another senior member of the UPND descends heavily on the Late President, Michael Sata, calling him a thug with pieces of dirty shrapnel hitting at Dr Fred M’membe, a living legend. Surely, what wrong has comrade Dr M’membe done to deserve such hurtful remarks from Miti? Honestly speaking, our people are tired and fed up with this type of name-calling politics. It is now time that we started to engage each other in progressive ideological politics. Our people are not interested in political rhetoric, they are interested in finding practical ways that will be used to lift them from the debilitating capitalist material conditions under which they live and suffer.
Change is an inevitable consequence of every situation. Whether the UPND likes it or not, change is coming and coming soon. The fear of change should not unnerve them to the point of becoming schizophrenic. The UPND leadership should take steps to curb the illusion of superiority over others. Intoxication with power can lead to a disastrous ending.