THE IMPERFECTION OF Mr EDGAR LUNGU’S REASONING

Authored By Mupishi Jones

On 12th August,2024 whilst the New Dawn Administration was reminiscing their three years in office,Mr Lungu wrote a very long catalogue of challenges facing the people of Zambia purportedly brought about by the UPND as compared to how it was during his administration.

Let me mention on the onset that Mr Lungu came back into active politics to try and get back into the office of Republican Presidency after retiring.However, what is not clear is his intentions, whether to come and serve the people of Zambia or his family and friends, is a topic for another day.

However, my point of departure, and am sure just like many others who experienced his legacy,is his lack of reassuring messages to the Zambian voters on the catalogue of problems which the citizens are currently facing.

After reading his article,I concluded that Mr Lungu doesn’t really know the reasons why he was rejected by such an embarrassing margin on 12th August 2021. He seems to be glossing over the real reasons why his government was voted out in preference to the UPND government of Mr Hakainde Hichilema.He doesn’t want to talk about how he is going to deal about the corruption that was endemic in his administration,is he going to allow the law to question the source of wealth for his wife,children and friends?

He doesn’t want to talk about how he is going to deal with the brutality which was the hallmark of his regime,is he going to pardon murderers like his incarcerated personal barber man Chilekwa and others?

He doesn’t want to talk about how he is going to handle the political caderism which was sustaining his regime, is he going to bring back that hooliganism in the streets,markets,bus stations alongside with the commanders? Mr Lungu’s current campaign message cannot be complete without telling people in no uncertain terms whether he will be bringing back his akawawawa legacy or how he proposes to change! That’s what the Zambian citizens wants to hear more from him that what they already know.

The current challenges he is emphasizing and repeating on and on in his article and rallies are all well known by the people,in fact they’re feeling them more than himself.He mentions of the high cost of living,who doesn’t know that? He talks about high commodity prices such as a bag of mealie meal, does he think the Zambian people don’t know? Load shedding,the ordinary citizens are even feeling it’s impact more than Mr Lungu because Mr Lungu can afford alternative sources of energy.

Let me remind Mr Lungu that the people don’t want to be constantly reminded on the problems that they are passing through but what they want to hear are tangible solutions to those problems, solutions which should be different from what the current New Dawn Administration is implementing.

For instance, the New Dawn Administration has taken a lead in promoting enhanced agriculture systems such as winter maize, offering incentives for citizens to engage in agriculture including the civil servants, increased agricultural input package to eligible citizens,is encouraging government institutions such as ZNS,ZCS and Local Authorities to venture into commercial farming, all these measures are aimed at bringing the cost of mealie meal down,what is the alternative message to ameriorate the high cost of mealie meal from Mr Lungu? That’s what people are interested to hear not the high cost of mealie meal which they already know!

When you read or listen to news whether on social media or on the main stream media, almost on a daily basis, the current government is launching different sources of energy in this country.Today as you’ll be reading this article,the Republican President will be in Southern Province to launch an expanded energy plant at formerly Maamba Collieries,the other day his government was laughing the Net Metering solar system.The results to these measures may not be immediate but definitely they’ll be visible to everyone very soon and the prayer to every objective citizen is not to disrupt the status quo.

What is the alternative voice from Mr Lungu on the power deficit being experienced by the citizens? That’s the message which the citizens want to hear and not reminding them on loadsheding which they already know!

The people are more interested in listening to alternative solutions from what the current government is doing unlike constantly reminding them of the problems which they are feeling more than Mr Lungu himself.

It’s like reminding a person with a painful festering wound that he has a wound,do you think he’d be interested to hear that? He is more interested to hear about the solution to cure his painful wound than simply telling him that he has a wound!

No matter how much Mr Lungu shouts by highlighting the current problems which people are facing,as long as he is not offering alternative solutions, his message will only remind Zambians that the man is coming back to power to rescue his family and friends facing corruption charges from being held accountable for their misconduct whilst in government! The citizens will have no choice but to conclude that the man, together with his colleagues facing corruption charges are bitter and have regrouped to come back into power to save themselves and deal with those prosecuting them!

As a matter of fact, the prayer of every objective Zambian is to have the people who were nonentities and paupers before forming government but suddenly became millionaires account on how they acquired their questionable wealth.
It is therefore naive for Mr Lungu and his colleagues to think that the fight against corruption is for President Hakainde Hichilema, this fight is the major reason why they voted Mr Lungu and his administration out of office.The desire for the Zambians was not to end at just voting the PF out of office but to hold them account for their conduct whilst they were in power!

Any objective person knows that it doesn’t make any sense for Mr Lungu’s wife, children and friends to claim that their sudden millionaire status is as a result of Mr Lungu’s gifts when Mr Lungu himself had nothing to show off before he became President seven years before!
Let’s remember that in 2015, according to official records,Mr Lungu’s declared total assets were K2.3m. In 2016, his total assets jumped to K23.6m in a contravesial manner.Thats the figure which is on record todate. Now today someone to come and claim that he was given millions of kwachas far more than his messairs total assets is something that the majority citizens want more clarification!

In conclusion, let me advise Mr Lungu that if he wants the citizen to believe him, let him begin by outlining clearly how he proposes to deal with those issues that offended them most.Zambians are still licking wounds of brutality inflicted upon them by his fallen administration which he wants to exhume,
I submit

Mupishi Jones
0977480386