The June 5 HH presser in Lusaka
…did it answer all your questions?
I have been a journalist of many years, bagged an excellence World Bank Investigative Journalism award for my work, and rose all the way to the top of the media management ladder.
I have been a diplomat for a long time, having worked at the highest level as Ambassador, bagged an Ambassador´s award there too.
In all fairness, I can humbly I have bragging rights to say I can comprehend lots of current affair’s issues, socio-economic, political, and international relations with not much ado, analyse them too.
On June 5, however, I found it hard to comprehend what our dear President Hichilema set out to tell the nation during that almost three-hour press conference.
I heard him talk about Edgar Lungu and Edgar Lungu and Edgar Lungu again, some Jay Jay Banda here and there, then some arrests and a stiffer law against tribalism on the cards coming June when parliament resumes sitting.
I heard him speak about being on ´Death Row´ while he was in opposition before becoming the 7th President of Zambia, but I wasn’t sure which one, ´Death Row Records´? a music label founded by Shug Knight, Dr Dre, and Dick Griffey or the real one.
We must ask counsel Makebi Zulu for a legal opinion on this because the jury is still out.
I waited for a long time to hear about the prolonged hours of load shedding (lack of electricity), escalating costs of mealie meal, fuel, and other commodities for a long while.
I thought that would be the first issue on the President´s Bucket List, but it came in one line at the tail end of the hour’s long presser just before the question-and-answer session started.
The Q&A was ever my favourite point at a presser, adrenaline raising for a news junkie like me, but then I can’t even recall what questions were asked by our local scribes during the presidential address.
Don’t get me wrong, asking no questions sometimes means you have understood everything.
So, I come to hear in my ignorance and limited knowledge; what did you hear at the President HH presser, and what did you not hear so I can learn from you?
There´s no wrong or right answer, just the facts, Folks. Happy weekend! Charge your phones and laptops in advance if you do not want to miss the Chipolopolo-Morrocco game tonight at 9, so you can watch it on your gadgets. Ciao bello!
Amb. AM. 07.24