The arrest of Boyd Masoud Longwe is a clear demonstration of the narrow political vindictiveness that has characterized our Nation by those yielding State power and those influencing it. Longwe’s arrest shows that President Hakainde Hichilema and those affiliated to his leadership lack the minimal backbone to unite all the Zambians across political parties lines.
Those that rule with President Hichilema have once more shown us that they will stop at nothing in fixing their perceived political foes even if it costs the UPND power itself, they are completely EXCITED and DRUNK with STATE POWER. It’s true that Boyd was a steady supporter of the Patriotic Front (PF) BUT he was a RATIONAL, WELL INFORMED and ALL ROUNDED supporter.
Even us who PREDICTED EARLY on before the 2021 General Elections that PF DEFEAT was EMINENT at the hands of the UPND, Boyd still sought to understand our position in a very calm and collected manner when we were being insulted by PF affiliated political parties who accused us of being UPND biased.
A known political Party President even called for a press conference and called for my impeachment as ZCID Chairperson then. It is for that same reason that when Boyd suffered a STROKE that could have ENDED his life before the elections, I personally said a Prayer for him and sent good wishes even when he held a different position from mine.
Boyd is incapable of insults and later on insult President Hakainde Hichilema. The only crime Boyd has committed is to at one time belong to the patriotic front (PF) before he became a civil servant. “How dare he gets a job in the new dawn administration when he supported the PF?” Those the yield state power have deemed it fit to smoke him out of the civil service based on his past PF association.
Boyd’s sadistic arrest goes against the very loud pronouncements made by President Hichilema at the Democracy Summit 2023 and cheered on by other Democratic states. What is democracy then if it to punish those that once held divergent associations and views from those that are in power now? I call for the release of Boyd from police custody immediately for democracies sake.
GPZ, Our People First.
Silavwe Jackson
President
GPZ.
*Issued: 16/04/2023
