WYNTER ADVISES HH; “TELL SMALL BOYS, NOMINATED MPS TO STOP THIRD-TERM CALLS”

WYNTER ADVISES HH; “TELL SMALL BOYS, NOMINATED MPS TO STOP THIRD-TERM CALLS”

You should be telling these small boys and nominated Members of Parliament (MPs) making this noise about the third term to shut up, Economic Front President Wynter Kabimba has advised President Hichilema.

A strong maneuver to remove the clause in the Republican Constitution that restricts an incumbent President to only serving two terms of five years each is gaining momentum as pro-UPND surrogates and some senior party members push to have President Hichilema to be on the presidential ballot in 2031

Kabimba, former justice minister, has wondered why UPND has made changes to the Constitution to allow Hichilema contest Presidency beyond his current last term had become a priority for the ruling party.

“Why is UPND talking about the third term when they are farmers out there that haven’t even been paid for their produce. HH said when he was campaigning that this time around this year you won’t suffer the grief of waiting for days, sleeping outside; waiting for your money,” Kabimba said when he appeared on Diamond TV on Sunday’s COSTA programme.

He observed that contrary to President Hichilema’s assurance, as he campaigned for the August 13 general election that farmers would be paid within 48 hours after delivering maize to FRA, a number of the poor farmers still remain unpaid.

“I have received several phone calls from across the country that people who delivered maize before 13th of August, before the day of elections have today not been paid. He [President Hichilema] probably doesn’t know. But those that are supposed to feed him the information, they’re talking about the third term behind his back,” Kabimba said.

“So, why do we start with non-issues instead of dealing with issues that affect the lives of people? HH went round this country, campaigning that, ‘don’t elect Brian Mundubile, don’t elect Makebi Zulu, they won’t deliver. And I agreed with him. But surely, he didn’t do that to come and make the third term [push] as a priority. No. There are bigger problems on his plate and he should be telling all these small boys that are making this noise and these nominated Members of Parliament; ‘shut up, I have a serious job to do here and the people of Zambia will judge me in 2031 by what I will have done – so, leave it!”

Kabimba advised President Hichilema that the push for a third term could destroy his legacy as had been the case in history over leaders that prolonged their stay in office.

“… If he falls victim to these mantras, they will just destroy him. Power is silent; you don’t hear it. It is heard by the owners of power and politicians do not own power; they possess power; power is owned by the people,” he explained.

“Once you want to think that those that are around you represent the people and they say what the people are saying, then you make a mistake. Power has characteristics- it gives you false hope and it gives you false comfort.

Power gives a sense of permanence and immortality that you shall always be there forever. So, you have to be careful. The characteristics of power have never changed over time; what changes are human beings.

Power in itself as power, we have seen it destroy individuals. It allows individuals to destroy themselves; that’s the evidence we have from history There are lessons in history. If I were HH, I would tell all these boys, ‘shut up; don’t waste my time. If you don’t know how to praise me, keep quiet.”