MULONDWE Muzungu says PF leaders and Cabinet ministers are known for dogmas, threats and tribal utterances.
The UPND international relations chairman has observed that under President Edgar Lungu’s rule, Zambians are fearful and “scared to the bone”.
Muzungu said seeing what was happening in Zambia today, he was prompted to appeal to President Edgar Lungu that: “in the last days of his administration, he should try hard to run the affairs of the country according to democratic principles.”
He complained that while multiparty democracy was re-introduced in the country in 1991, Lungu’s presidency was drenched into autocratic tendencies.
“The PF administration under President Lungu is not running the affairs of the country in keeping with democratic spirit. To be dogmatic and threating is not compatible with democracy,” Muzungu said in an interview in Lusaka.
“Dogmas, threats and tribal utterances for which PF leaders and ministers are known are divisive and inimical to national unity, which the founding father of this nation Dr Kaunda fostered for 27 years.”
He appealed to President Lungu to give space to opposition leaders because they were not his enemies.
Muzungu, a former ambassador to Libya, explained that opposition politicians existed because the Republican Constitution provided for them.
He noted that the existence of an opposition was more useful to President Lungu than chanting cadres.
“When they effect checks and balances, that’s useful to his administration. It would be better for President Lungu to confer with the founding father of this nation. We thank God that he (Dr Kaunda) still lives. President Kaunda, for 27 years, moulded this territory into a true one nation. I feel that Dr Kaunda will be willing to give advice as to how he managed to do that,” Muzungu said.
“The PF administration must not allow wicked elements in society to grab rightful, legal investments from rightful owners, without reason. It is happening in our society today and we can testify to this.”
Muzungu regretted that: “under President Lungu’s rule, Zambians are fearful and scared to the bone because of what is happening in their country.”
“But we are very fortunate as a nation that the founding father of this nation under whom the motto of One Zambia, One Nation had meaning… Today that scenario has vanished [and] in its place there’s tension, hate, acrimony, spitefulness – while pronouncing ourselves as Christians. That’s hypocrisy and God is not pleased with hypocrites,” noted Muzungu.