By Staff Reporter
President Hakainde Hichilema was “extremely agitated” when confronted over observations that key public appointments were going towards Southern and Western Provinces, well placed sources who attended the recent consultative meeting between the head of state and OCIDA have disclosed.
Well placed sources have told Daily Revelation that State House pleaded that matters of discussion should not be made public as the current “political climate was not condusive” in the same manner the pastoral letter from the Catholic bishops was stopped.
“They met the President and they withheld the pastoral letter. Why did it have to happen that way? Because this is the modus operandi which is prevailing. The Catholic bishops whenever they meet as a conference it culminates in a pastoral letter, why didn’t it happen after meeting the President?” one of the sources who attended the meeting wondered. “It’s the same request you are struggling with, ‘the current political situation is not good, so please don’t divulge these things that we have discussed, for the time being hold on to this.’ So we don’t know when the political temperature will cool down so that people can issue various statements.”
Sources said Our Civic Duty Association (OCIDA) raised nine points to the President, among them the skyrocketing prices of meal mealie, shrinking of the democratic space with the constant arrests of opposition political party leaders and regional appointments among others.
“As you can see, you can judge, barely 24 hours after the meeting, Bishop Telesphore Mpundu went to call the current administration as a dictatorship. Did you read that? That was one of the concerns raised in the meeting. The other concern was the President’s appointments to key institutions of people that must originate from Southern and Western Provinces. Why is it that? Is it deliberate? Can you tell us what is your science that critical institutions can only be headed by Southern and Western?” OCIDA demanded. “These were very sensitive issues. Very very sensitive issues.”
The sources disclosed that once confronted to respond to questions, the President exhibited a posture as one who was not ready to take advice, saying “the President was in no mood and he became very agitated. Very agitated.”
“Very upset. So we really don’t understand. At an appropriate time, you will get the full true story. There is nothing that is buried in the world,” sources said. “This is a statement coming from OCIDA which was read, read to him. It is a component read to him and he must respond. But the direction is nine points of concern were raised, nine. The skyrocketing mealie meal price and the effect it was having on people, especially the poor was among the issues raised.”
Sources said in the President’s “agitation”, when matters were read to him in the meeting which lasted for several hours, the President responded but did not give OCIDA the opportunity to counter the answers he provided.
“That gives you as a journalist the frustration that barely 24 hours of that meeting, Bishop Mpundu could go and issue the statement that is almost going for him (President)” sources said.
Sources challenged presidential aides for politics and communication to tell Zambians the substance of what was discussed.
“They must own up. You know just tell them, can you own up,” said sources. “Tell them, and not only Levy Ngoma. Clayson Hamasaka was in that meeting. So you must also call Hamasaka. Jito Kayumba was in that meeting. Another Lungu was in that meeting. But these are key men, Hamasaka and Levy Ngoma.”
Efforts to call both Ngoma and Hamasaka to get State House’s position failed as their mobile phones went unanswered.
