By Isaac Zulu
Hakainde Hichilema thinks he knows it all, says Patriot Front national chairman Davies Chama.
Speaking in an interview, Chama said the President’s calls for dialogue are pretentious because he does not believe in dialogue as he “thinks he knows it all.”
He said that the recent meeting that was held between Head of State and OCIDA, where President Hakainde Hichilema got infuriated over concerns raised by organisation on regional appointments, is an indication that Hichilema is not open to dialogue.
Chama said that President Hichilema and the UPND administration want to pretend that they have an open door policy and are open dialogue, and yet he does not want to take advice “from stakeholders.”
“In one breath the Head of State wants to pretend that he is open to dialogue, and yet in another breath he is not accommodating divergent views from stakeholders. That’s hypocricy,” Chama said. “He thinks he knows it all. And that is tantamount dictatorship and should not be allowed in modern democracy.”
He said that, being new in government, President Hichilema should learn to listen to concerns being raised by governance stakeholders and the general citizenry about his leadership style.
The former defence minister also recalled that President Hichilema had a similar meeting with the Catholic Bishops at a time when the Bishops were about to issue a pastoral letter on the state of the nation, but the Head of State proved not to be accommodating to divergent views “because it dawned on him that the Church cannot be comprised.”
He said that; historically, the Church has been playing a pivotal role in promoting social justice in society; adding that it will be difficult and unjust for President Hakainde Hichilema to “silence the voice of the voiceless.”
“The Catholic Bishops, and the Churches in general; have always been playing a critical role in, not only providing the moral campus to people in communities and politicians, but also promoting social justice in society,” said Chama. “President Hakainde Hichilema wants to silence the voice of the voiceless, speaking on behalf of the marginalised. But my view is that he will not succeed,” said Chama.
