LUNGU: A ’HUMBLE’ MAN WHO IS WEDDED TO HYPOCRISY

By Daily Revelation Editor

The impression one gets when they look at President Edgar Lungu, especially for those who do not know him is that he is a very humble, honest and trustworthy worthy man. Indeed even those that know him, Edgar Lungu is not a brush character, he is the exact opposite of his predecessor, late PF patriarch Michael Sata, on that score. A very soft spoken man, who chooses his words carefully even when rebuking someone so that his words do not hurt the person involved.

His mannerisms too are very good, he is someone who easily assimilates even with the most lowly in society, perhaps owing to his humble background in Chawama compound. In short Chagwa is a likeable man, and perhaps that is one of his biggest assets as an individual, and in his public and political life.

But there is a difference in terms of one’s mannerisms, attitude and his character, as character has more to do with one’s innate nature, while attitude speaks mostly to one’s outward attributes. There in lies the key in so far as diagnosing and judging who Edgar Lungu is. Chagwa has used his strong mannerisms to great effect in terms of hiding his true nature, hypocrisy and pretense chief among them.

We are not here to push anybody’s agenda, not Hakainde Hichilema, Harry Kalaba, Fred M’membe, Nevers Mumba or any other contender for that matter. Our only interest is solely focused on the enhancement of our nascent democracy. And Chagwa has more to gain in terms of public support if he wins a clean and fair election, but not in the manner he is going about it.

For instance, here is a man who after being escorted by thousands of his own cadres to his party manifesto launch, used that same occasion to denounce the other opposition leaders, chief among them UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, for having attracted huge crowds to his presidential nomination a few days earlier. Chagwa during that same occasion ordered the police and health officials to ban rallies and ensure that health regulations were followed in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Chagwa even committed himself to adhering to the health regulations himself. Of course, other measures were taken in addition to the ban on rallies which extended also to the ban on road shows and other gatherings with the potential of attracting huge gatherings.

Fast forward a few weeks later, the same Chagwa who ordered the police to ban rallies and other events with the potential of attracting huge gatherings, went against his own words, and gleefully feeding on his own vomit, by undertaking visits to Mtendere and Bauleni, which attracted thousands of people, furthering risking public health in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The police who have been vigilantly stopping opposition gatherings, were on hand escorting him throughout these visits, while there has been no word condemning such misconduct from our ‘independent’ Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).

Of course Chagwa may argue that he is the President and executive power empowers him to go wherever he wants. However, one may ask, is Chagwa holding that executive power to do harm or it should be for the good of the nation? By taking the visits to the markets which are attracting thousands, something he himself condemned of others, and further risking the spread of the coronavirus, is Chagwa being a force for good or a merchant of evil? Mr President where have you forgotten your own words that you were going to abide by health regulations by avoiding gathering crowds? Where you politicking as usual in order to disadvantage opposition mobilisation, knowing that our toothless ECZ and unprofessional police were on hand to do your bidding, while being fully aware that you had rendered them useless enough, that you would fall on them like a tone of bricks if they dared even utter a mild statement against your activities?

Mr President, remember you have twice sworn an oath, and would be doing that for a third time if elected next month, to defend and protect the constitution of our Republic, and that constitution places an obligation on yourself in terms of promoting liberties and freedoms towards the enhancement of our democracy. Yes it’s your duty as President to commit yourself and work hard towards protecting and promoting even the rights of your political opponents. You recently guided the nation in giving a worthy send off to our late founding father Dr Kenneth Kaunda and all that he stood for. But what legacy are you creating for yourself? What do you want us to be saying about you when time comes for you to join your ancestors? Do you want us to be remembering you as the man who won an unfair election and whose wealth increased from K2.5 million to over K23 million in just one year of being elected to the presidency, or as someone who lived his ‘humble’ self in overseeing a fair election?

We hope those in the opposition are drawing useful lessons from Chagwa too. You might be standing on rooftops right now denouncing this and that about Chagwa, but would meanwhile continue in the same paths if you were given power next month. What we have learnt from the Zambian politicians over the years, particularly the new generation of politicians is that they are mainly driven by sheer opportunism with very little regard to their own words and promises. The PF itself is the best example, just rewind 10 years from now and fast forward another 10 years, you will be surprised that what they have found pleasurable is indulging in the same evils they condemned about the MMD, be it government leaders engaging in tenderpreneurship, corruption, anti-democratic attitudes and so on and so forth.

And there are even some signs pointing towards that already. There have been many instances where a big corrupt figure, who is denounced with all manner of denunciations suddenly becomes an asset once they change political parties, they are even embraced and given leadership positions. From being devils they overnight become angels no sooner had they resigned from their previous camps.

Lest we move out of topic, we are here to tell Chagwa, Mr. President, please it may not be what you want to do, and we understand how difficult it is to get your human nature to do unto others what you would love them do unto you, but for the sake of the nation, do whatever you can to advocate and work towards a fair and just election. It is for the good of your own legacy, win or lose, and ultimately for the good of Zambia.