Overzealous Board Secretary

By Daily Revelation Editor

District Education Board Secretary for Chingola a Mr. Simulunga N. E recently authored an internal memo addressed to all the head teachers in Chingola, inviting them to welcome President Hakainde Hichilema during his recent visit to that town.

Simulungu stated that: “I write to invite all Headteachers, Deputy Headteachers, Heads of departments and all Senior Teachers to come and welcome the Head of State on Wednesday, 21^st August, 2024 at Chikola Secondary School ground, time 14:30 hours. All to attend without fail and kindly observe time.”

We wonder why people allow themselves to descend to such low levels of licking the master’s boots actually. Why should the visit of the President in the district be demanded on everyone to attend?

There is actually no problem if Simulungu wanted to welcome the President in his own individual capacity actually, of if he wanted to do so with other likeminded personalities. No problem at all with them wanting to welcome their own boss and to have the opportunity to meet up close especially that seeing him in person is a rarity. But you don’t mandate other people to follow your wishes, especially if they have other important matters to attend to than seeing the President.

For many, taking the action like the one Simulungu took is all about self-serving. They want to be noticed as being the most hard-working so that they can secure their government portfolios or positions or to be looked at favourably by the powers that be. They think that if they are viewed to be the ones who lick the boots the hardest that they will earn further favouurs and promotions on the positions they already occupy. However, no one should be allowed to seek those personal interests on the back of using other people, in the manner Simulungu is going about it

We actually see little sense in this culture we have allowed in this country for a long time, where multitudes are ferried to airports and other public spaces when seeing off or welcoming the President to an area. Of course there are exceptions, as such cannot be discounted during especially political events like rallies and other party mobilisations for instance. But what is really the sense in ferrying the cadres to and from the airports to welcome or even send of the President? Or indeed, what was the essence of embarking on that mass mobilisation drive by Simulunga to all the headteachers, deputy headteachers, senior teachers and heads of departments? Was the President on a major educational tour of the schools maybe? Sure, Simulunga would be in a better position to explain. But we just don’t feel he was in order to do what he did, compelling all the educational functionaries to welcome the President to an area. We actually thought this had ended over 34 years ago when headteachers, school pupils and other members of society were made to line up the streets to welcome the then president as he made his way to any place.

Often times, it may not even be the wish of the President to see such happen. But overzealous figures in these political parties are usually the ones who are in the forefront propagating the same in order to be seen to be the most hard-working than their colleagues. But the whole thing does not actually paint them in good light.