By Angela Moonga
Historian Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa has been involved in heated argument with a UPND sympathiser over tribalism.
In a post on his Twitter feed, Dr Sishuwa argued that more people from one region were receiving more public appointments than the others from other regions of the country.
”Here are the facts. Eight of the 10 provincial education officers, 7 of the 10 police provincial commissioners, and all five leaders of the country’s five security services come from one region. Is this tribalism to you, or do you think the other regions lack sufficiently educated and qualified Zambians to be appointed to these public positions?” tweeted Dr Sishuwa.
But Brian Simasiku argued that UPND critics have been waiting for calamity to happen, that they prayed for drought, and it never happened and that even their prayers for prolonged loadshedding did not happens
”They prayed for nationwide student protests, it never came, they prayed for economy to collapse, fuel chaos, food shortages, social unrest, still nothing,” he stated. “They even went as far as praying for HH’s death, spreading claims that they had “inside information” he was unwell, then openly celebrating the fake rumours. We saw it right here on the timeline. Every prophecy of doom has flopped before their very eyes and now they are clutching one last card hoping it can rescue them at the ballot. The level of desperation is hard to describe. Mukose!”
But Dr Sishuwa argued that he repeatedly told PF cadres during their time in power, that it would be nice to wake up to a Zambia where supporters of the ruling party know that they can both support and hold those in power to account.
”Holding our elected public leaders to account is a constitutional duty, not an exercise in hate. For instance, superstition is costly when it is entertained by elected leaders who rely on taxpayers’ money for their work. Zambezi supremacists and praise singers will easily hold me, a person who does not draw any money from the treasury, to account for my opinions on the affairs of our country but continue to overlook the more important point that a public officer has spent nearly 5 years wasting taxpayers’ money because of his belief in the supernatural,” Dr Sishuwa stated. “First, the man has refused to live in Nkwazi, the official residence of all his predecessors and even colonial heads of governments since 1924, believing that the place is haunted. As a result, he commutes from his home to State House every day at a huge public cost in what is arguably a form of abuse of office.
”Think about the public funds wasted on upgrading the road to his personal residence, reinforcing security at the residence, and the allowances paid to police who must line the streets at least four times every day when he moves from Community House to State House and back including for lunch.
Second, his belief in the supernatural caused the country to spend money on hiring private jets to fly him on long-haul flights because he reportedly believed the previous government had left witchcraft elements in the presidential jets.
Third, his apparent belief in the supernatural caused the country to spend millions of public funds in taking the Lungu family to court because he wanted to attend the funeral of his predecessor and see the body for reasons best known to him.
Fourth, his belief in the supernatural led to embarrassing and damaging international news headlines about Zambia as he presided over the arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of two people accused of attempting to assassinate him using witchcraft.
Fifth, he has a traditional bodyguard (the so-called Beijing bodyguard) paid by taxpayers, in addition to the normal state security services. Many still remember how he infamously refused to receive alone the instruments of power from president Lungu during his inauguration ceremony in 2021, allowing his bodyguard to receive them alongside him.”
Dr Sishuwa argued that pointing out all these things was not hate; but civic responsibility.
”Please learn to hold your elected public leaders to account. It is a constitutional duty,” stated Sishuwa.
But Simasiku stated: “Accountability it is, and I completely agree 👍🏽, but the habit of presenting assumptions as settled facts is dangerous. A long thread full of rumours, superstitions, sweeping statements, loaded language does not pass as civic duty in my world. And yes, citizens must hold leaders accountable, but citizens must also hold commentators accountable. Public influence should come with responsibility.”
