By Daily Revelation Editor
It cannot be denied that Hakainde Hichilema is presiding over a government where tribalism is rife, despite his promises to the contrary.
Any honest person who has not buried their head in the sand, and are not subjective will agree that key appointments to government institutions in government, parastatals and quasi government institutions are dominated by our good people from the Zambezi regions. Of course this is not to say that they do not deserve those appointments, but in a country like ours where positions people are appointed to are at a premium, any wise leader will remember to balance up, going by Hakainde’s own mantra.
It is indisputable that Hakainde’s predecessor Edgar Lungu also presided over a tribal administration which was largely dominated by our good people from the Eastern and Northern regions of the country. However, that too did not help him when it came to the 2021 general elections going by how people voted in those elections.
Hakainde promised that he would do things differently from how Edgar managed affairs, not only in terms of tribal balancing but on other national matters. However, the two years he has been in office have shown that he was merely politicking in order to be voted into office, so that he could implement his own narrow agenda.
In fact, if there is a President who should have the incentive to work towards balancing, it’s Hakainde, going by how national his election was, as aside from his traditional strongholds of Southern, Western, North-Western and part of Central Province, this time he managed to get significant votes on the Copperbelt, Lusaka, Eastern, Northern and other provinces to put him greatly over the top, almost 60 percent of the vote total. Hakainde for instance obtained 49 percent votes to Edgar’s 51 percent in Eastern Province. In Northern Province he won in Kaputa, Mpulungu, Senga Hill, Mbala etc. In Luapula Province he won Chienge, and was getting almost equal votes to Lungu in places like Isoka in Muchinga Province.
In short, Zambians generally rejected voting on tribal lines because they were convinced that they were voting for a better alternative that would manage matters better than what they had at that time.
Hakainde points to his cabinet whenever he’s challenged over appointments in government, of course some have debated that too. But a glimpse into appointments beyond cabinet will prove just how balanced or not balanced his appointments are, in fact the appointments are not even balanced. Any neutral mind which is not buried in partisanship and tribalism will have no difficulties seeing that.
His supporters argue that what is happening now is nothing different from how Edgar conducted affairs. But that argument alone shows the level of foolish, base thinking and how lowly some of our people have allowed their minds to sink so low. If you are going to base your argument on what Edgar was doing then why did the people vote for change in the first place? Did Zambians vote so that Hakainde should start committing the same mistakes which cost Edgar power? This behavior has been happening repeatedly where even in times when police have misbehaved for instance, Hakainde’s supporters refer to how police used to conduct matters during Edgar’s time. Do people really try to reconcile with their minds before spewing out such nonsensical arguments? Do Hakainde’s supporters think through some of the most ridiculous arguments they put forth on most matters they try to refer to how things used to be under Edgar, or they have completely degazetted their brains in praise singing? So if Lungu committed a mistake, then Hakainde’s mistake should become a right? What kind of strange thinking is this?
If you are going to allow yourself to indulge in the same errors your predecessor who was voted out was committing, then you don’t deserve to remain in office as well at the next elections, unless you change course and begin operating completely differently from the person you removed from office. Politicians are not doing this country justice when they continue to foment tribalism through appointments in government. This is not how you build national unity and cohesion. Rather than alienating other groups, you are better off working hard towards unity. Zambians are not difficult people, they notice and appreciate effort when they see it.
Related
By Daily Revelation Editor
It cannot be denied that Hakainde Hichilema is presiding over a government where tribalism is rife, despite his promises to the contrary.
Any honest person who has not buried their head in the sand, and are not subjective will agree that key appointments to government institutions in government, parastatals and quasi government institutions are dominated by our good people from the Zambezi regions. Of course this is not to say that they do not deserve those appointments, but in a country like ours where positions people are appointed to are at a premium, any wise leader will remember to balance up, going by Hakainde’s own mantra.
It is indisputable that Hakainde’s predecessor Edgar Lungu also presided over a tribal administration which was largely dominated by our good people from the Eastern and Northern regions of the country. However, that too did not help him when it came to the 2021 general elections going by how people voted in those elections.
Hakainde promised that he would do things differently from how Edgar managed affairs, not only in terms of tribal balancing but on other national matters. However, the two years he has been in office have shown that he was merely politicking in order to be voted into office, so that he could implement his own narrow agenda.
In fact, if there is a President who should have the incentive to work towards balancing, it’s Hakainde, going by how national his election was, as aside from his traditional strongholds of Southern, Western, North-Western and part of Central Province, this time he managed to get significant votes on the Copperbelt, Lusaka, Eastern, Northern and other provinces to put him greatly over the top, almost 60 percent of the vote total. Hakainde for instance obtained 49 percent votes to Edgar’s 51 percent in Eastern Province. In Northern Province he won in Kaputa, Mpulungu, Senga Hill, Mbala etc. In Luapula Province he won Chienge, and was getting almost equal votes to Lungu in places like Isoka in Muchinga Province.
In short, Zambians generally rejected voting on tribal lines because they were convinced that they were voting for a better alternative that would manage matters better than what they had at that time.
Hakainde points to his cabinet whenever he’s challenged over appointments in government, of course some have debated that too. But a glimpse into appointments beyond cabinet will prove just how balanced or not balanced his appointments are, in fact the appointments are not even balanced. Any neutral mind which is not buried in partisanship and tribalism will have no difficulties seeing that.
His supporters argue that what is happening now is nothing different from how Edgar conducted affairs. But that argument alone shows the level of foolish, base thinking and how lowly some of our people have allowed their minds to sink so low. If you are going to base your argument on what Edgar was doing then why did the people vote for change in the first place? Did Zambians vote so that Hakainde should start committing the same mistakes which cost Edgar power? This behavior has been happening repeatedly where even in times when police have misbehaved for instance, Hakainde’s supporters refer to how police used to conduct matters during Edgar’s time. Do people really try to reconcile with their minds before spewing out such nonsensical arguments? Do Hakainde’s supporters think through some of the most ridiculous arguments they put forth on most matters they try to refer to how things used to be under Edgar, or they have completely degazetted their brains in praise singing? So if Lungu committed a mistake, then Hakainde’s mistake should become a right? What kind of strange thinking is this?
If you are going to allow yourself to indulge in the same errors your predecessor who was voted out was committing, then you don’t deserve to remain in office as well at the next elections, unless you change course and begin operating completely differently from the person you removed from office. Politicians are not doing this country justice when they continue to foment tribalism through appointments in government. This is not how you build national unity and cohesion. Rather than alienating other groups, you are better off working hard towards unity. Zambians are not difficult people, they notice and appreciate effort when they see it.
Related
You can share this post!
DEC search Lungu’s associate’s property
I must justify why I’m President – Hichilema
Related Articles
Fuel, electricity hikes, two hammer blows on Zambians
Hakainde and political campaigns
Extend school holidays