By Staff Reporter
Those who are calling for Edgar Lungu to be investigated are malicious people who don’t mean well, says former Defence minister Davies Chama.
And Chama described President Hakainde Hichilema’s gesture to former president Lungu to work together over the funeral of late fourth Republican president as statesman like, but only time will tell the genuiness of the act.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Chama insisted that the UPND administration should allow bygones to be bygones as the country would just waste a lot of time If investigations against the former president were allowed.
“These are malicious, even people who are calling for president Lungu to be investigated. Those are just malicious people. Those are malicious people. They don’t mean well. Let the bygones be bygones, that is my view. Let the bygones be bygones because absolutely you will find nothing. We would have wasted all time investigating one another and at the end of the day you are just wasting your time instead of focusing on what you promised the Zambians people so that you can deliver on your promises,” Chama said. “Now you waste so much resource chasing over a mirage. For me anyway, maybe I am not wired like that, I don’t look in the past I want to focus in the future and forget about what has transpired. What has transpired is water under the bridge. They have been given the mandate and if there are institutions that are mandated they can carry on their professional work whilst you continue governing.”
Chama said it was unfortunate that Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s son, Col Panji could suggest that president Lungu must clear himself first as he has allegations of corruption and nepotism hanging around his neck, and could not be referred to as father of the nation on account of how he conducted himself while in office, saying it was better to remain quiet sometimes.
“It’s unfortunate it’s coming from the son to our first Republican president Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, the man who worked so hard to unite this country and his statement is totally at variance with the spirit of the late president. I think as a people, there were a lot of insinuations about Dr Kaunda before he was kicked out of office to an extent that there were insinuations that he had stolen US$7 billion, (and that) he was a bad man but all those were proved to be wrong,” Chama said. “Now I want to wonder how he felt when all those accusations were being heaped on his father. You know sometimes in life you are better of keeping quiet. I know he may not have the same spirit as the spirit of his father, I think his father had a big heart of embracing, of loving, making sure that the country was reconciled, the country was united and the country moved together so that those who were governing can focus on issues of governance.
“I can tell you any leader there will be a lot of things that will be thrown at any party particular leader at any particular time. That is the paradox of being a leader. You will be accused of all sorts of things and if as a country we want to dwell on all these accusations I can tell you we will never move forward as a nation.”
Chama urged Col Panji to refocus the way he thinks, saying he “hates president Lungu with a passion”, despite Lungu having had a good relationship with his father.
“You know when you start promoting these things of investigations to anyone who holds office of president, when will it end? When will it end? It will be a vicious circle of investigations after investigations, of accusations against accusations. Okay! No one is against professional investigations by competent investigators, but any investigation marred with political connotations is unacceptable,” he said.
Chama argued that whether people like it or not, president Lungu qualifies to be referred to as father of the nation, as he was elected president by the people of this country.
“Just like president Hakainde Hichilema will be former president after elections in 2026. After 2026 President Hakainde Hichilema will be former president, he will be former president whether people like it or not. Whether you like president Hakainde Hichilema or not he will be former president in 2026,” Chama said. “Equally, president Lungu will be former president and the one who came first is president Lungu, second president Hakainde Hichilema and those we will regard them as father of the nation. President Lungu first and President Hakainde Hichilema after 2026. So you can’t take away that, regardless of how passionately you hate him, or those who hate president Lungu.”
He argued that the title of father of the nation could not be reserved only for those who won liberation struggles against the colonialists, as life was dynamic.
“Father’s of the nation will always be created, will always manifest themselves over time, whilst we appreciate the contributions of the freedoms fighters. And how many freedom fighters are we remaining with? Very few. And over time we shall all die anyway. This country will be left with our grandchildren. So there will always be father’s or the nation, it cannot only be restricted for those who liberated the country. There will be elders among us,” Chama argued. “They have a vast knowledge and information on how they govern the country. You can learn two one or two things. Equally President Hakainde Hichilema after 2026 the president who will come after him will be tong to him to learn one or two things from him.”
He said he was pleased with President Hichilema’s gesture towards president Lungu, a day after he actually called on the President to extend a hand of friendship to his predecessor as the sole remaining former president.
“If this is the way the President has always been acting it could have reduced a lot of tension and to make sure that the Zambian people support his government to deliver on their promises. You see we need an environment of calm, reconciliation and working together so that we give chance to the new government, because we believe in democracy and for us the fact that we handed over power peacefully it meant we accepted the outcome of the verdict of the Zambian people and we need to respect that verdict,” Chama said. “hope that it should not only happen when we have lost someone prominent, like losing the former president but this is a gesture that must continue even after the morning of the president Rupiah Bwezani Banda.”
He said only time will tell on whether the gesture was genuine.
“There is always a time of reflection after a number of people have counseled, have advised. It’s either you take the advice and you move on to change the trajectory in the way you conduct yourself. So we can just give them the benefit of doubt,” said Chama. “That is why I have said that gesture should not just be restricted to the funeral. This is a gesture that must continue beyond a funeral . Why should we always reconcile and show a sign of love and working together just because of a funeral, and yet this is a thing that should be a norm in our daily interaction with each other as politicians?”
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