By Hjoe Moono
Building on from the debates on the police and political charges being levied on Kasama Central MP, GBM, I couldn’t help but compare what is happening to him with what the Russian Government under Vladimir Putin did to Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Mikhail Khodorkovsky was once Russia’s richest man and the world’s 16th wealthiest man according to Forbes Magazine in 2004. Not only was he a businessman (He was CEO of Yukos, an oil company), he was also a politician and once served as a minister under Vladimir Putin’s government until differences arose when he left government. No sooner had he left government and focused on his business than did the government pounce on him and his business. Politically motivated cooked up charges, similar to those now being levied on GBM where read out, and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2005.
On 2 November 2010, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, after appealing and appearing on new charges, he delivered his final words to the court in the closing of the second trial. The speech included the following passages.
“I am ashamed for my country.
Your honour, I think we all perfectly understand the significance of our trial extends far beyond my fate. And even beyond the fates of all those who have innocently suffered in the course of the reprisals against YUKOS that have taken place on such a huge scale, those I found myself unable to protect, but about whom I have not forgotten. I remember every day.Let’s ask ourselves, what does the entrepreneur, the top class organizer of production, or simply an educated, creative individual, think today looking at our trial and knowing that the result is absolutely predictable?
The obvious conclusion a thinking person would come to is chilling in its simplicity: the bureaucratic and law enforcement machine can do whatever it wants. There is no right of private property. No person who conflicts with the “system” has any rights whatsoever.
Even when enshrined in law, rights are not protected by the courts. Because the courts are either also afraid, or are part of the “system”. Does it come as a surprise that thinking people do not strive to realize themselves here in Russia?
I am far from being an ideal person, but I am a person with ideals. For me, as for anybody, it is hard to live in prison, and I do not want to die here. But if I have to, I will have no hesitation. What I believe in is worth dying for. I think I have shown this.”
If this is where we are headed, then I am too ashamed of my country and its leadership.
I have shared many times how our political system has no respect for enterprise and local entrepreneurship.
Where there is justice and rule of law, success in business does not require one belong to the ruling elite or be on the side of government. In Zambia today, anyone that thinks his mind is any enemy of the system.
If he/she is a university lecturer, like the unfortunate Evelyn Hone College Journalism lecturer, they are fired, and arrested. If it is businessmen like GBM, they are charged for being entrepreneurs. We had seen such before under Kaunda’s UNIP. Looks like it is now back with greater ruthlessness. The Chiluba and Mwanawasa era bred and brought up, and to some extent respected private property and entrepreneurship. We saw GBM’s business tramped upon by the MMD’s Rupiah Banda merely for his support of the PF. Now, at a scale never seen before, the PF is on him, but this time going further than the MMD in its ruthless attempt to destroy his enterprise.
Like Mikhail Khodorkovsky, let’s ask ourselves, what does the entrepreneur, the top class organizer of production, or simply an educated, creative individual, think today looking at what happens to hard working entrepreneurs in Zambia? Should we fail to think, dream, aim and realise ourselves for fear of the “system”? The so called BOMA NI BOMA?
In 2011 Zambians made a historic choice by voting the MMD out. If the status quo continues, Zambia must and will have to make an even more historic and legendary choice in 2016 and/2021. Either we turn back from the dead end towards which we have been heading in since recent years – and we do it soon – or we continue in this direction and Zambia, in its current state, may regress and erode all the gains it has made over the years, and we will be back to year Zero.
The hour has come- for change. We need to be the captains of our destiny,the destiny of Zambia
To borrow Donty Scotty’s term – PF will be changed like underwear.
Am shamed for having heavily campaigned for, convinced a lot and voted for Chumbu Munsholowa.
Now with double resolve, I have started decampaiging him. What a shameful OLD MAN?
I am ashamed of your letter you mug
Now go and look for a job
Thanks
mushota is right – bane look for jobs and stop blogging.
Its only been two and a half years but I get the sense PF is running on fumes!
Ukakukemo boyi!
Since Indepepndence Zambia has had this problem of finding a leadership that would be appreciated both in and outside Zambian boundaries.
This is because we could only raise leadership that was appreciated only within our boundaries.
This time around we have a leadership that is appreciated more so outside Zambia.
The complainant is really misplaced.
This Author is so lost.. let me end here
It is you who is lost.You can not even understand such basic stuff.Have you not heard about Yukos and what happened to the owners?Matrix matrix,matrix for what?Read widely,don’t just wait for the naked Post on Friday.
I know about Yukos and how it started, firstly most people dont even know how the russian privatisation was done after the soviet fall out. Go back to then , then you will understand how Yukos came to be Yukos and were the charges eminet from. compare that with Gazprom you will get some education. Corruption cannot be mistaken for enterpreneurship please. no wonder after MMD lost most of the so called business men went out of busines, you cant tell me that the enterpreneural ideas vaporised overnight. Mulebelenga real articles not just reading blogs. Mukalabepwa. as Dany crazy sang, ‘tamba behaviour, tamba imisango, kopolola elo wisuke na scopo’
You are an ***** and lost. Why are you people in Zambia so docile? You dont want to see logic, but rather engage in destrucrive politics while draining litres of chibuku. No wonder you are being led by Kaponyas
@The Matrix. if dont know anythin about a subject sometimes its good to SHUT UP. same applies to the TOP MUG @MUSHOTA
@Solibul. there is nothing to understand here, this is not rocket science. uyu kelenka is saying he is ashamed of his country and writes an article full of quotes and these are the type of people you want to be listening to just because they affirm your political inclination. as someone said. nganachimukalipa sana embe ubwendo ambe ukuiteka. elections are meant to be won or lost, and these days its usualy by a small margin but stil ninshi naulusa you just have to move on.
@The Matrix 2.5, What elections has GBM lost? What is your point on this post? Are you assuming the author is UPND or MMD?…….haha..you are funny.
@ mann , the point is this is not an issue about GBM , its an issue of a certain clan failing to get over the 2011 elections. GBM is just a decoy. we all know what sort of things that were said about GBM, he cant be a darling of the opposition overnight. K’mon , go and lie to someone else not ifwe, ubepelefye. GBM is only been supported beacuse he reaffrims what certain people want to believ.. that is the country is in a crisis. when that crisis is only in your pocket.
@Matrix
I think in as much as you are right in suggesting that corruption should not be mistaken as entrepreneurship, you have also strayed and misunderstand the author who is very clear on what the subject is: tyrannical Govts and he simply draws comparisons between the tyrannical regime in Russia and the operations of the one in Zambia in that when you lie in bed with them, everybody turns a blind eye to any corrupt activities which they will comb tooth and nail to find when you fall out of fever. We call know that both YUKO and GBM are victims of political persecution whichever way you look at it. That is why, I too, would be ashamed of this country.
Come 2016 PF will want to rig the election – typical of UNIP, knowing they will lose if there was a free and fair ballot. It is this rigging that Zambians MUST prepare themselves for. Mugabe did it just a few months ago.. Zambia beware…
No need for rigging,PF at present has no opposition in short no alternative government in waiting…period.
Mr author please.. ther is a diffrence between enterpreneurship and corruption. GBM was pushing his luck a bit too far. but since our thots are already biased, its pointless to advise you. and the Yukos trial is the half truth ouve writen here. do your self a favour and go back to research
Mr.big sack must not be an issue in our politics he is a political failure.
iiwe finshi ulelanda??
Its regrettable that we have such bad leadership but the people got conned by sweat talking mercenaries with no leadership credentials.They just wanted public office just for the prestige it offers but they had nothing to offer in terms of delivering voters needs.
What?
This article is so devoid of knowledge. bwafya mwee..
Its you who lack knowledge to understand. The article is rich. Try to uplift your knowledge. No wander you always speak in vernacular. Speaking in vernacular always
makes you dull and continue to support retrogressive PF. Change Zambia.
Inferiority complex. who told you speaking in venacular is bad? even english is venacular whe you a re in britain.. hahahaha. have never seen ubupuba bwaso mwe. you dude have definately made my day! cheers man!
@jANZA fimo fimo.. ala iwe ulimuwelewele. trushing your own local language. stay in south africa . we dnt need such brains.
@Jazz…bane mulichikopo sana. Ati speaking in vernacular …so Ichisungu te vernacular Ku mangalande?? What an inferior person you are…No wonder the brown people tramp on you guys. I am proud of my local language…ichibemba. Twaleni ubusushi ku South Africa …atase iwe.
Iwe Janza you make a good a slave, get out of that mentality, its the mentality that truly holds us down. How can speaking the languages of the soil make one dull, how is that possible?? In fact speaking in a foreign tongue for us, which is not related to us in any way, and not related to our environment, our genetics, and genetic memory is a good reason why our country and the leadership cannot do for self, why we are so reliant on the west, England and America…Our salvation is actually in cutting this link, and accepting who we are, such a shocking and foolish statement Janza..
If you are ashamed of your country go DO yourself and leave us alone.
Very poor thinking by the writer, pure inferiority complex.. dont waste our time. you write two sentences and copy and paste things from articles you didnt even fully read..
vIc, Tantrum Phiri,
You lack knowledge to understand. The article is rich. Try to uplift your knowledge.
ther is nothing to understand here. its 1+1.. this guy starts by saying he is ashamed of the country. embe ubwendo kanshi aleikalamo…
Umuntu buteko…
Cheating on tax and corruption is serious criminal offence, Yukos admitted to the charges, but then please check on GBM businesses as far back as Chiluba administration then shall you make a judgement. He corruptly bought Savoy hotel in Ndola which was latter cancelled by FTJ.Chiluba.
Common people, action is necessary now and impeach the unreasonable and useless Pathetic Fighters(PF) from power. Its now or never, wake up people, unite and defeat this demonic, dictatorial, worthless and Parasitic Flu (PF) from denaturing the country.
Timely advice to all caring, loving, peaceful and democratic people, please STOP listening to Panga Fighters (PF) with their on going BUT STAGE MANAGED court cases . All they Pompous Flies (PF) are doing is to attract your attention to GBM, Masebo and many more STAGE MANAGED cases.
In doing this, gullibly Zambians’ will only realize it’s 2016, NO CONSTITUTIONAL and ELECTIONS RIGGED. With the Public Order Act (POA) at Phantasmagorias Fools (PF) helm, state emergency most assuredly will be declared. PF ‘re LIARS and NEVER trust them…
@skeloton ,,spare us your evil thoughts coup is not the best option.come back and assist your idol in 2016,stop being comical with your nonsensical wishes.Be forward and talk 2016 don’t lose before the election.
The writer makes a lot of sense to those who see outside the box, PF cadres will not make sense of this….
GBM never got the ZESCO contract and he was cleared by the ACC… so where is the corruption.
Sata is trying to finish GBM but i don’t think he will succeed, too many dull people in government.
indeed GBM will finish soon.he will manage .boma ni boma baba !!!
True!!!!
Instead of development these clueless F00LS have wasted all their time with rubbish —- and even failed with that! Using 5 million US dollars of taxpayers money to try and stop Zambian Watchdog from pointing out their failures – and it is still operating!
Sata is an incompetent IDI0T. Only capable of renaming airports and declaring new districts.
Zambia needs better leadership that this! We need someone that RESPECTS the LAWS OF ZAMBIA, will HONOUR his OATH of OFFICE, DELIVER what he PROMISED, inform his employers, the people of ZAMBIA what he is doing with THEIR TAXPAYERS MONEY through regular press conferences, and conducts himself with INTEGRITY and HONESTY.
What do we have now????
What kind of substance do these PF cadres take? its like they cant think through their heads and appreciate a good writing like this, typical of useful *****s indeed who cant independently make a good judgement but always use their mouths to think…………………..THIS COUNTRY NEEDS SERIOUS CIVIC EDUCATION
Wauw! I cant believe am not the only one who has compared the Zambian Government to the Russians! Even yesterday when I saw the news over the two P*** Riot members arrested in sotsji, I actually right there and then thought about PF. Too bad that one has to think twice whenever they want to read about Zambian news for fear of getting stressed over it. I also have to admit that I on several times compared it to North Korea!
ALL offences under penal law MUST be PROMPTLY prosecuted and dispensed of in the courts soon as they are crystallise – it is IMMORAL to wine-and-dine with “criminals” as allies and only to “criminalise” them when they leave the “inner-circle”; So long as law enforcement remains a tool for leaders as in our CURRENT COLONIAL copy-and-paste CONSTITUTION, we are in maningi trouble! Try ALL corrupt, thieving, perjured, office-abusing people, NO ONE should EVER, EVER be untouchable or above the law – this “sangwapo” bigotry has ruined many an african land( read RSA ) but also post-Gorbachev Russia !
Why do you think Sata illegally and unconstitutionally appointed his auntie Chibesakunda “acting” Chief Justice? The final arbiter of the law in Zambia.
Because he is interested in Justice and the RULE of LAW in Zambia???
This liar wants to hide his illegality and criminality under a cloak of respectability. THAT is why!
kekeke..very bold letter..true youngman
i thought i saw a photo were GBM was buying water for our president. neva forget pipo who helped you on your way up. was he not the one hiring jets for him. zambians forget easily, he did not mind the source of hie monies at that particular time, why humiliate him now. pay him back all his monies plus interest.
GBM bought more than water for Sata, he bought him vehicles when he had no money and even saved him in the US$100,000 scandal. GBM pumped in a lot of money in PF and even gave PF his property on Luanshya Rd to be used as offices for PF.
Kabimba and Scott were then broke and could do nothing to put life in PF apart from waiting for GBM to sacrifice his cash
I now see why Rupiah Banda cried after losing elections. He was crying for the country and not for himself!
Why is the author using examples from without? Why Russia? What PF is doing is UNIP reloaded – EXCEPT they do not have the luxury of 27 years ahead of their sorry a.r.s.e.d behavior
Its a STUPID ARTICLE, can u compare Russia with Zed. Putin is a VERY EDUCATED GUY and HE is FIGHTING THE SUPER POWER of world-US . In all wht he does he provokes US & EU not INDIVIDUALS.
Not Sata fighting AMONGST HIS PEOPLE.
SATA is such a crap of a LEADER in ths GENERATION EVEN Cuba is almost stopping such politics BUT WHO is Sata to take us BACK to 50s 60s.
We just ve KICK HIM OUT.
What is GRZ and Sata doing to GBM? If indeed GBM won contracts dubiously, then its right to prosecute him on one hand while on the other hand its wrong for GRZ and Sata to continue shielding corrupt people in Government while they are in Office and only to expose them when they are out. Please let justice prevail on all regardless of a person being in GRZ or not. By the way, the writer of this article has little sense of analysis. He failed to argue in a professional manner….he just coped and pasted foreign stuff.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Be ashamed of your geneology, you faggot.
ASHAMED lol ….U should be ashamed to expose your ignorance like this
Dear bloggers, after a search the following is what I have found. (Source Wikipedia)
Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky; born 26 June 1963) is a Russian businessman. In 2003 Khodorkovsky and Roman Abramovich were jointly named as Person of the Year by Expert. In 2004, Khodorkovsky was the wealthiest man in Russia (with a fortune of over $15 billion) and one of the richest people in the world, ranked 16th on Forbes list of billionaires. He had worked his way up the Communist apparatus during the Soviet years, and began several businesses during the era of glasnost and perestroika. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he accumulated wealth through the development of Siberian oil fields as the head of Yukos, one of the largest Russian companies to emerge from the privatization of state…
What a loser to write this stuff
this very true… there is need for change now… why should others feel they are more Zambian …. and can dictate as people lives and make them not feel wanted just because they are not in govt.
@The Matrix, not only lost but stoolpid.
For the first time I see Musho writing sense. I hope it has changed too!