By Field Ruwe
Where are the people that love him?
With tear-bleared eyes I looked at the picture of the president. I know I am his critic, but I felt a touch of pity and choked, distraught at the sight of him. What heart could not bleed? I imagined tears welling from the faces of those who genuinely love him. How many? I thought. None—so it seems. Not his beloved. Not his vice. Not his confederates. If they were any, they would not have allowed it to happen. They would have done their best to stop him, even if it meant tying him to his bed.
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Winter Kabimba- What kind of man is he?
I saw them, the pitiless PF, swarming a president so emaciated and frail, chanting their slogans in senseless ecstasy. My anger surged not at them, but at Wynter. What kind of man is he? Because picture evidence often conveys more than words can tell, I took another closer look at him. His demeanor externalized the cruel and heartless nature of him. He was undisturbed. His action bespoke no shame. He had no desire to conceal from us the mental state of the man we call our leader. He cared less for Sata and for the world around him. It did not matter to him whether he was dangling a wilted “cabbage” or not. I saw it in him; his foredoomed act; an act that mounted to false loyalty and the cunning want for power. I called it an inherent evil.
“How could he let this happen?”
The picture spoke a thousand words. It illustrated a lawyer’s grand-strategic misjudgment; one that should be displayed in the annals of constitutional law. It showed a Minister of Justice entirely comfortable with absurdity, idiocy, senselessness, and futility. It showed a Wynter, an advocate, a politician, a minister’s disregard for dignity. While I believe his motive will become known to us in future when he is prodded to greater depth, it can be unequivocally stated that Wynter is not the lawyer worth the vocation. I pray that the moral court finds Wynter Kabimba guilty, and de-robes and debars him for eternity.
Mulenga Sata- should have stopped his father
My eyes shifted from Wynter to Mulenga—Sata’s golden son who is the mayor of Lusaka. Calm and calculating, all Mulenga craves is chivalry and propriety. It was him who should have stopped his father. There is always an implicit bondage between father and son, a downright relationship. Although he may not know if his father’s behavior is the outgrowth of a sick mind, he is at least cognizant of his irrational actions. All he should have said is: “Father please, you are above this. Leave it to Wynter. There are more pressing issues than you going to court. You’ll be making a fool of yourself. Besides, you are not well. You need all the rest you can get.”
Of course Mulenga did not. If he did he failed. It is possible his vain, sadistic, paranoid and vengeful father over rode him: “I’m tired of people defaming me, telling lies about me. I need to go and tell Sakala that he’s a liar. I’ll see to it that the court finds him guilty so he can pay a dear price that will serve as a warning to others.”
For years Mulenga has endured the cannon’s mouth and drunk from the fountain of parental authoritarianism. We all have. We treat our father as superman. We see no flaws or vulnerabilities in him. Ironically, the more vocal and insolent a father is, the more we idealize him. Mulenga sees absolutely nothing wrong with his father. He is as fit as a fiddle and as sharp as a knife. He despises those who call his father ailing dictator, lunatic, buffoon, or a spectacle. In actual fact he sees him as a political genius, dearly loved by countless souls.
Dipped in olive oil, and clad in a princely suit, I could see that the golden son, a man of average capacity, and unknown acumen, is trying very hard to become the second most-widely recognized person in Zambia. There has been speculation that his step-mother carries with her ambitions beyond her present chores. It is perhaps the reason why he sought the mayoral position, so he could become a part of his father’s inner circle and feel like the acolyte of the emperor—the real “de facto” president. It has dawned on him that we Zambians are laid-back, meek, submissive, modest, timid, easily swayed and ready to be led by any fraud, trickster, or blockhead.
My eyes moved. I stole another glance at the president’s wrinkled brow and felt sorry for him. I could see that he was ready to do battle. Yes, the president has intense and unstable emotions; he is hyper-sensitive. For three months I researched his life and discovered that he has an abnormal love for self, an exaggerated sense for control, and an obsession for power. Some stuff I read pointed to his rough childhood, that as a young man he was in the habit of deliberately harming and humiliating others, and often engaged in fist fights. His bullying habit was meant to scare others and be admired by his schoolmates. In the picture I saw that his brute and thuggery instinct had kicked in—the past had infiltrated the present.
(left) as he left the Lusaka High Court
PF Ministers
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Don’t believe online publications. There’s nothing wrong with him. The man is in top shape
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I paused. I had looked enough. The whole picture made me feel angry with my relatives for voting for a person such as he—all of them, my nephews, nieces, cousins, and close friends. I wrote to my PF diplomat friend: “Is this what you wanted?” He wrote back: “Don’t believe online publications. There’s nothing wrong with him. The man is in top shape.”
Yes, you better believe it, that’s precisely what Guy Scott would say. He would be echoed by Alexander Chikwanda, Edgar Lungu, Yamfwa Mukanga, Wylber Simuusa, Robert Sichinga, Fackson Shamenda, and other ministers. They are already saying that the president’s spectacle was in order. “If he feels defamed he has a right to take the culprits to court.” He is now preparing for the close examination, they are saying. They have chosen to ignore the clues of the president’s mental state contained in the court transcript of May 21, 2014. They can’t see that the president is not a well man. That he is becoming increasingly irritable, lethargic, and is pretty much mentally exhausted. They care less
First Lady Christine Kaseba- what is she thinking?
Wait a minute; it occurred to me that there was one person missing in the picture, the president’s wife. I wondered if she had seen the picture. She is a medical doctor. What was her reaction when she saw it? Did she shed a tear like me? Did she smile? What did she do? How about when she read the transcript? Did she commend her husband for a job well done? Did she castigate him for making a fool of himself? Did she worry her husband could be mentally ill? What was going on in her mind? Does she care? If she does, why did she not put her foot down?
Days have gone by we still do not know what the president’s wife was thinking. I have begun to think maybe she does not care what he does, what he says, and what people think. She has chosen to ignore the myriad theories out there about her husband’s health and conduct. Should we then think that that the president is seriously ill and his loss of weight is evident; that his heart problem is getting worse; that because of a history of heavy smoking his lungs are clogged; that he has some sort of cancer—prostate, lung; and that he has TB?
Should the president’s wife leave us to wild speculations like his illness affecting his thinking capacity; that the drugs are going to his head? If indeed her husband is unwell, she knows what is wrong because she has access to his medical files and knows all the medications he has been taking during the course of his reign. As a medical practitioner, she combines her role as a first lady and her professional responsibility as a doctor. As a doctor she holds full disclosure of the president’s condition, and yet she chooses to remain numb.
Allowing ourselves to be mislead
It is this silence that should worry every Zambian, PF or not. Let me be candid. If the purported court transcript doing its rounds on the Internet is anything to go by, the president displayed a clear sign of mental disorder that is dangerous, breathtaking and almost impossible to control. By blatantly committing perjury with regard his age, disregarding and deprecating court etiquette, and making unwarranted comments in the court of law, he was exhibiting his delusional fantasies of power. In a harebrained manner, he was exercising a sense of entitlement and was trying to show us “his people” how powerful he is.
After writing the above last sentence I feel infuriated. How can I be part of this circus? Indeed, how can we all be? How can we allow ourselves to be led by a person who has no remorse or is never embarrassed by his own actions; a person who accuses others of precisely what he himself does; a foul-mouthed deceptive bully?
Are there peaceful ways in which he can be stopped? Yes, there are. One of them is; Zambian psychologists, psychiatrists, and medical doctors should demand that all the clinics and hospitals that have treated Sata hand over his medical records. They too, must demand they examine him. Should he be found to be unfit, which is likely the case, he must be removed. Another is for parliament to impeach him. If president Sata remains our leader in the state he is, we are doomed.
Shut up loser, just stay in the USA and whine. Nobody is listening
Very well written, lomba a clutchplate banda ni dobo nshi mupepa?
Well said Field Ruwe! Please ignore the PF cadre-clutchplate who thrives at Sata’s illness.Its sad that the people surrounding Sata do not care for his welbeing and that of the country.Its in the best interest of everyone if he is Impeached or steps down.He needs to rest and let someone else take on the stressful job of being president.
@Ex-moma, I don’t think I will ever drink in same bar with Field Ruwe in more.
Most of things he is saying can be kind of right, but attacking Mulenga Sata for having a bad father is unfair. The worse is that Field Ruwe start entering Ba Sata’s bedroom, attacking his wife Kaseba who is so depressed these days. Look in those pictures of his week, I shed tear for Kaseba.
we are all seeing the skeleton of our president, I have written several times on this blog to advise that sata steps aside on health grounds. its the honourable thing to do not only for the country but for himself but its like power is too sweet. well, he will soon go down and leave the power he so much cherishes
@nostradamus where has field Ruwe attacked the First Lady or Mulenga Sata.I think Mr.Ruwe has called a spade a spade.I know its Zambian custom to ‘canonize’ the dead or the dying. He has tried to find a resonable explanantion as to why Mulenga Sata allowed his father to humiliate himself.The answer the ‘poor’ son saw nothing out of the ordinary.As for the Mrs..come on! A woman can turn on her feminine charm and make her husband do things.She above anyone knows he is too ill to be president and should have stepped forward.Instead of allowing Zambia to plummet along with her husband.No wonder he has been powerless to stop the violence in his party.Who is calling the shots while our head of state in incapacitated?
President Sata will scoop the 2016 elections by a wide margin-Kaingu
THIS WINTER KABIMBA IS KILLING SATA.I THINK MULENGA WAS TOLD LAST MIN,COZ HE WOULDN T HAVE ALLOWED IT.
@Ex-Moma, I wish Sata & Kaseba was discussing issues like you do to me. Attacking me! So romantic. I feel like I have somebody. But Some looks like he has been abandoned for real, behaving like a destitute. I need more ladies, unless Ex-moma will be jealous.. Let me check on some more women kaa, ilyashi lyawama, Ba Sata batukwa just because of an illness.
The guy seems to be so excited…to the extent that he can even shed tears. Bembas say isuku ilyakosa lilapona ilinakile lyashala OR ipompo lilapona ibonge lyashala.
Ruwe boyi….you may be very educated and living in the USA. But you own no life and no one owes his life to you. Lets wait and see.
I am surprised that mr Ruwe seems unaware that the president has repeatedly credited dr Christine Kaseba with saving his life. I heard him do so myself in his short speech at Ncwala this year and although I don’t know her personally people who do tell me that she has done much as a spokesperson for medical causes both before and after her husbands election. I have also been told that she has been very long suffering in her care for an often fractious patient . So whilst one must be very concerned for the patient particularly as it impacts on the nation perhaps some consideration could be shown his wife who does not seem to be trying to use his illness for future political gain as is suggested.
in this article others might be doing. Gwenda Chongwe
You should be ashamed actually Ruwe the way you are undermining your country of birth just because you have left and you feel sad that one day you will be Phiri Ana Bwera with nothing in his suitcase and all relatives and people you know long gone. If you ever come back to be just another Zambian amongs us and not a fantasist pandering to American prejudices about the dark continent. I feel sorry for you, although I’m not crying crocodile tears like you
She has nothing to do with what is happening as you can not attribute Sata’s health to her. I think we need to learn to accept our problems and own them if we are going to overcome them.
Sata clearly does not look very well and the sooner we accept that the better we can come up with a solution that will be in the best interest of Sata and not for our personal gain, like the current people that surround him. Am convinced that the people that surround him are just re-positioning themselves in the event that we something happens. Lets not bury our heads in the sand and think fyalaisoza. Personally, i wish him well.
I stand amazed at the bloggers attacking Ruwe in the manner they have done: 1) it is Ruwe’s right to state his observations and opinions as he feels. 2) All those attacking Ruwe are in total denial. 3) we all know Sata is unwell and has been unwell for a long long time (even before Sept 2011). 4) PF (Zambians) should have the decency to accept that Sata is too unwell to continue as head of state
Did not see this before – we were told oh the president (Mwanawasa) is fine, he was jogging in Oxford Street, in London – when the guy was dead. This utmost disrespect to the intelligence of the citizens of Zambians. On the other hand I suppose it reveals the low or lack of intelligence on the handlers – is this the best they can do????
Field Ruwe is Zimbabwean, and i trust his advice could well go down to his own President Robert Mugabe, that is the problem of allowing foreigners to come and be born in Zambia, to go to school in Zambia, allow them to work in Zambia, eventually they will do nothing but insult you.
Ruwe is Tumbuka.
They are all living in denial until they see him in a coffin, God forbid. It is indeed sad to see the once gallant Sata look so frail and ill. For a president to look as he does, like an ordinary UTH patient means a lot. The best he would do to Zambians is to step down.
He looks like a normal 76-year-old man to me
Clutchplate; you are worn out and cruel. What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his life? Sata is better alive as an ordinary man than driven to an early grave by hangers on and leaches like you! God bless our President. Guide him to make the hard but inevitable decision to value his life more than the office of president.
Kwacha has hit K7.15 to a dollar. Bravo PF! You’ve done what no government has ever done before!
The same things were said to Molini about the cabbage but she chose to ignore and kept pushing cabbage not leave the Presidency.Until he kicked the bucket. Dr Kaseba will do well to chat with Molini for guidance.
well written and said,never mind those who have rubished no matter how educated most zambians they dont value their dignity and integrity,look at kaingu and his sentiments about sata,the man needs rest,vultures are ruthless,kabimba u wil never rule the country.
Time to accept the inevitable! But don’t blame Kaseba, men are stubborn! She has probably advised him.
you see Ruwe, what you think is not what others think. I love to read article where there is no hatred. “The whole picture made me feel angry with my relatives for voting for a person such as he—all of them, my nephews, nieces, cousins, and close friends.” I concur with clutchplate that when you come buck as aphiri anabwela you just be a common zambian.
well, you forget that Sata does not take advice.
if anything Wynter must be playing his card well. no other person could have managed.
Living in denial is a precise import of the response to the well written narrative of sick president Sata.
However, we are talking about Michael Chilufya Katongo Chaelie Sata. Mr Sata has stubborn qualities. When he in good health he was loathsome to those who were sick (George Kunda dubbed red lips by Sata, late president LPM dubbed cabbage by Sata). Mr Sata is notorious in behavior he thinks himself as a better cut above the rest of Zambians, he is callous, heartless to Zambians in stabilizing a nation, his craving as winner in politics is ruthless with care less to consequences of poverty, hunger, youth employment and economic growth for the nation. He is Chumbu Mushololwa but the Bible in Luke 12 vs 20 says ”You fool your soul is required to give account to Him who raised you.
Sata is ‘umufungatilwa’ who can advise him or whom does he get advice from? In his imagination he has monopoly of wisdom, not his qualified medical doctor wife, children, relatives, constitutional and political advisers are all to naught. Sata feels immortal which is the highest order of delusion and surrounded by delusional people who are scared to hurt him by telling the truth about his health. What a tragedy?
..I can clearly hear a ‘silent’ voice in the air responding to Field…..
..Field, MCS is surrounded by most of us who love him, who want to see him live longer. It may look like we do not care or never try to advise him, to the contrary, we do. We advise him on so many things but ultimately its up to him to chose what to heed to. For example, after seeing how exhausted he was after Africa Freedom day activities, we advised him not to attend the disaster oh sorry, the hero’s stadium opening ceremonies and he heeded to it. Even the court fiasco, we tried to stop him but to no avail.
Just as FTJ said…’that seat is sweet’….we tried our best to advise Levy as well.
I wished your idea of chaining ‘them’ to the bed was practical, we would have employed that method…..
I am totally sad about the health of the president, but am equally consoled by the thought that he probably is haunted by the spirits of Andy Mazoka, George Kunda and Mwanawasa whose health the president shamelessly trivialised and made fun of as if he himself was immortal. Comments like “trousers hanging”, “red lips”, “cabbage”, etc. What goes around comes around and Sata himself liked, whenever it suited him, to say “chabera pamzako mailo chili pali iwe”. I really wonder what goes in the mind of this man now that he is in a similar situation – hanging trousers/suits, cabbage himself, etc. Normal people should learn something from this.
Mmmm, not i shed a “Crocodile tear” for Sata? The question is when he finally dies, what will you guys say or use for campaign? Will you attend the funeral and shower him praises as the man of action that never lived to see his presidency in full? We have been reading and seeing how many are rejoicing at seeing his poor health get poorer.
I am totally sad about the health of the president, but am equally consoled by the thought that he probably is haunted by the spirits of Andy Mazoka, George Kunda and Mwanawasa whose health the president shamelessly trivialised and made fun of as if he himself was immortal. Comments like “trousers hanging”, “red lips”, “cabbage”, etc. What goes around comes around and Sata himself liked, whenever it suited him, to say “chabwera pamzako mailo chili pali iwe”. I really wonder what goes in the mind of this man now that he is in a similar situation – hanging trousers/suits, cabbage himself, etc. Normal people should learn something from this.
My president is a soul survivor.Those of you speaking ill of him will kick the bucket before him.Long live Sata,viva PF.
Tield Ruwe the man with the longest joint of weed in Chingola. its one puff five years indeed. palya ponse ………TALYALABUKA
Not bad coming from a Radio DJ.What songs are you spinning that side?
ba Chalesi..plz just seo aside and rest..we still love you..the pf chaps will have u killed over their failures..kekekekeke..interesting !!
@Chief of grief, if you cannot see what everyone else is seeing, then it means even when your own time comes you will be in denial.
Field Ruwe ni Mukolwe…
How many would have remembered the rantings (mocking of others in poor health ceaselessly and without shame) of Sata HAD he not been President today? Nature
as it seems has its rules (reluctant to say work of God). The cobra spat everywhere and on everyone he wanted without restraint and the very nature had this to say;
“I will raise you to the highest office for all to SEE and afflict you with the same things you despised others so much for. That shall remain a lesson for all others to come after you” …
Surely you expect him not to fall sick? Is he an angel or God who can never fall sick? Tell me, who has never been sick and lose weight at the same time? If anything, at 76 years, you should be expecting him to under go such challenging moments and not redicule him. Lets pray for him. Dont mix politics with illnesses. Any one can be a victim of bad health.
Hei
It appears to me that Sata will scoop 2016 in what ever form. He has worked.
Ati dipped in olive oil, kekekekeke ulichipuba Ruwe go to Nyasa times and tell your president Joyce to accept defeat.
This article pretty much feeds into the narrative that “Zambians are rumor mongers”. Sure the President may (or may not) be ill, but it’s not for the author to speculate as to the cause of his frailty; leave that to the President’s doctors. As for the country’s affairs, Zambians must have faith in the Constitution when it comes to succession. Tragically, the country has already experienced the loss of a President while in office, and the succession process, as outlined by the Constitution, worked. The author of this speculative article should be more sensitive on this subject rather than being hateful & opportunistic. Let’s just debate the merits of the PF Government policies rather than the typical empty suit insults by some members of the opposition. Shame on this so called…
@Concerned Citizen, do you ever think why we end up being called rumour mongers? If the powers that be do not give us the information properly what do you expect? We shall rely on pictures and the grapevine for information. Nothing to do with opposition politicians.
What do you mean Dr. Kaseba holds full disclosure? I think, on the contrary, doctors are required to maintain full confidentiality, whatever the relationship! Maybe you should have focused on MCS and not bring in Dr. Kaseba
leave President Sata & all of us with him alone & who are u to suggest his stepping down, dont be in the habit of thinking u are more than others. Change yo attitude for the better, u can do better than this. Lets learn to love our leaders.
What does this field chap Know, He is an arm chair critic watching from the terraces. what a diaspora *****! Chanda Chimba is better because he has braved all the Hostility he brought upon himself….People like Ruwe are wimps and panzis! Busy barking from overseas what the hell is that?
I pity you Field because you don’t know what you are saying. Watch your words because some of these people who purport the death of President SATA might die before him. Take a good example of President Mugabe so many assumptions about his health but where is he today. Live and kicking
I wish you God’s blessings
Winter kabimba should have known the consequences of the president testifying. Field Ruwe just confirmed what i was thinking. People don’t be surprised if Winter is one of ZWD I have always suspected him. Including Fred Membe.These two are working in in conjunction to make the president look bad. Membe cant just keep quiet and watch all these happenings go by this is his area its what he enjoys doing. The president thinks MEMBE is on his side. These two need to watched.
When I first saw the author’s name, I couldn’t wait to read the article! I remembered Field Ruwe as a respected journalist from years gone by. I must admit, it’s been a long, long time since I have seen anything written by Field Ruwe. When it is all said and done, anything you read nowadays is full of hatred…unfortunately you find that in pretty much any article on Zambian news by Zambians. Where has the objectivity in reporting gone?
Another African leader refusing to accept the inevitable.
i am giving this testimony cos l am happy My name is mrs. Dona Smith from Houston,taxes.i never believed in love spells or magic until i met this spell caster once. when i went to Africa in December this year on a business summit. i ment a man called dr. ADAGBA.He is powerful he could help you cast a spells to bring back my love’s gone,misbehaving lover looking for some one to love you, bring back lost money and magic money spell or spell for a good job.i’m now happy & a living testimony cos the man i had wanted to marry left me 3 weeks before our wedding and my life was upside down cos our relationship has been on for 2 years… i really loved him, but his mother was against me and he had no good paying job. so when i met this spell caster, i told him what happened and explained the sit
………then i looked over my shoulder and i saw this multitude of useless, fipuba medical doctors Sata has appointed in positions they hardly have any experience or knowledge but just to help him with his health matters.They looked elsewhere with their big tammies and shinning 4X4 huge vehicles instead giving their small God appropriate medical advice as long as they are overpaid for doing nothing.Shame on you useless,fipuba doctors surrounding Sata.You are supposed to saving lives at UTH not drinking coffee in your air conditioned offices.May guilty follow you should all the days of your lives should Sata kick the bucket………