VETERAN politician Vernon Mwaanga says President Lungu deserves respect for putting the interests of the country first by embracing dialogue with United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema.
And the UPND says the release of their party president from prison after nolle prosequi will enhance political dialogue needed for national harmony.
Mr Mwaanga said in a statement yesterday that there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics and it is time for all politicians and their supporters to put behind their difference for the sake of peace and development.
He also commended Commonwealth secretary general Patricia Scotland for brokering dialogue between President Lungu and Mr Hichilema during her recent visit to Zambia.
Mr Hichilema was on Wednesday released from Kabwe’s Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility after the State entered a nolle prosequi in a case in which he was charged with treason.
“Politics has been described as the art of the possible, where nothing is impossible. There are no permanent friends or permanent enemies in politics, only permanent interests. Politics is a mere contest for power and contenders should not treat each other as enemies, but mere opponents in the contest,” Mr Mwaanga said.
He said the role played by former Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo and Catholic bishops, led by Archbishop Telesphor Mpundu, deserves high commendation as they laid down the foundation for the impending political dialogue.
He said there is need to start a meaningful dialogue so that the momentum gained through the efforts of church leaders, Commonwealth and Mr Obasanjo, who met Mr Hichilema while in prison, and President Lungu to promote dialogue between the two leaders, is not lost.
wise words from VJ.
The problem was never the president VJ it was always HH and his stance.
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Except Tresphor Mpundu singularly who is a lost soul. Clearly his second move was influenced by other people but his sole reaction to the whole situation was entirely characterized by his first press conference. That conference said a lot of his inner belief.
The only UPND cadre who has spoken out on this issue with a balanced mind. Bless you VJ
As much as people are applauding mr lungu for freeing HH, it must be stressed that HH was not supposed to be in prising on trumped up treason charges in the first place.
Traffic offence maybe but certainly not treason.
Mr lungu and the Zambian judiciary were going to be ridiculed by the international media, there was no case there, no evidence of treason.
The freeing of HH was a face saving incident and the intervention of the CW was a blessing for mr lungu and PF.
If HH was sentenced on those trumped up treason charges you would have expected western sanctions on mr lungu and PF without a dought and mr lungus credentials as a dictator to be stopped would have been sealed. No question about it.
It is commendable that mr lungu does not want to be called a dictator by the west…
….and has diverted from the paths taken by Mugabe and MU7.
If mr lungu can show democratic credentials and put a holt to thuggish behaviour and moral decay exhibited by PF mr lungu will find support from everyone until 2021…..but Pf needs to show leadership against thuggery and corruption.
From day one President Lungu wanted to dialogue with UPND, there has never been a time when the President has said no to dialogue! The problem hs always been HH and his stance in the past! Especially after these last elections- some of us attribute this to the likes of GBM who are likely to have negatively influenced HH.
As a Zambian my allegiance is to the flag and people of Zambia as a whole- I don’t care what tribe you are and peace comes first! If HH has had a Damascus moment and is truely committed to dialogue and working as an objective opposition to add checks and balances to the govt rather than childish politicking then that is a positive move in the right direction!
@2020vision.
Had your comment been grounded in objective truth, which it clearly isn’t, you would have acknowledged the fact that ECL set self-defeating preconditions to what you are claiming “From day one President Lungu wanted to dialogue with UPND”. But alas, your selective perception makes your comment misplaced by a mile.
VJ is CONFUSED.COM. Always struggling to be heard and afraid of being deemed an irrelevant has-been politician.
Thank KK too for NOT locking you up with your MANDRAX…
Don’t be fooled by this gesture by my lungu to free hh as a goodwill gesture…..mr lungu has realised Zambia is not as wealthy in minerals as Zimbabwe for him to do a Mugabe on the west and he also has realised Zambia is of no geostrategic improtance like Uganda to the USA for him to do a MU7 on the west….mr lungu has seen common sense that Zambia needs western aid to survive and has done the right thing.
You PF thugs must know Zambia can not survive 2 years without western aid and handouts and with those come certain democratic conditions.
Mr lungus advisories have come good for once.
Don’t be duped by this gesture by my lungu to free hh as a goodwill gesture…..mr lungu has realised Zambia is not as wealthy in minerals as Zimbabwe for him to do a Mugabe on the west and he also has realised Zambia is of no geostrategic improtance like Uganda to the USA for him to do a MU7 on the west….mr lungu has seen common sense that Zambia needs western aid to survive and has done the right thing.
You PF thugs must know Zambia can not survive 2 years without western aid and handouts and with those come certain democratic conditions.
Mr lungus advisories have come good for once.
@Spaka Like Lilo, don’t miss the point here. Whatever could have been the issue in this case is now irrelevant. People are talking about reconciliation and nothing else. Let us learn to forget and forgive regardless of who committed the offense.
Cousin
That is true….the spirit of reconciliation is in the air, but but least we learn from the past….and moving forward will the people of Zambia have the democratic freedoms to attended and listen to any peacfull rally as they choose. .???
How can we just “forget and forgive” a stolen election? Are we so docile that we let thieves walk into our house and steal everything and then say nothing ???????
The thieves will be back again soon. Now they know Zambia is an “easy target” !!!
Is that what is going to happen AGAIN in 2021?
NO !!!! The petition must be heard! Those that committed CRIMES rigging the election must be found. Charged. And punished !!!
Otherwise we will have rewarded the GUILTY and punished the INNOCENT. Is that the kind of Zambia you want your children to inherit and grow up in?
Dullah
As much as a thief should be punished let’s commend mr lungu for trying not to follow in Mugabes footsteps……the real test will be freedom of the opposition yo operate in a spirit of democracy.
If that happens everybody should support mr lungu for the sake of Zambia and the future of our country. Mr lungu has 4 years to arrest the moral decay in leadership full of thugs.
Let’s see how we move.
I am sure if mr lungu rules by good standards and morals expected of a leader , everybody will be behind him including HH.
No one will want to listen to HH if mr lungu leads with real leadership codes worthy for our youth to follow……
Let’s that this not mere lip service. Otherwise it’s a good step.
I thought he was freed by the court and not Lungu. Is VJ suggesting that Lungu interfered with the High Court Judge and DPP to enter a nolle? This is serious! VJ should have balls to condemn the government for arresting people on flimsy accusations. Shame on you senile VJ!
@Gluteus Maximus,
Ever heard of the term “Little knowledge is dangerous”?. Looks like it was written for you.
Inspected general of police acts from orders from statehouse……you are a dope if you don’t know that….
Once a thug always a thug! Lungu cannot change over nite. Lungu freed HH to buy time and prolong his Rule. Lungu will not Dialogue with HH in good faith. That is not his character. The Commonwealth SG Envoy will soon see for himself how untrustworthy Edgar Lungu is. The best would have been to first dispose off the Presidential Petition. We doubt if Lungu will ever accept any Court to hear the Petition and reform the Electoral Institutions in Zambia. U trust Jonathan Lungu at your own Peril. Just wait and see Lungu Dununa Reverse on the aggreed Commonwealth Roadmap. Time will tell!!
We wait to see…..the real test will be will mr lungu allow the opposition the freedom to operate lawfully ? Like will they be allowed to hold rallies, fund raising events, press briefs and will their leaders be allowed to travel the country and greet well wishers if they so chose ??
That is the test that awaits mr lungu……
HH was not supposed to be in prison just as noone should be in prison , even saviour chishimba however when what you do offends the laws of the nation the police just move in to intervene. So no one is guilty before proven so by the courts to say the least once the police have got you they will keep you until you prove your innocence.
Politics can be over rating where some people feel they can even walk on water without drawing , but water also obeys the law of gravity .
However the best thing to do is to be wise and responsible to what you do.
@Mushota #1.1, you are right! That is the problem with these guys and they don’t see it that way! The PROBLEM has always been HH and not the President! Wow!
@Spaka like lilo 11.1 you always keep missing the mark! Anyway, I am not surprised because “We come from together!”
VJ yakunyokola? You are saying people who misuse power to arrest and later release their enemies must be respected. Lungu doesn’t deserve any respect for causing a problem and then trying or pretending to resolve it
I have one question for ECL. What wrong have you done to get the applause of the enemy?