Thursday, March 28, 2024

Is it Bally will fix it, or Bally will fix us?

Share

“The slogan Bally will fix it,” suggests HH and UPND will change Zambia’s sociopolitical and economic culture. But this assumption ignores the historical basis of our political and economic systems.

Our political foundation is undemocratic–save the songs of respect for human rights when one is in opposition. In our past 56 years of independence, we have developed amnesia to our politicians’ promises of respect for human rights, freedoms of expression, and accountability once in power.

We may respect the founding president Kenneth Kaunda, but he ruled with an iron fist. He criticized colonial rule for political assassinations and imprisonment of those who questioned it. Kaunda’s promise of freedom in independent Zambia remained a dream for masses. In reality, those who sought to dethrone him from the helm of power rotted in jails, lost their jobs and in most cases died mysteriously.

Kaunda employed colonial-like intimidations of political opponents and the public at large. I lived through his leadership–his OPs were deadly. But he did not end there. He changed the constitution many times to keep himself in power. He undemocratically declared Zambia a one party state and arrested those who challenged him. As we shouted then, “Kumulu ni Lesa, Panshi ni Kaunda!” ( In heaven the ruler is God, on earth the ruler is Kaunda!) Machiavelli advice to the Prince was lived out under the Kaunda regime–even his childhood friend Simon Kapwepwe was not spared. Kaunda was omnipotent Prince. He ruled as a god.

Then came the reign of FTJ. To some extent Kunda’s silencing of political opponents made Chiluba. Who did not shout “The Hour has come?” Even religious leaders were carried by the Movement for Multiparty Democracy. Like Kaunda, Chiluba presented himself as a Democrat who will ensure the freedoms once denied under the colonial and the Kaunda regime. Once in power, however, Chiluba ruled as a corrupt devil on the one hand, and a bible yielding born again Christian on the contrary. Many Pentecostal pastors even wanted him ordained–didn’t he declare Zambia a Christian nation to be ruled by biblical principles? Chiluba was not only corrupt, he arrested and tortured political opponents among them President Kaunda and Dean Namulya Mung’omba. Moreover, Chiluba did not only rob the nation of millions of dollars, but also endorsed extreme torture of citizens. Under his leadership the University of Zambia students were maimed and forced to sleep in sewage overflows. He also changed the constitution to stop Kaunda from challenging him. But then came his unsuccessful bid for the third term. Those who watched and supported his diabolical leadership like Edith Nawakwi, Michael Sata and Godfrey Miyanda became the victims of the very devil they created. To the disappointment of MMD cadres like Michael Sata, Chiluba reversed cause on the third term bid and handpicked Levy Mwanawasa as his successor. This forced Sata to form his Patriotic Front. Like Chiluba and Kaunda before him, Mwanawasa started his own constitutional review. Sadly he did not live to see it. It failed in parliament under Rupiah Banda.

Our problem is not the party in power, but the colonial foundation on which our polity is based

As opposition leader, Sata promised Zambians a people driven constitution. Sadly it turned out to be the PF document. Despite many protests, the PF driven constitution became the law of the land. Due to the cut and paste nature of the PF driven constitution, the Lungu administration called for Bill 10–the bill that will strengthen the Christian nation “identity” among many things. Due to the biting economic mess, many Zambians want change.

The Bally phenomenon has potential to send many PF cadres to prison. Not so fast. HH and HIS UPND won’t be different from other regimes. Our problem is not the party in power, but the colonial foundation on which our polity is based; the president is the almighty Prince. Should HH win the 2021 elections by divine intervention, he will start his own constitutional review process to protect his own interests as he has done in his party. In short, he will add to the list of despots who have ruled Zambia.

Who does not like power? Ask Kaunda and Banda. If you can communicate with the dead, ask Chiluba, Mwanawasa and Sata. We may shout “Bally will fix it” to mean “Bally will fix us.”

I pray for the best, but it will take a miracle for anyone to sacrifice unlimited powers!

By Rev. Kapya Kaoma

28 COMMENTS

  1. Mwanawasa brought in the family tree where people like Shikapwasha and Mpombo were untouchable. Their Bally will pay but will fix some of us outside Bantustan

    1
    1
  2. Kikikikiki….but Rev Kapya Kaoma, at least you could have concluded that under the circumstances it is justifiable for Zambians to replace PAf with anything or anybody including Bally. The same Zambians will later on fix that “anything” if it is a frog, or “anybody” if it is Bally.

    3
    5
  3. Those shouting “Bally will fix it!” will be the first ones to be fixed.. When Murphy’s Law sets in, bread will always always appear to fall on the buttered side. Politics is like the game “Journey to Jerusalem” – it can be cruel to some, at the same time comforting to others. One Bally might just be left with no chair to sit on when the music stops.. naturally, the agony will be more for the one who has not yet had a chance to sit than for the one who has already been sitting.

    10
    9
  4. Bally may or may not be able to fix it but we have reached a point where we just have to change. Besides how will we know if we dont give him a chance.

    15
    4
  5. English dictionary definition of Bally hoos,;

    bally hoos.
    a clamorous and vigorous attempt to win customers or advance any cause; blatant advertising or publicity.

    That is exactly what Bally hoo means……the desperate attempt to win….

    7
    9
  6. So sad a reality. We may not know a person until in power. PF has shot itself into the foot. Only way PF can win 2021 election is by removing Lungu who keep some key criminals around him and adopt a candidate that may inspire the nation….but criminals around him will sink with him. In this case, anybody to punish crimi Al’s next year will carry my votep

    4
    5
  7. i tend to agree with the rev in almost all his writing. And I have said before that HH will suddenly not change once elected into office, the man has dictatorial tendencies and I dont see him listening to people around him.
    Alas, at this point in time, we are left to choose between HH and ECL, and unless you are not well, the lesser evil here is HH.
    It appears like we are in the South Park Episode of Douche and Turd.

    5
    6
  8. Iwee tu men of god – Rev. Kapya Kaoma u a one of the most corrupt men who hv bn receiving brown envolopes from MMD chiluba govt to now, you better read your history. Zambia ws much better in Kaunda rule than wht it is today, ask all those who were there. Nations on earth a the same, if u a an “enemy of the state” don’t expect yourself to live longer, it’s everywhere. Ad better read your history, than on hearsay.
    Whr we start, we’re going up at least bt now we a nose diving to the stone age. Don’t close your eyes, Zambians need charge for Belly or anyone bt not Lungu ad PF.

    2
    7
  9. If you believe a f.o.ol who tells you he is going to make your life like heaven on earth without him being able to tell you how he is going to do it, then you are more than f.o.olish

    15
    4
  10. @Rev Kapya: Which fix us are u talking abt? Don’t include us pls, we are not involved. You people that ve been stealing undercover know yourselves very well. So, yes, Bally ll fix u (thieves) but dont say us, lets be clear on that. Life under Bally ll be heaven on Earth for Zambians that suffered under Lungu & Chiluba.Trust me on that. The man means well for the poor man on the street,and this is all Zambia needs- f.u.c.k the rich(they can complain as always).

    1
    7
  11. Despite his weaknesses, cos no man or President is perfect, Bally ll be the first Zambian president to give us our mines back, he ll give us our land, he ll give us our companies back, and then he ll us money for business. That am sure abt. He has a track record of this in his personal capacity. Even you yourself, know by swearing that Bally wont be a thieving or corrupt president. And this is all we plead to God for at the moment in Zambia.

    1
    8
  12. Ka Kapya, your rash view of our presidents is very naive. You forget to inform Zambian children that while KK had to contend with tribalism and the threat of rhodesians and racist aparthied for him to keep security tight at home, hence the one party state. Equally, FTJ had to succumb to IMF and WB pressure to de-industrilise the country and hand it over to capitalists to strip our assets. Problem is that everyone wants to distort our history. Change of GRZ in 2021 is no solution. PF with IDC, ZCCM-Ih is way forward.

    5
    7
  13. HH will be like mwanawasa we can bet for those who are refusing ,you can make my words.The problem of voting a poor president you end up destroying economy like what is happening in zambia no data Edgar lungu.

    5
    1
    • What did manassas do for Zambians, he left us with high taxes, potholes roads, traveling all the time. Nepotism ruthless rule, humiliation of KK, corrupted winning his presidency, by the way he is the only president who won elections without winning on the copperhead and Lusaka. Chilubi spent all his corruptly earned money to win mwanawasa the presidency

  14. If HH changed his life from a poorest man in Zambia to a richest man in Zambia tell me the reasons why he can’t change this country from the poorest in the world to the richest this Bally is a gift from God to Zambia believe me or not this guy will save Zambia well.

    3
    5
  15. As they say:”Change is the spice of life”. Not all change is Good but anything other than ECL and PF is better. We need to change for the sake of our Country. The only choice we have for now is Bally. Lets give him a chance. Bally will fix it with our support but we will hold him to account.

    2
    1
  16. Why are you PF cadres and leaders afraid of when your leadership you claimed to be normal and straight foward? You are fraid because you all know that something has gone wrong somewhere in your leadership style.
    Surely be Kambwili or who ever is going to be the next president whether 2021 or 2026
    You shall be arrested for many wrongs you have done to us.

    3
    1
  17. Fortunately we can already see through h². He is already a slave to the boers and the west he already call upon for help whenever we have a minor issue, the same chaps he handed our assets at a silver platter.
    “Ichwanka bachimwena kumampalanya”. The nigga’z appetite for money which never seems enough has sold his soul in exchange to our valuable assets.
    Here is the problem: reading from your nonsense which I don’t usually do because I only sample the words of your opening remarks, immediately my summation is that you niggaz think leaders can fix it for you. Our political copycat system makes freaks like you think you can’t prosper if Government don’t give you free handouts. The Imperialists started it and your political system enforces it. Fix what? For who? Free…

    8
    2
  18. …your minds from shackles of putting faith in man. I repeat Icikwanka bacimwena kumampalanya.
    Why you always think that you’re duped is that you think leadership should be bringing food on your table. A clear manifestation of Laziness. Thats why politicians take advantage.
    I hate a nigga who puts faith in the bazungu promises instead of looking to what valuable resources God has blessed ùs with. We can not allow a fellow who has already fixed us economically by selling our mines, tribally by being divisive on those lines, sinister by encouraging unnatural acts in Zambia and greedy by stashing billions of Kwacha in offshore accounts to fix it for us again. It is a failed slogan. Indeed, fix what?

    7
    2
  19. @This Thorn in the Flesh. Well said!!! These chaps think we have forgotten who this kelenka is. We also know what he and he’s sponsors are up to. Ati ‘bally will fix it’, even the id!0t US presidential candidate, Trump, has a better slogan.

    4
    1
  20. @Razor, “we have reached a point where we just have to change”really??? You are i trump land and what have got to do with our land Zambia. You are the chaps tired of cleaning toilets at underground train stations and hoping your bally will win and appoint your tribal uncles in high government positions to give a soft landing to you hard takos.
    Its not about rgime change its all about tribal hegemony.

  21. Praise is well deserved for Kaoma’s analysis.
    Kaoma is now intellectually mature.I hope he will remain mature. He has wheeled in rubbish in the past.

  22. Look at these PF beneficiaries above supporting Amafi. Eat your last you fools. Cos u are going. The money yo PF fathers are sending u this year, is yo last. We know u are paid to comment here but all ll be in vain. Smell the coffee, the battle is no longer HH vs Edgar or PF vs UPND, this time its PF vs Zambia.

    3
    2
  23. Mazabuka MP Gary Nkombo does not pass up the opportunity to remind workers at parliament that when UPND comes into power, those from other regions other than the Southern Province, and probably Western and Northwestern Provinces, should prepare to lose their jobs. This is no secret within UPND circles where leaders and their followers alike say “it is our time to rule”. In very clear terms, what the UPND mean is that government will be identified only with their tribesmen and women, traditional cousins and friends. So, if you are not part of this group, then you should know that ‘BALLY WILL FIX US”

  24. IF THIS MAN (HH) WILL SURROUND HIMSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HEART FOR ZAMBIA ,HE WILL INDEED BE THE PRESIDENT THAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR.WE ALL RECALL THE GOOD FIGHT THAT THE LATE LEVY PATRICK MWANAWASA,MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE,PUT UP TO SEE TO IT THAT CORRUPTION WAS RID OFF.WE CAN ONLY APPRECIATE HIM NOW CUZ HE IS GONE,WELL THAT IS HOW WE AFRICANS ARE!!WE CANNOT CONTINUE HAVING BABOOONS IN THE MAIZE FIELD,THEY WILL GRAZE EVEN THE SPROUTING SHRUBS!

  25. THE ” BALLY WILL FIX IT” SLOGAN IS BETTER AND GIVES HOPE UNLIKE THE “DUNUNA REVERSE” ONE

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading