Thursday, March 28, 2024

HH’s Biggest Political Enemy is HH: Erratic Rants Aid the PF Agenda

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By Kapya Kaoma

HH’s biggest political enemy is himself–his erratic rants only play into PF political traps than advance his message. Of course, freedom of expression is a democratic right, but when you’re running for the highest office, sometimes it pays to be silent!

Following his visit to the ECZ offices to protest unfair enforcement of the COVID-19 informed suspension of political campaign rallies that favored the PF over UPND, on June 10, 2021, Lusaka Times quoted HH saying, “Come rain, come sunshine, there will be a change of Government on 12th August. Change is written everywhere… Chapwa! Kabiye! Longa!” He then added, “… from now onwards, we will not obey unlawful instructions.” Since uttering these words, the UPND suffered two major blows with huge political implications.

First, the COVID-19 third wave is now a national pandemic and HH can’t underplay it. The pandemic demands that all politicians work towards protecting Zambians from spreading the virus. This is our Patriotic duty. If HH reverses cause, he will be viewed as unprincipled and erratic; confirming the usual “under-five” moniker. With little tack, the HH team should have investigated the basis of the ECZ COVID-19 ruling. After establishing it was based on science and projected trends, HH should have shown leadership by arguing that PF upholds the ECZ law to safeguard the health of the nation. Sadly he blew an important political opportunity to reclaim presidential position from Lungu.

Second, in the case brought by UPND challenging the suspension of campaign rallies, the Court ruled in favor of the ECZ. The UPND had sued the ECZ to determine the legality of the law, and was awaiting Court ruling. Without knowing the Court ruling, HH declared his willingness to break the “unjust law”, which unfortunately for the UPND, the Court ruled constitutional and legal.

The PF administration now awaits HH to willingly and knowingly break the law, as COVID-19 rages and deaths increase. If HH does not, his image suffers as a coward and loser who can’t be trusted on his word. If he goes ahead, he will be arrested, and termed heartless and inhumane. In short, HH has boxed himself–Solomon wisdom would have helped–there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:7).

Besides by stating, “we will not obey unlawful instructions, ” HH advocated for the philosophy of civil disobedience–an established form of protest against injustice. The ethics of civil disobedience, however, does not exempt one from the penalty of disobeying unjust laws. Rather, one accepts to pay the cost as an act of protesting the injustice. In this case, it means accepting to be locked up or to suffer ECZ penalties consistent with breaking its rules.

To some extent, HH seems misguided. From Gandhi to Martin Luther King Jr to Desmond Tutu, civil disobedience has been employed to move policy but not in electoral campaigns. The UPND is not the only political party in this election. Without other parties joining his civil disobedience campaign, his actions will be dismissed as lawlessness. Moreover, like the PF, UPND is simply a single entity on the ballot. Both PF and UPND could be disqualified from contesting, but the election would still go ahead. In other words, disobeying the law would only harm HH chances of participating in the election. Once in jail, he may call on his followers to boycott the election, but that won’t change a thing. Ask KK–it happened in 1996.

Strategists exist for this reason–excellent candidates die in people’s minds due to lack of vision. Nobody denies HH’s frustration with the double standard of law enforcement–the opposition is subjected to higher scrutiny than the Party in power. This has been the case since our return to democratic politics. When UNIP was in power, Chiluba cried aloud and promised to apply the law equally. The moment he tested power, he terrorised Zambians and even shot at former President Kaunda. As Minister in the MMD government, Sata knew the game very well. After forming the PF, he became the victim of his own ghost. He cried aloud, and promised reform. The truth? The Zambia police became the PF Police; only that Zambians pay them.

Sadly it is this culture that we are faced with–Lungu may appear neutral about the issue, but the truth is the PF is in power and benefits from the power of the incumbent. The heads of law enforcement agencies are all appointed by Lungu, thus they serve the Big man. Should HH win, the first thing he would do is to appoint his own boys to kiss his boots. So which foolish person wants to lose his job come August 12?

As an opposition candidate, HH has known this since 2006. Sadly, he has not found a good strategist to help negotiate the terrains of this political culture. Are rants the way out of this mess?

HH, silence is a good strategy too.

47 COMMENTS

  1. This author thinks – when you see wrong and even though it’s during the campaign times, the. It pays to be silent.

    What a nonsensical article.

    I hold a PhD
    Thanks

    BB2014,2016

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  2. Bwana Kaoma that’s obviously not true. Last elections Lungu and HH had almost equal vote tally so who’s fooling who here?

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  3. Mr. Kapya you should think beyond that. HH complaint was a fact. Packed markets, packed churches, packed stores and parked bars with people were in operation. Now that the govern. has given directives to all, it makes sense for HH not to complain. Mr. John Kapya you used to complain when it was a fact, in Zambezi House at David Kaunda School.

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  4. Mixed messaging! I see things differently! If I was the one mitigating COVID SPREADING IN ZAMBIA would have worried about congested markets-where sanitary conditions are poor with very dirty toilets , buses-unroadworthy, dirty and congested, beer halls and generally dirty city centres without adequate toilets!

    Political activities are just being unjustly controlled. To even start thinking that numbers are spiking due to political activities is sure sign of intellectual bankruptcy!

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  5. Well articulated kapya, well articulated indeed!! Hope Bally 1 buys into this advice, its very timely and on point!! No need for him to panic, let him just play it cool. All is well!!! Zambia first in this pandemic, if anything let him resort to mask distribution, hand sanitiser distribution in places like markets and malls!! He has to be seen fighting this Pandemic with the Zambian people!!!

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  6. HH will dismiss this article at his own peril. Sadly this too may be too late for HH. Hakainde does not seem to have the decisive punch that befits a winning opposition political party, he has repeatedly punched bellow the belt. He definitely seems to be headed for another heroic bellow the belt punch. The future of UPND rests on the new alliance. In its current form, UPND is only good as an opposition political party.

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  7. UPND will never learn from their mistakes. They lack strategy. Always making wrong descisions at the most critical moment. This was their election to win , but like always they have blown it . They did not read and fore see the unfolding environment three months ahead. They did not learn the enemy’s plan . They have been caught panicking.

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  8. Upnd is led by arrogant prlcks with small balls. They have lost over 5 times but think they are always right. Thank you God that they left alliance with pf just before 2011 election. We would have lost had we gone into election with these crazy tribal goats

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  9. Hichilema hasn’t got any program for Zambia, he’s just a sponsored economic hit man. Has Hichilema discussed any of his programs in detail? NO. He just barks to his blind followers ” you’ll eat!”. And they believe that indeed they’ll eat but they don’t whether it’ll be nsima or water, and how he’ll make that meal. Followers of Hichilema are people that think properly. But then in Zambia the most popular individual is one that doesn’t make much sense.

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  10. But hh has lacked strategy from 2006. If hh had an political brain, he would have accepted Sata’s invitation to the 2011 pact as his deputy. But the guy is just a brilliant businessman who is a total political failure. How do you maintain a childish tantrum of hate and jealousy for Edgar Lungu for 6 years?? Instead of developing a wholesome policy strategy to counter PF/ECL, he attacks his opponent with lies, hate, misinformation??? Pure u5 and political failure, this hh.

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  11. MWAICHE KAOMA , IF YOU ARE IGNORANT JUST STAY PUT , LOOK ALL FACTS SHALL REMAIN FACTS ,
    SO THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE PF ARE DOING , AS THIS IS NOW AFFECTING THE WHOLE ECONOMY JUST FOR THE FEAR OF HH’S IMPACT
    AND WE SHALL USE AGAINST THEM AS WITH WISE PEOPLE NOT FOOLS LIKE YOU AND KAIZER

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  12. I have told HH’s supporters that your leader lacks direction.In addition to what Kaoma is saying HH told Zambians that he would reduce the price of mealie meal from K150/25kg to something like K100/25kg.At the same time HH has told the farmers that he will double the flour price of maize to ZMW6/kg from ZW3/kg and follower are happy.The question is how can you reduce the price of mealie meal when price of raw materials is doubled (Maize,sack et).It’s impossible. additionally, he want to increase the salaries of civil servants by 100% meanwhile he is thinking of reducing the inflation.The man has no clue.I don’t know why his supporters think he is an intelligent economics.HH is just a conman who became rich through privitazation .I don’t see good judgment in his decisions.COVID…

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  13. CONT:

    .COVID it’s the same issue.Ba kateka saw it but he vowed to compagn. .But when covid cases were first recorded in Zambia he demanded total lockdown .Look now what he is saying?Ask him to explain what UPND will do?Nothing but only insults from supporters.

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  14. Let HH not continue criticising ECZ as these
    Are the people he will run to.Simikarly he kept talking about the courts and end up
    Running to them for help.

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  15. Funny thing is that in Malawi, the opposition led by Chakwera completely ignored Covid 19 and defied the government left right and centre. Joyce Banda said that Covid was Mutharika’s excuse to suppress the opposition campaigns. People died but people also made up their minds to change government. Why do political commentators think that the masses do not know what they want and vote on flimsy personal faux pas? Zambians have already decided to get rid of Lungu and PF. The only problem is that PF are trying very hard through their surrogates to rig the election. They know that they got away with it in 2016 and they will get away with it again. This election will have no credible observers. If Zambians fail on 12 August, they can only hope that the international donor community will see…

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  16. What will happen to school authorities who will still continue with active class lessons? Do we know the penalty for those bars/casinos owners who will not follow illegal laws of operating before 18hrs? In some desperate times, all laws are illegal.

    When a thief is stealing, he knows what the law would do to them, but only hopes to make it by sheer chance

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  17. WHAT A LOAD OF NONSENSE
    THIS LT IS BECOMING COMEDY CENTRAL WITH WHAT THEY THINK IS RELEVANT NEWS
    PF IS ON SELF DESTRUCT MODE JUST SIT BACK AND WATCH THE IMPLOSION
    AND ENJOY THE FOREWORKS WHEN THE BLAME GAME STARTS

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  18. If he had bare minimum political skill, HH would not have resorted to childish campaigns and rants ‘they want to arrest me’, ‘they want to kill me’. I wonder who his advisors are!

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  19. He has walked into PF political trap many times, yet not ready to learn a lesson. He is the dumbest politician Zambia has ever seen.

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  20. HH’s conduct shows how desperate he is to become President of Zambia. He has reduced himself to a buffoon nothing else.

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  21. He is more worried about his political gains than the lives of millions of Zambians. He is ready to walk over the dead bodies to State House.

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  22. He is responsible for the trigger of third wave of the pandemic. He is responsible for miseries and death of people.

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  23. HH deserves to be dumped for the sole reason of spreading Covid19 across the country. He should be arrested for murder and attempted murder of innocent people.

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  24. When the court ruling suits his narrative, then the courts are honest and the best, and when the ruling doesn’t suit him, then he criticizes the court! He is a fit case to be punished for contempt of court.

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  25. He is digging his own grave by defying the Covid19 restrictions. Has anyone noticed that, he keeps himself completely safe and exposes his supporters to the deadly virus!

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  26. One can’t expect sense from Hakainde Hichilema. He is pushing the country into pandemic once again, on instructions of his handlers.

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  27. Comparing himself with the great freedom fighters is the biggest mistake. The freedom fighters never risked lives of innocent countrymen for their personal gains.

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  28. BA HH BE A BEACON A ROLE MODEL IN UPHOLDING THE LAW
    WHAT IS TO BE IF THAT IS IF YOU ARE ELECTED , ARE YOU GOING TO BREAK THE LAW INSTEAD OF UPHOLDING THE LAW ?

    BE LAW ABIDING HUMBLE AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE

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  29. What do you expect from under 5, under-weight and premature politician like HH… People must learn to manage expectations… To expect HH to behave in a politically mature manner is like expecting Malawi to win a soccer world cup…

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  30. The Saint ;
    Quote: “Zambians have already decided to get rid of Lungu and PF.”
    Which Zambians? You and your family? Leave us out of your misguided and fantastical prognosis!

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  31. One party state mentality, how do you want the opposition to sell their manifesto since PF have state captured the public broadcasters. If you loved democracy this should have worried you, but no you love PF to gain unfair advantage. Zambia is not the only country to have elections during covid 19, those who have brains to analyse These pronouncements see the the PF controlled ECZ intent to cripple the only effective method by the opposition to reach out to the electorate. Why don’t those acting like PF used condoms hate democracy…!

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  32. “HH, silence is a good strategy…”

    Indeed! But like faith, strategy without works is like eating without any form of drinking.
    Kapya, you’re wasting your time and our time by diplomatically and sympathetically soothing h²’s inexperienced nature. Actually those of us who don’t want him anywhere near plot1 are cherishing and loving his under5ness in every sense. Kikikikikikijukija, you don’t know h², he is a know it all. Those kind’a kids that don’t want to be told what to do. The ballied will fix it all; no wonder he doesn’t listen to his advisers if has any at all.
    This kid and his pack of goons are a danger to our democracy and our country.
    The amount of civil disobedience from these guys and the blushing of real issue thereof in the face of covid-19 and it’s raveging…

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  33. The narrative he and his are championing is that the PF is the one that had stopped rallies. His genes have no respect for our institutions of Governance and human life. He spat on the parliament with disdain;a kid having fun when that wing of Government failed. He has spat on police accusing them of wanting to kill him. He as called ECZ names and had refused to accept their guideline. Every one else is st.u.pi.d except him.
    How smart or rid. iculous!
    Who damn does that!

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  34. A clueless man can be seen a mile away…once he doctored the list of MPs and the NEC….I decided this one is not ready…..

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  35. The author is being very academic and does not understand how the once MIGHTY PF has changed the politicking of this country including journalism. You have to operate like a guerilla to match PF TACTICS or else you are dead. As things stand now ECZ has been compromised and whatever they try to do is not balanced among major contenders . Blaming HH for this and that will not help but has to run in a certain way to outwit the MIGHTY PF. Taking on PF with KID BLOWS IS EXPECTING to receive a Killer Punch which of late has been missing the TARGET. PF has deployed all tactics known and untested to defend pa MUPANDO and you expect to challenge them and win observing normal standards of ENGAGEMENT is as GOOD as City of Lusaka FC VS LIVERPOOL/MANU. Bwana Kapya Kaoma Zambian politics are not as…

  36. Thought Kapya Kaoma was Upnd. What you have written my dear is very true about HH. Hes a dictator, munshebwa, what ever he decides to do or say is what he does! No consultation. People who follow him really puzzle me, because just by looking at his face and head you can tell hes a vey dull person! Hes not a strategist! Sata was a very good stratrategist, hence he was able to unseat, a sitting president (in Africa)! Hichilema ma zero fye, nga ino year ni worse! Just retire from politics, its not your in your blood!

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  37. My brother, with all due respect HH is merely uttering words we are all repeating to ourselves in our heads. He is in tune with our thoughts. We all know the institutions in our country are biased, decayed and full of PF cadres. HH is on point like how Sata was on point in 2011. We are suffering and we are tired.

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  38. 40 John Musonda
    Don’t compare HH with SATA. The two are incomparable. You have a seasoned politician and mere politician at your hands. The problem is that you think Government should do everything for you. Our just late forefather Dr. KK taught SELF RELIANCE. If you were a child then you would not put faith in man to put food on your table for you or your children. Government has done a lot and opportunities in Zambia are every where. Pull your lazy self together and find something to do. HH will not liberate your suffering self.

  39. Ba rev. Upnd is a party that may not appreciate your views especially if you seem to disagree with HH. Upnd has already won and your guidance is not needed.

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  40. Even self reliance requires opportunities, how many tons of tomatoes go to waste because of no opportunities for export or processing? Kaunda preached self reliance but created conditions for that to work, free schools, universities, medical care. Lots of our people toil for a pittance. Please we need to be broad minded when we analyse situations. The problem is not hard work, it is enlightened, intelligent, leadership. Rwanda is a case in point.

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