By Venus N Msyani
On his maiden speech to the 76th United Nations General Assembly last September, President Joe Biden said democracy remains the best tool the world can aspire for to attain full human potential.
The US president praised Zambian youth for turning out in record numbers to vote and denounce corruption and begin a new chapter for Zambia.
It was good news to every Zambian including president Hakainde Hichilema. He was among the first Zambians who reacted to Biden comment with gratitude.
However, HH seems to have misunderstood the US president. By mentioning corruption president Biden was not telling the new dawn administration to go and intimidate and harass corruption suspects.
The United States president was simply saying keep it up and continue protecting, defending, and strengthening your democracy.
Unfortunately, HH fight against corruption is about to erode the country achieved democracy. In a democratic society, corruption deserves prosecution, not persecution.
People who are protesting HH fight against corruption seem to have understood Biden’s message better. They are not defending corruption but the democracy Zambia has achieved.
Democracy and the law are inseparable. Per Zambian law, a person is innocent until proven guilty. Whether they stole or didn’t steal, former Zambian government officials remain, innocent citizens, until proven guilty.
Harassing and intimidating innocent citizens is persecution and the world strongly condemn it. If it doesn’t stop, president Hakainde Hichilema risks being greeted with negative statements at the next UN General Assembly.
There is a possibility that things will get worse. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has turned into an institution that arrests people for what they say.
Former president Edgar Lungu’s spokesman Amos Chanda was arrested by ACC for using insulting language.
President Hakainde has vowed that there will be no sacred cow in the fight against corruption. How many more people will be persecuted?
Unless the new dawn administration start zipping people mouth, corruption suspects will continue exchanging words with the ACC during the search. Meaning more unnecessary arrests or persecutions are expected.
The point is, together let us say no to the fight against corruption that leads to persecution. It is not defending corruption.
President hichilema started corruption campaign whilst in opposition.
The important thing is HH understood what 2.8 million Zambians wanted. I don’t think you and the Kambwili supporters did. Please don’t hurt yourself twisting the language and yourself and reaching across oceans so you can find what you think is a viable critic for the UPND government. The people you are defending want to continue their “do you know me?” impunity toward law enforcement professionals. Well, 2.8 million Zambians said no more on August 12.
Lets be seriousl bane, how do you intimidate and harass corruption suspects especially when they are becoming arrogant and lack remorsefulness?
Every sane human being can smell, see the corruption which is visible from space; the mansions, gas guzzling SUVs etc and 90 percent of them PF and associates, how come?
Watch “CHISHIMBA – RAW: ”Kambwili Says Lungu Is Corrupt; Denounces Dununa Reverse”” on YouTube
Is this auther OK in the head ???
That’s like saying don’t talk to your future wife until you marry her………
Spaka you are 100% right. This author and LT editor need to go for mental valuation, where on earth an editor will publish such poorly and meaningless written article.
HH, Kaunda, Ming’omba, etc, and Mctribouy a private citizen all faced persecution by the ruling party while in opposition. The police, ACC, ZRA. Immigration officers can arrest anyone on different charges as long as there is a reasonable doubt that a different offense has been committed. Where the arresting officer has no powers to carry such constitutional duties e.g ZRA officers can detain the suspect until somebody who has the authority to make an arrest is made available. For clarity’s sake the author is referring to the recent ACC arrest. Refusing arrest or swearing at the arresting officers carry his…
Tutwa is about to steal $50 million in a staged day robbery with ACC, what can you say about @Anus Msyani?
I only stopped on this article for the sake of the readers so I can comment. Moment I saw the title I didn’t even bother to read the nonsense cos it is jst that. Anyway, I wanted to jst confirm the mediocrity of the writer – yes he is irrelevant and out of touch with reality. Pls ignore him or her becos from the name I can’t distinguish whether it’s a female or male.
Very flawed article, regret reading it. What ever word is chosen to pursue plunderers we must not relent. A basic shelter called a toll gate was costing 4.3 million dollars in Zambia and somebody is saying people are being persecuted
Strange Zambia we live in, FIC and auditor generals report said same thing year in and year out and somebody decides to abuse the word persecution in his article, strange country indeed, just like definition of tribalism in Zambia, if a southerner votes for a southerner presidential candidate it is tribalism, if a northerner votes for a northerner Presidential candidate it is not tribalism, it is okay, it is not tribalism, strange country this one
The writer of the article is really useless, LT please stop giving coverage for people who have no brains and don’t mean well for Zambia. Really mediocre and of criminal mindset
SPAKA, DONT Even DOUBT ! MSYAN’S HEAD ISN’T NORMAL AND TOO IGNORANT ABOUT SOVEREIGNTY AS VIEWED BY DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE LIKE BIDE. ANY COUNTRY CAN BE PRAISED FOR GOOD THINGS DONE BUT DECISIONS SOLELY UNDER SOVERENTY. ALL WHAT THE NEW DAWN IS DOING IS NOT OUT OF FOREIGN DIRECTIVES BUT PURELY ZAMBIAN . AND IF MSYAN HASNT STOLEN HE SHOULDN’T WORRY . THE DECISION MSYAN IS AFRAID OF SIMPLY AIMED RECOVERING THE STOLLEN AND BRINGING ABOUT SANITY IE FIGHTING AND STOP CORRUPTION. ONE THING MSYAN SHOULD KNOW IS THAT ZAMBIA IS BEING PRAISED FOR ITS AGGRESSIVE STANCE AGINST CORRUPTION INCLUDING PESECUTION OF IDENTIFIED NATIONAL WEALTH PLUNDERERS
BIDEN CANT PUT 2 SENTENCES TOGETHER WITHOUT STUTTERING
Thieves are mounting up a formidable deterrent to prosecution. These guys had become a ‘mafia’ organization and their tentacles go deep. I doubt UPND has capacity to nail it in conclusively. It shall require international support to get back a fraction of what has been stolen.