By Dr Lubinda Haabazoka
The problem I have noticed in Zambia is that we seem to easily forget and are very short-sighted. We don’t pay attention to detail and never learn from history.
What happened in parliament has happened in Zambia before. Unfortunately, because a speaker is normally chosen by the ruling party, their actions are perceived by citizens as being instructions coming from their political party.
I can choose to keep quiet over the issue but I would be doing a disservice to my country and the many friends I have in the ruling party including the current President himself.
In 2017, then opposition leader HH was arrested on treason charges. At the same time, UPND members of parliament were suspended from parliament. Then a “state of emergency” was declared in Zambia. Everyone in Zambia was mute! No one could speak. I took a risk and spoke against what was occurring. I spoke because I really wanted to protect not only the UPND at that particular time but also to tell the PF that such actions were slowly giving sympathy to UPND and am sure everyone saw that in the outcome of the elections in August 12.
Today the UPND is behaving the same way. We have Malanji in custody, Yamba also arrested, a lot of people appearing before DEC, people’s privacy being abrogated every day by unnecessary searches, over 9 MP sits nullified, speaker ruling using a constitution no one has ever seen because the Zambian constitution is very clear that it’s not over until the final court rules otherwise. Even if some of these things might be justified, in the eyes of Zambians, all this is perceived as political victimization. My instinct tells me that with the task force that has been created, more arrests will follow, and knowing how the wheels of justice move, this will drag up to 2026.
With an IMF package coming in and hardships beginning to hit as soon as power and fuel go up, the agency problem will kick in between the Zambian people and the government in power. Whilst the government will be persecuting political opponents, citizens will be wondering when their needs will be taken care of.
Government should not listen to those calling for the blood of former government officials. Those are the same people who will ditch the reds the first when it becomes evident that tables have changed. Some of the people who insulted me over my articles in defence of HH and were busy calling for his blood are today even serving under HH. Such is the nature of man.
The best way for UPND to completely win over the hearts of the people is just to deliver. Let power not get to the head. But at the moment, PF has gained some members whilst UPND has lost some. PF is being constantly made relevant and is even becoming more united by the same arrests and speeches whose sentences begin with PF from government officials. PF is now in the opposition. We can’t continue doing checks and balances on them.
You can hate what I write now but five years when one is in power is not a long time. The Zambian electorate has become highly mobile and well informed because of social media so it’s very important that those in government don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.
Today we enjoy a lot of support from our European and American partners. But those people are only with us as long as their citizens support that. But once their citizens hear that their country is giving x amount of money to a country whose government has gained an outright majority in parliament by chasing away opposition members of parliament, I don’t think they would allow those monies to flow into Zambia. These diplomats serve politicians back in their own countries and those politicians also face re-election every now and then. Their loyalty is to their people.
The best way to win over the hearts of the people is just to work. There are many projects and ideas that we can implement in this county but at the moment all we are talking about is politics.
Also to remind leaders that power easily gets to the head. Who knew that barely 100 days in office the youths can be told that “they don’t drive”. “Fuel prices won’t affect you”. Let’s remain humble. Mine is to just help.
And to all those that are busy clapping for the speaker’s ruling. Be informed that certain decisions have national implications. What the speaker has just said is that once a court rules that you are guilty, even if you appeal to a higher court, you remain guilty and you can start serving the punishment. For example, if your employer says that once you are convicted in court you shall be fired. Then a neighbor accuses you of assault and you are convicted by a lower court. Even if you appeal to a higher court, and the court grants you bail, your employer can still fire you and you will remain jobless even for as long as 5 years until the court overturns your verdict. If the speaker’s ruling is upheld by the courts (but it won’t), this will be the implication. So even if you hate Bowman Lusambo, this is not about him but also has implications on your lives. It’s not politicians who actually kill democracy. It’s their blind supporters who support everything!!!
Well right on point!
Dr. Haabazoka you are objectively an intelligent analyst. Keep it that way. You have people inspired by your selfless courage.
Article is from a PF cadre, so they will be no objectivity in it. They left the economy in a mess
Feeling sorry for students who passed through his hands, he is always off tangent
And this man was the head of the country’s economic association and headed a university department. You even wonder why the country went to the Dogs
Good write up by a true Doctor not witches like Dr so and so. The problem is that BITTER people have no room in their heads to listen only full vengence. This government has people with brains to listen but unfortunately they are PRIMITIVE by nature and so they will choose not hear this advice.
I disagree with you Dr, the example you have given is good but misplaced, when you are convicted by a Subcourt, you remain a convict even if you appeal to the high Court, even if you are granted bail pending appeal outcome, you remain a convict unless the higher court overturn the conviction that is in criminal matters.
In civil matters, when you are not satisfied by the court, you appeal to the higher court, the appeal does not operate as a stay of execution of the lower court decision, the appellant must apply for a stay of execution of the lower court decision pending determination of the matter by the higher Court.
In this case, the count of first instance in election petitions is the High court and the high High Court has power to nulify the election results and order…
Some good points here and there – however, you seem to be a changed man Dr. After 12Aug, you have started writing articles that portray you as principled, reasonable and unbiased. This is FALSE.
For example, you have condemned, rightly so, the recent actions of the speaker but never condemned PF when they did the same thing. In this article, among other things, you talk about “unnecessary”(lol) police searches, PF members in custody. OK.
Police searches – its a duty of police to conduct searches if they suspect citizens of wrong doing. Take Sunday Chanda for eg, he is a suspected wrong doer, an that search was conducted in a most humane way, amidst the insults, threats from the culprit.
PF members in police custody – publicly well known cases(with evidence) which should have been…
And UPND is worse that PF….it has already been proven….Politics of hate….no wonder we’re still beggers 57 years after independence
cont’d
you should have been handled by the police 5 years ago. You, the ‘good’ doctor should have questioned then, why the police were not doing their job
Don’t say the same way as pf. We were not inexperienced and vengeful like the upnd are
Just shurrup
This man as a PF cadre then said Zambia needed an IMF package and now after change of government he says Zambia does not need an IMF program, serious integrity issues here
All what what UPND do is to go back to take what PF did to lose power and impliment it, they don’t brains of their own the wrongs of PF are their latest ideas.
No one ever thought it was going to be such a disgusting party now in power
Chipante pante Government….things getting expensive…..still trying hard to manipulate the dollar and lie to Zambians…
This 5 years will be hell for 90% of Zambians…
ONLY HH AND HIS MINIONS WILL BENEFIT
PF Administration manipulated the justice system and the constitution to their benefit from the word go.
In this case UPND administration is in a difficult situation to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action. We are in this mess because of what former President Edgar Lungu did: used the Zambian constitution against Guys Scott, to benefit PF not the Zambians.
PF knows how to manipulate the justice system and the constitution. By then the courts wanted
President Lungu to run for third term.
Dr Lubinda, your alignment to the previous regime on issues bordering on people’s rights infringement was so pathetic to say the least.
Today you give a very unbiased analysis because the system in place is equal to the task of good governance. This article is also for you.. You thought pf won’t be out..
What can one add? He’s done it
Your jealous, hatred and bitterness for HH and UPND will one day choke you Dr. habazooka. ECL said umulandu taubola, there is nothing wrong to seek justices for the past crimes and it should never be seen as vengeance.
Oh no another fake article from the same PF cadre pretending to be an economist.
Dr .H.So what you are saying is that the government should forget about crimes Ministers committed and concentrate on developing the Country ? You forget that law and order is needed for you to develop the Country.You cant develop the Country in the midst of lawlessness.And a crime is a crime no excuse ati concentrate on developing the Country.The precedence has to be set.Its easy to develop the Country when there is Law and order.Umulandu Taubola yama.What kind of Government would just overlook the crimes committed and move on ? Am very disappointed with this Analysis of yours.
I agree with Habazooka: The problem in Zambia is that “we seem to easily forget and are very short-sighted. We don’t pay attention to detail and never learn from history.”
This comes from our poor quality education. It produces shortsighted inattentive to detail citizens who can easily be duped by any demagogue. People dont have critiqueing skills and pay little attention to quality in all endeavours. Just look at our locally done infra-structure, look at our journalists reporting in rubbish style, and listen to our politicians lame arguments lacking logic in parliament, our police officers failing to understand that bribes are not their salaries. To get the country back on track RECTIFY THE EDUCATION SYSTEM!
Iwe’ Lubinda, just sit down!
Don’t forget Zedians are informed, no longer as daft as you believe.
We still remember you being a hired Goon that went to that virtual last funeral wake for P.F & Chagwa, the one Antonio confessed ati “leteni tulelya impiya sha last” Mwenze kudya mweka, don’t involve poor Zedian’s.
We know for appearing there, trying to dupe Zedian’s, -YOU WERE PAID A LOT, probably from the same kasaka swindled from the Zediam mission in Turkey.
We know you are hugely disappointed as H.H winning put an ABRUPT end to that gravy train.
PLEASE GET A PROPER JOB, INSTEAD OF BEING PAID TO MISLEAD ZEDIAN’S!!
P.F did so many brutal things & your silence was deafening Mambala!
Iwe’ Lub1nda, ikalenifye !
Don’t forget Zedi@ns are informed, no longer as daft as you believe.
We still remember you being a hired Go0n that went to that virtual last funeral wake for P.F & Ch4gwa, the one Ant0nio confessed ati “leteni tulelya impiya sha last”. Mwenze kudya mweka, don’t involve poor Zedian’s.
We know for appearing there, trying to dupe Zedi@n’s, -YOU WERE PAID A LOT, probably from the same kas@ka swindled from the Zedian mission in Tu2key.
We know you are hugely disapp0inted as H.H winning put an ABRUPT end to that gravy train.
PLEASE GET A PR0PER J0B, INSTEAD OF BEING PAID TO MISLEAD ZEDIAN’S!!
P.F did so many brut@l things & your silence was deafening iw3 Mambala!