By Kapya Kaoma
The ongoing detentions and arrests of fellow citizens on charges of defaming President HH are worrisome. Is it by coincidence that double H (HH) once meant “Heil Hitler;” the untamed egotist maniac, who like President Hichilema won democratic elections through populist propaganda, but governed as a vicious dictator? Hilter built a cult of blind cadres, then silenced opposing voices, and killed his own people for the crime of defamation. Many good people cared less–it was about their opponents. He went for millions of Jews, and again, they did little. Finally, he came for those of his own party; and Pastor Martin Niemöller Poem says it all:
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
[To speak for me]
Hitler was the most insecure, immature and dangerous person to rule Germany. Psychologists say Hitler never grew up–he behaved like a toddler–a trend visibly evident in President Hichilema. UPND cadres are celebrating such arrests, but they will end up victims of the same. Didn’t Chiluba use his own cadres against his own Cabinet Ministers, among them Edith Nawakwi and Godfrey Miyanda? Dictators are opportunists–they will always use power to advance their own ambitions. Victimization of political dissent is the dictator’s whip!
Is it not time HH realized like Joe Biden that in a democratic nation “everyone is entitled to be an idiot”? Millions will praise him and millions others will insult him at rallies, in streets and on social media. Is politics not said to be a dirty game for this very reason? And how can he develop democracy if idiots are arrested for speaking out against him? To millions a savior, an angel, the best president, to his opponents, a corrupt egomaniac, a thief and of course, undisputed chief of liars. Isn’t it within their democratic freedoms to do so? Didn’t HH employ the same rights to advance his political career against Mwanawasa, Banda, Sata and Lungu?
HH’s thuggish actions cannot be defended on the premise of legality–President HH promised to promote human rights, and freedom of expression is fundamental to democracy. Alas. A liar cannot be trusted on anything; this insecure monster awaits to devour anyone who refuses to worship him.
Is President HH surely humane? The man lacks sympathy–to him everything is a business transaction. Such a capitalist spirit permits him to imprison citizens for the exact same things he did as an ordinary citizen. Promoting anarchy through such arrests only belittles him to exactly who he is, a god to less than 2.8 million followers–period. But Zambia has over 18 million people! To most Zambians, HH is nothing but an worthless idol. To call him Baal is to elevate him to a position of gods. Unless he understands this fact, he will soon find himself insulted by preschoolers.
Besides, Zambians are political prostitutes; today they dance “forward,” tomorrow they will dance for something else. Unless Seer 1 erased his memory, he is old enough to know that the very people who shouted FTJ Chiluba’s name in the 1990s are the same people who joyfully watched his underwear paraded in court. Like HH, Chiluba boasted about the IMF and World Bank loans. Only to send masses to their graves! And who ever thought Sata’s PF would go out of power so fast in disgrace? Didn’t Zambians vow to take Banda’s MMD out of State House if he didn’t concede to PF’s “More Money in Your Pockets” and “People driven Constitution”? Zambians love slogans, but they also hold PhDs in amnesia. So HH should build more prisons–for toddlers will insult him just as old people. Only insanity will make one think otherwise!
Real insanity, I submit, is following what people say about the President on social media and arresting them for it. Like morally bankrupt Donald Trump, HH is addicted to Social media–his policies are announced on social media platforms laced with taunts aimed at his opponents. When his opponents respond with taunts, however, they are arrested for defamation.
But true defamation is to claim that President HH is honest. We all know he is a chief of liars. Hence a person of decency cannot claim otherwise without defaming the man whose political life is built on deceit, lies and secrecy.
When will he declare his business partners?
Kapya Kaoma well said, but don’t be surprised when Kajoba calls you for questioning. That’s how bad it has become.
I was going to warn him about the exact same thing. I suspect it will happen on Friday then Kapya will be in detention for the entire weekend. On Monday Kajoba will anounce that his policemen are following formalities before charging him. Kapya will have high blood pressure and will be referred to UTH. That guy from Chushi’s irrelevant ministry will announce that Kapya’s lawyers havent turned up so he is to blame for his own detention without charge, Then on Thursday it will be announced that Hate speech will be the new preferred charge because likening HH to Hitler means many jews in Zambia will feel unsafe because they could end up in concentration camps belonging to HH.
Messrs. Sishuwer Sishuwer, Mayiko Sulu, Fumber Chamer fought for people’s freedom risking livelihood and life.
Today, the governing Party supporters expect those freedom fighters to continually be on their side.
That’s why there always is a backlash when today they seemingly cherrish the opposition. Let’s coexist.
However, I don’t support insults, but there is nothing wrong with figurative than affronting the female gender.
The “M” word he used, could have been substituted with another term to deliver the same message impactfully than blatantly insulting women makeup.
Hh is a childish insecure little boy.
Government and Church are too different entities.
Government must prosecute wrong doers. Those who are wrongly arrested , the Courts will free them; hence the three wings of Government working independently.
Democracy has norms and values. We must observe the democratic consciousness, the consciousness that will no doubt sustain our great journey of our democracy. Most of our freedom fighters have died without enjoying the democracy as we got our independence in 1964.
Hence it is extremely utter important that the rule of law saves and preserves our very Zambian democracy as those who fought against monopoly rule, would have wanted to live in a democratic dispensation as we do now.
We have seen Leaders come and go. It is up to them to judge themselves and if they love our country,…
Icikwaka bacimwena kumapalanya. During the 2021 August election, they were silence about violence.
Yet another ridiculous article in LT.
Why do you print such extreme stuff.
There are people still alive who suffered under Hitler and this article insults them, Zambian’s do not have such a leader.
Ask the people in other African countries (e.g. Uganda, Eretria, Burundi, Guinea Bissau) if they would not love to have the freedoms enjoyed by Zambians.
With all his exaggeration and if the levels of arrests were what the writer was alluding to, then why at no point does he not mention the numbers that have been arrested from the Zambian population of over 18 million.
Garbage………..
If this LT edition was a paper media………
With this author writing articles , LT would be useful only as toilet paper in chawama………
Just saw his name and did not bother with his usual rubbish……….
Stop being childish, you know HH is sending police. Study the defamation law. Intellectual Laxity, again and again. Change the law if you don’t like it.
And please there are many real national issues you can bring up
Arresting citizens without reason is also a serious matter. Hope you won’t change your song when the tide changes.
When I said Hakalanda will be baddest the president, praise singers who dont think threatened me and promised to visit my home.
Kapya Kaoma, your article is spot on but don’t be surprised when Kajoba and Rae visit you.
If you don’t like these arrests change the law about defamation.
Why do you like insulting can’t people talk without insulting talk issues not insults
What country are we becoming a country of insults
Where is respect for elders and leaders?
Kaizar, have you observed that praise singers have nothing to comment
Elders should be respected yes.But leaders? No you have to be careful because they mistake such respect for timidness. And then start to steal your very own money with impunity.
Museveni,Kagame and Hakainde are very essential to Joe Biden so much that they can even kill innocent people without being censured by the US government. Don’t forget Al Sissi of Egypt.
An article by a known tribalist who enabled PF’s blatant tribalism against the Tongas & Luvales & hates the president for being a very very successful Tonga man & for soundly whooping his favored thief, Edgar Lungu last year.
You still have not reconciled the fact that HH is the president of Zambia cos you had invested heavily emotionally into Lungu’s tribal talk that a HH, a Tonga can never be president, right ?
Correct……
You did not advise Lungu to change the law he happily said will sign while his squint eyes closed. You want to hide in freedom of speech and insult people ? Come and insult me at my HOME and I will go into Jail for murder.
In all democracies, not everyone will like their given leaders. Mostly leaders use government instruments laced with greed to advance leadership presence to pin down opponents.
Leaders account (get persecuted) when they leave power, (as in current graft fight). but citizens are reprimanded (persecuted) instantly.
Those in GRZ today once behaved worse than Kaapyaa Kaaomaa or SET and his frieds before. They were (are) celebrated heroes called freedom fighters.
A villain today is a virtuous victor tomorrow.
A well mannered article, lol. I am agreeing with most of the content with the exclusion of Hitler and the Jews, that’s a stretch too far.
I do think HH has been influenced by power and the praise singing that comes along with it. Power amplifies character, and he may be enjoying all this invincibility that Zambian president’s have.
It’s exceedingly difficult to be sober headed and genuinely humble when you have a say in everything and there is seemingly no accountability.
Won’t surprise me if we maintain defamation laws and forget about access to information bill, POA and the likes.
They perceive themselves to be invincible because they are surrounded by only henchmen who are busy sucking up and therefore who mislead their thinking. When Yesmen crowd you you start thinking you are superman. But Just see how Lungu is crying nowadays. HH should anticipate the same. Perhaps thats why he prefers to live at Community House so that he can build escape tunnels while there.
In all democracies, not everyone will like their given leaders. Mostly leaders use government instruments laced with selflessness to advance leadership presence to pin down opponents.
Leaders account (get victumised) when they leave power, (as in current graft fight). but citizens are “punished” instantly.
Those in GRZ today once behaved worse than Kaapyaa Kaaomaa or SET and his frieds before. They were (are) celebrated heroes called freedom fighters.
A villain today is a virtuous victor tomorrow.
Muna Ndulo is in Zambia and has been honoured for being “their” accomplished academic in constitutional matters. Ndulo should team up with Prof. Hansungule to provide genuine legal counsel to the current ruling elite on the meaning of the term ‘FREEDOM’. Otherwise Zambians are advised to read the book titled: ‘What is Freedom?’ Edited by Prof. Eric Lucas (1963). This book is a product of Makerere University that expounds on diverse meanings of FREEDOM to include: ‘Freedom of Thought & Action’, ‘Freedom in Religion’, ‘Freedom of Expression’, ‘Political Freedom’, ‘Freedom in Education’, ‘Freedom Under the Law’ and Philosophy of Freedom’. All Heads of State, world-wide, must have the humility to appreciate environments under which their respective nationals express their feelings.
I supported the UPND. So far, the New Dawn government is BETTER than the PF. Under the New Dawn, the law is being applied as it should be. The problem is that the law is BAD and these laws were enacted by the former governments from UNIP to PF. There is not a single new law enacted by the UPND under which anyone has been arrested and charged. Having said this, I do think that the UPND government in its first year should have amended or repealed all the laws which they denounced while in opposition. If not, it smacks of hypocrisy of the highest order. HH keeps saying that he is not God, but allowing a law that is equivalent to that against blasphemy, makes him a god!