By Misheck Kakonde
It is with grave concern that I address recent incidents of political misconduct and misrepresentation of facts within our esteemed institutions. The actions of certain individuals, particularly Minister Gary Nkombo in one of the newspapers’ statements and the Speaker of the National Assembly’s behavior, are both disappointing and unacceptable.
Minister Nkombo’s treatment of women, as exemplified by his disregard for a woman selling kachasu, is deeply troubling. No individual, regardless of their position, should engage in such behavior, especially when it involves denying rightful compensation for losses incurred by the mother who was selling Kachasu. Such actions only perpetuate inequality and injustice within our society.
Furthermore, the misuse of parliamentary privileges to silence dissenting voices, as seen in the suspension of Members of Parliament like JJ Banda emanating from his Facebook post, is a blatant abuse of power. Freedom of expression is a fundamental right, and it should never be curtailed under any circumstances, let alone through arbitrary and unjust measures. Moreover, all Zambians have a right to speak, and members of parliament enjoy parliamentary privileges while on the floor of the house.
Mr. Nkombo should not think Parliament is his house where he can tell a member of parliament Chisenga that she will go unpunished for calling the president a liar. It is imperative that Minister Nkombo, the Speaker, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, and all those in positions of authority understand that their actions have consequences. No one is above the law, and those who engage in lawlessness while holding power will inevitably face accountability. History has shown us time and again that justice prevails, and those who exploit their positions for personal gain will ultimately answer for their deeds.
Moreover, we cannot overlook the issue of factual misrepresentation, particularly by our president Mr. Hakainde Sammy Hichilema. The recent instance of the President misrepresenting information about the severity of droughts in different years is deeply concerning. The truth matters, especially when it comes to matters of public interest and policy decisions.
The evidence is evident, the drought of 1991 impacted a larger portion of the population compared to the recent drought in 2024. The President’s claim that 2024 experienced the most severe drought in a century is erroneous and deceptive. Such distortions only erode the public’s faith and trust in our leadership.
Furthermore, in 1991, Zambia’s population stood at 7,888,466, with 4 million individuals affected by the drought, constituting 50.75841962% of the population. In Zambia as per the recent census of 2023, we are 20,569,737, and 6,000,000 people are affected by the drought representing 29.1690652146%. The drought suggests a divine sign possibly disapproving of UPND’s governance, and these are dangers of poor planning and selling maize to other nations.
As responsible citizens, it is our duty to hold our leaders accountable for their actions and ensure that truth and integrity prevail in our governance. I call upon all stakeholders to uphold the principles of justice, transparency, and accountability in the service of our nation.
The author is a legal scholar, comparative politics specialist. Email: [email protected]
We have fed you for 60 years. You would have been eating tute and who knows what, had we not fed you our maize and beef, so shut up. UPND does not, and cannot make rain. The question in need of an answer is why you sold land in Southern and Central Province, that belongs to Tonga people, to Boers, Arabs and Indians. When did we cede that land for you to sell, and pocket the money from. We notice that no land was sold in Luapula, Northern and Muching Provinces. In stead you built universities with our money there.
When the Zambian people rejected 2H several times, they already knew what type of leader he was going to be. No point of analysing, we said it from the beginning, but we were called all sorts of names. KK also warned us openly that uyu muthu zabwino palibe but tu bazungu twachabe together with the tu chawa boys hi-jacked our elections. We have faith in the Zambian people. They know how to get rid of stubborn government officials. We shall make them eat lumanda and drink munkoyo.
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You are being petty……..
Grow up,……….
there are more important developmental issues to bring up than try to cover insults indicative of PF moral decay under the cover of free speech……….
Very well articulated article, liars will certain not be happy because in analysing issues the truth is revealed and liars are exposed and put shame.
This is what happens when you behave as though you are very clever, the result is that your dullness is revealed. The selling of Grain by Hakainde is classic example of this behaviour.
Some of you Zambians, you petty and childish. The maize was sold to some of our neighboring countries who had suffered what we are suffering from, drought. Grow up.
A line in the article reads, “The drought suggests a divine sign possibly disapproving of UPND’s governance”, What a load of hogwash, typical of many of you Zambians who believe in superstitious mumbo jumbo and are ignorant. Any sensible person reading the article should know it is nonsense. I certainly do.
Come on LT you really have to stop printing this sort of rubbish. You have to remember this sort of nonsense is available to the whole and quite frankly is embarrassing.
The moment you mentioned ‘divine disapproval ” of UPND l realized you are just one if those cheap UKA stooges probablysent by Lungu jamasons. Go to hell!
#Piranha!! In your wisdom when your Neigbour has no food you sell all your stock to feed your neighbour and starve your own children? If that is wisdom for you then God help us. Mind you there is always someone without so what you do is not to be excited like your “small god” who thinks that he controls the whether and sells everything with the hope that the following year it will be rain as usual. There we are queuing like rats for mealie meal 60 years of so called independence.
Kaunda was a Malawian and mistreated Zambians, Chiluba Zairean, a chief, Mwanawasa a gabbage, Sata a king cobra, too old and outdated, Lundu the worst of the leaders Zambia encountered. Where are you leading folks? 1 Samuel 8:10-19 worthy for you.