This weekend, President Hakainde Hichilema was at Heroes Stadium to officiate at the ABSA cup final tournament between Red Arrows and Kabwe Warriors. Red Arrows walked away with the trophy, of course.

Whenever a mammoth crowd has gathered at a stadium to watch a tournament of such magnitude, you don’t expect them to behave as if they are taking holy communion in a Cathedral whereby everything is expected to be smooth and orderly. You’re likely to encounter ecstatic and boisterous crowds shouting their lungs out to demonstrate their support, catcalling or even ruptures of spirited chanting as they attempt to drive a point home!

Not surprisingly, the opposition and their surrogates, of course have gone into overdrive on Social media trying to create a fake narrative that the President was booed at the stadium. Nothing of that sort transpired! We put the blame on the UPND media team as it seems to still be on a vacation instead of being alert 24/7!

You see, politics is all about perception. In its desperation to gain political mileage, the opposition will always try hard to use whatever means at its disposal to paint a misleading picture the ruling party has lost tremendous support on the ground. In other words, the opposition is psyching the masses to believe this particular government has lamentably failed and hence, must therefore be booed at every given opportunity.

For instance, a Patriotic Front (PF) aligned Social media page, The Smart Eagles hinted at their ulterior motives by asking the following question, “If they have the audacity to boo mu Stadium, then what is happening mu Komboni?” whereas another opposition mouthpiece, Zambian Post claimed that, “A 60,000 full capacity stadium “Booed” President HICHILEMA at Heroes Stadium today shouting kuya bebele.’

Nashalaneka party leader, Sean Tembo couldn’t obviously miss an opportunity to spew out his usual rantings he’s notorious for. This was his view point, “Apa vintu pamene vafika, the only place Bally would not be booed is in his bedroom.”

Those that have always had a bone to chew with HH such as Socialist Party leader, Fred M’membe couldn’t hide their excitement to know, “What happened ku Heroes Stadium?”

Meanwhile, local comedian, Thomas Sipalo observed that, “When we say pali njala pa ground,we are called bitter…Mpaka now, kwayamba ma booing,” while PF faction leader, Miles Sampa who claims to be currently out of Lusaka on duty equally wanted to know the truth about what transpired both during and off the 90 minutes game play.

As expected, Richard Sakala’s tabloid, The Daily Nation has this morning carried a screaming headline – HH BOOING CONDEMNED whereby it’s purportedly quoting one Brebner Changala as advising citizens to contain their anger and resist the temptation of booing and embarrassing President Hichilema even as they face hard economic times.

Don’t think we are that dumb to figure out what’s at play here. This is a well-orchestrated scheme to make it appear as if “things have fallen apart” in the nation as Chinua Achebe would put it, hence the the so called booing from a dissatisfied public. Expect a pattern of individuals excitedly clapping and cheering Edgar Lungu whenever he turns up in public to continue.

We can’t claim to have been in Heroes Stadium yesterday, but after critically analysing several independent footages, we are convinced nothing such as booing took place. As popular vlogger, Simon Mwewa Lane puts it, “If you’re sitting in a section at Heroes Stadium and you record yourself along with a few of your friends booing, then you post the video on social media, and you add the caption “HH booed” It’s very easy to create a false narrative. But the truth is, HH received a thunderous welcome today!” We couldn’t agree more with him.

All in all, those few individuals who misbehaved in the Stadium by booing were obviously ‘planted’ in there by a desperate opposition eager to settle scores. Ba UPND media team naimwe ba National Secretariat, you better wake-up and start handling politics with a ‘fire brigade approach’ otherwise it will be too late!

Kwamana…… period!

Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst

Ndola District Commissioner Joseph Phiri says former President Edgar Lungu is managing to move freely in the streets of Lusaka because the New Dawn Government has restored tranquility in the country.

Mr. Lungu, the sixth Republican President, was on Thursday seen walking in the Lusaka Central Business District with some PF officials.

Speaking to Radio Icengelo News in Ndola, Mr. Phiri said President Hakainde Hichilema and his UPND have guaranteed human rights and freedoms as evidenced by Mr. Lungu’s stroll in Lusaka.

“I want to thank President Hakainde Hichilema. If you have observed from the time this (UPND) Government came into power there is peace in this country. Everywhere there is peace. Some politicians saying there is shrinking democratic space are just merely politicking. Look, the former President Edgar Lungu moves around freely without being attacked by anyone. This never used to happen during the reign of the last regime especially under the Patriotic Front. We had no freedom,” Mr. Phiri said.

“Now people can go to bus stations and markets with political attire without being attacked. Therefore, I want to appeal to the people of Ndola, to support this Government because it has restored peace and freedoms,” he said.

Mr. Phiri implored citizens to preserve peace and order.

“Let us value peace. Let us treasure peace. This Government has given people freedom to speak freely. People go to radio stations to say what they want but we just watch as the Government,” he concluded.

The Patriotic Front has accused President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration of misusing state funds to pay former vice presidents Enoch Kavindele and Nevers Mumba. The allegations suggest that the two individuals are receiving monthly payments as “special envoys” of the President, without due parliamentary approval or clarity on the funding source.

The controversy stems from concerns regarding the lack of transparency and accountability in the appointment and remuneration of special envoys. They argue that the use of the term “special envoy” may serve as a loophole to bypass parliamentary oversight, as these roles typically do not require formal approval. Additionally, the PF raised questions about the legitimacy of such appointments and whether they align with the principles of democratic governance.

Below is the full statement

IS HH NOT ABUSING STATE FUNDS TO PAY NEVERS AND KAVINDELE

It would not be shocking to confirm that former vice presidents Enoch Kavindele and Nevers Mumba are receiving monthly payments for being named “special envoys” of President Hakainde Hichilema.
What would be shocking is that President Hichilema could insert these two on the government monthly payroll without such outside-establishment roles being put through a parliamentary approval process.
President Hichilema no doubt understands this fact. He understands too that the use of the term “special envoy” is a clever way to circumvent the need for parliamentary approval. However, it is also worth noting that in Zambia, special envoys are part time and hired for a specific assignment.
But Hichilema can not sidestep the issue of source of funds. That is why it is necessary for the government to explain quickly which vote of the budget is being used to effect payments to these special envoys, said to also include Guy Scott and Inonge Wina.
If the matter of the source of public funds for this project is not explained, civil servants involved in processing these payments should brace themselves for what could be Zamtrop II, over which some former senior public officers were jailed. What Hichilema is doing is exactly what landed Late President Chiluba in problems.
To avoid all this, President Hichilema should simply push a law giving benefits to all the countries former leaders, in the same manner days for National mourning are accorded them on their demise. We have a number of them notable among them, Lilly Monze, Vernon Mwaanga, Rabinson Chongo, Petronellla Kawandami Chisanga, General Kingsley Chinkuli and many others. His current way smacks of just being a selective manner for him to buy political support. What President Hichilema is doing is tantamount to using public resources for his personal benefit. He is using government money to buy and pay for Praise Singers to continue singing for him.
By far the most vocal have been Nevers Mumba and Enock Kavindele, whose loud praises have betrayed the fact that this is a Hichilema’s scheme to boost his public support.
Both Kavindele and Mumba were fired by late President Levy Mwanawasa. Can they then be deemed to have even completed their service? Enock Kavindele was Vice President to Fredrick Chiluba after the failed third term bid. Fredrick Chiluba later on campaigned for Late President Levy Mwanawasa until he won the 2001 elections. When Levy became Republican President, he continued with Kavindele as Vice President until Kavindele was fired. Kavindele himself knows the reasons. Hakainde Hichilema now President should know why Kavindele was fired.
After the dismissal of Kavindele, Levy Mwanawasa appointed Nevers Mumba whom he also later fired for among other reasons insubordination.
Nevers Mumba got the VP position by auctioning the National Citizens Coalition (NCC) which he had just changed from National Christian Coalition before selling it to the highest bidder.. With the kind of praises he has been heaping on Hichilema, Mumba could be preparing to do a similar thing to the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) faction he leads. Auction it for his own benefit.
Kavindele, on the other hand, will go to whoever promises to help him do his North West Railway project. Under the Movement for Multiparty Democracy ( MMD) and Patrioitic Front ( PF) government, Kavindele tried everything possible to bring government on board but he had no enough funds to be guaranteed by the Government of Zambia to borrow.
What Kavindele wanted was to get a government assurance that the railway line would be profitable then use that document to borrow. However, the would be lenders insisted that he also puts his own money on the table. He failed to do so. May be Hichilema has promised to lend him some money.
Kavindele is no longer a wealth man. He is broke. He is just remaining with his name, big house and a Rolex.
It is worth noting that both Kavindele and Mumba became popular and easy to be recognised in politics because they had monopoly in whatever they were doing.
Nevers Mumba was one of the few who preached the ” gospel of prosperity” through Pentecostalism. Kavindele had unique companies that dealt with ZCCM like KB Davis.
When more Pastors preaching similar messages like those of Nevers Mumba came on the scene, Mumba’s influence started fading. Same with Kavindele. When business competitors appeared on the market, Kavindele’s fortunes started dwindling. Both Nevers Mumba and Enock Kavindele are pieces of SCRAP METAL wanting to survive on government coffers.
Kavindele has declared that Hichilema is doing a fantastic job, despite all the daily evidence to the contrary: crippling high cost of living, mismanagement of national strategic maize stocks resulting in compromising of national food security, worst exchange rate in history, murky deals over country’s mining assets, crass tribalism, and the most repressive political environment comparable to the days of one party system.
A very good example of this political oppression is the warning by Zambia Police Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga, that former President Edgar Lungu should not venture into any public place, such as a market or central business district because he will be breaking the law!
This was after former President Lungu took a walk through part of Lusaka CBD and some markets to check how Zambian traders are coping with the shrinking economy, and to encourage people to buy from local businesses to help them sustain their activities.
Former President Lungu as a Zambian citizen should be free to move wherever he wishes. The government, however, wants to restrict him because wherever he goes people are complaining about the high cost of living.
It is even shameful for Hichilema to allow the Police to issue such threats against Egdar Lungu when in 2018 he took a similar tour of the Central Business District ( CBD) of Lusaka.
Worse still, can one compare Edgar Lungu’s walk in the Lusaka CBD with Hichilema’s Motorcade racing against then President Edgar Lungu’s in Limulunga Western Province a stance that led to his arrest?
Hakainde Hichilema and his Graphael Musamba’s Police should not think that every Zambian is a fool.
Who committed a crime between Edagr Lungu who was exercising his rights and Hichilema who endangered the life of a sitting President? Who does Hichilema think he is? Did he drop from Pluto or Jupiter for him to be treated differently?
Kavindele also knows that any sitting President responsible for harsh living conditions in a country can not be said to be doing a fantastic job. Kavindele’s claim, therefore, suggests that he is receiving some kind of benefit!
And in the current form any such benefit could be resulting from abuse of state funds by the Head of State and everyone involved should be prepared to face the consequences when the appointed time finally arrives.
They say the ” Wheels of Justice are slow” but they will surely come.
Which budget allocation is Hichilema using to feed Kavindele and Mumba?

Source : Patriotic Front Facebook page