The Twin-Engined King Kasongo
By Dr. Field C. Ruwe
Hakainde Hichilema Taunting Zambians
King Kasongo is the bold and reckless warthog featured in various viral YouTube videos, known for its ability to evade dangerous situations, and outrun lions with speeds of 30-35 mph (48-50 km/h) propelled by a “V16 turbo engine.” The videos, some juxtaposed with the song “Kasongo” composed by Orchestra Super Mazembe create a “Warthog versus Lions,” scenario in which the obstinate King Kasongo emerges as the “new King of the Savannah.”
In launching the 2026 Hunt for Successor series, the videos featuring King Kasongo are employed as a metaphorical tool to emphasize the reckless political semantics and ramifications tied to President Hakainde Hichilema. His shrewd and audacious “Us versus Them” strategy is testing the patience and forbearance of Zambians. Various groups, including Generation Z, the opposition, religious leaders, social media influencers, political activists, and the general discourse describe Hichilema’s style of governing as deeply disturbing and indicative of catastrophic consequences.
The dominant national narrative suggests that, having admitted he has failed to end load-shedding, and to alter the trajectory of poverty over the past four years, Hichilema’s stronghold is no longer the vision of a thriving self-sufficient Zambia. Instead, it has shifted to the hijacking of the multiparty democratic process through tribal politics and constitution manipulation. Much like King Kasongo, Hichilema has his V16 turbo engine firing on all cylinders, zigzagging and taunting Zambians with calculated recklessness intended to confuse them with his “Us versus Them” mentality.
In one of the “Warthog versus Lions” videos, King Kasongo audaciously rattles the established hierarchy of the animal kingdom by ploughing headfirst into a group of male lions lounging beneath a tree. His bold act causes them to scatter in fear, interrupting their serenity. As some lions chase after him, he bravely challenges them to a game of “catch me if you can,” racing at speeds surpassing 30 mph, weaving to disorient them, and swiftly reversing into a burrow, thus earning himself the designation of “King of the Savannah.”
In the like manner, feeling empowered and as egocentric as King Kasongo, Hichilema is seizing on the moral integrity of Zambians; a people who are as patient as the lions shown in the videos; a people known for their earned multiparty democracy, peaceful transition of power, and a poly-ethnic culture that blossoms under the banner of “One Zambia One Nation.” Political analysts label him as an egocentric leader who is undermining the intelligence of Zambians. He thinks Zambians are politically ignorant, disengaged, vulnerable to manipulation and too patient to care.
Evolutionary history indicates that all species exhibit and exploit tribalism to gain and maintain power. Upon recognizing his capacity to intimidate the world’s apex predators, King Kasongo has developed excessive confidence in his unmerited power. He has established an in-group with his fellow warthogs and initiated cooperative partnerships with meerkats for mutual defense. Lately, a meerkat can be seen perched on King Kasongo’s back in a symbiotic relationship, acting as a lookout for potential dangers.
Similarly, following his inauguration, the overconfident Hichilema, who hoodwinked Zambians, particularly Generation Z, into casting their vote for him in 2021, abandoned the foundational principle of national unity encapsulated in the motto “One Zambia One Nation.” Instead, he unveiled the UPND scheme, which outlines a strategy for transforming Zambian politics through a lens of “Us versus Them” mentality.
It has been noted that Hichilema indulged in tribal politics during the coalition established in 2011 between his United Party for National Development (UPND) and Michael Sata’s Patriotic Front (PF) party. His notion of “Us versus Them” played a significant role in the collapse of the alliance. Members of the PF accused him of surrounding himself with individuals from his Tonga tribe in an effort to maintain the UPND quota system, which sought to position a Tonga in State House.
Immediately following his victory in the 2021 presidential election, Hichilema turned to tribal politics as a means to strengthen his authority. He initiated this process by referencing Harry Nkumbula’s Bantu Botatwe classical strategy, which involved garnering support from the Tonga, Ila, Lenje, and several affiliated tribes in the Zambezi region. It was through this tribal unity that Hichilema formed the bulk of his in-group and appointed the most number of ministers, civil servants, and diplomats.
Hichilema’s in-group included his Principal Private Secretary, Bradford Machila, who is considered the brain behind Hichilema and the advocate of the “Tonga First” precept. Others included his attack dog Jack Mwiimbu, who holds the position of Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs Mulambo Haimbe, who was Minister of Justice at that time.
In an autocratic rule, the aforementioned ministries are crucial for the consolidation of power. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security acts as Hichilema’s main instrument for upholding total control by quelling dissent, surveilling the populace, imprisoning political opponents, and solidifying his authority through an extensive internal security network.
The Ministry of Justice facilitates Hichilema’s governance through decrees, undermining constitutional norms. He is currently exploiting the ministry as a tool to prolong his tenure beyond the established two-term limit. This tactic is swiftly unfolding via the annulled amendment of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 7 of 2025, which has successfully progressing to the second reading in parliament.
By stubbornly enforcing unpopular agenda on Zambians, Hichilema mirrors King Kasongo, who has, until now, disrupted the lion kingdom and usurped control. Aware the lions’ relative inability to oppose him, King Kasongo has bolstered his audacity to solidify his dominion. Consequently, his power has impaired his ability to acknowledge the lions’ desire for peace. He now engages in perilous behavior, such as releasing firecrackers, sounding truck horns, and dropping hornet nests on the lions, to incite and intimidate. What King Kasongo does not understand is that while each provocation may provide a feel of victory, it may inevitably lead to his downfall.
As for Hichilema, he exudes confidence in his ability to denigrate the intelligence of Zambians. Driven by a high level of autocracy, he has become increasingly unable to appreciate the perspectives of Zambians and comprehending their emotions. After acknowledging his failures, he has resorted to rhetorical strategies to influence the emotions and behavior of Zambians. His primary aim is to undermine the institutions designed to uphold democratic governance, and transform Zambia into a one-party state.
It is at this point I enter the ring of fire. The 2026 Hunt for Successor articles serve as a pressing appeal for Zambians to reclaim their democratic multiparty system by contesting Hichilema’s pursuit of a second term. This initiation establishes the framework and suggests forthcoming articles. The central figure is Hakainde Hichilema, whose actions and choices will propel the narrative and whose shortcomings will be exposed. The objective of the series is to identify the appropriate presidential candidate capable of guiding Generation Z into the future.
In composing the 2026 Hunt articles, I remain profoundly cognizant of the severe ramifications. By instituting the Cyber Security Act No.3 of 2025 alongside the Cyber Crimes Act No.4, Hichilema has effectively set traps designed to stifle Generation Z, and eliminate academics, opposition leaders, journalists, human rights advocates, critics, and individuals who dare to speak truth to power. Should we fail to emphasize the crucial safeguarding of our multiparty democracy and the rule of law, it is entirely possible that Hichilema will fulfill his dream.
Please Note: I am a scholar. There is a misconception that writing academic papers is the only scholarly traditional metric. A scholar is fundamentally an academic who raises epistemological concerns, indulges in critical thinking, and has deep expertise in a particular subject. The Oxford Dictionary, along with the broader academic community, defines a scholar as an intellectual possessing a doctorate degree. I am affiliated with Northeastern University, Boston, USA. Ruwe©2025
