Fri, 04 Aug 2017 11:40:42 +0000
By Aaron Chiyanzo
JULIUS Malema should know that insulting liberators is not wise as Zambia is a much more advanced democratic country than his South Africa, says former UPND vice president for politics Canisius Banda.
Dr Banda said that the South African opposition leader, should know that insulting President Edgar Lungu is insulting the Zambian people who put him into office.
Dr Banda also said UPND were at liberty to consult whoever they wanted, even Malema, as long as the intention “was not to subvert our nation.”
And UPND spokesperson, Charles Kakoma, said his party was free to consult anyone they wanted but they could not influence what that person does or says.
He said Malema’s utterances on Zambia being branded a dictatorship were from the international media’s reporting.
Dr Banda however, said in as much as Mr Malema recognized the crucial role that Zambia played in liberating not only South Africa but the whole of southern Africa, he ought to be reminded that the payback by these countries was marginal if at all it existed.
Dr Banda said that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader should know that insulting liberators was not wise and that Zambia was a much more advanced democratic country than South Africa.
“We must thank him for recognizing the crucial role that Zambia played in liberating not only his South Africa but the whole of southern Africa. And we ought to remind him that the payback by these helped countries is marginal if at all it exists.
Julius Malema is meddling. He conveniently forgets that Zambia is a much more advanced democratic country than South Africa. Insulting liberators is not wise,” he said.
Dr Banda also reiterated that Mr Malema cannot lecture Zambians on good governance as he did not have that authority and that it was Zambia that should remain instructive to him and his politics.
He said that Mr Malema lacked the required and expected political tact, as he was like an uncut diamond, ugly and yet possessing value.
Dr Banda pointed that the foreign opposition leader insulted the Zambian people he claimed to be with, by alluding that President Lungu was a coward.
“Julius is young, and like all young people, the likelihood of his making a mistake at whatever he does, is very high. He deserves correction and not punishment.
Julius Malema is like an uncut diamond, ugly and yet possessing value.
To him no opposition political practitioner can commit a crime. If such a crime were to occur, any Zambian leader that resorts to the rule of law to address such conduct is a coward. What kind of thinking is this? He needs our help,” he said.
Dr Banda said Malema has value in that he is important on the political scene but his utterances and methods of attaining his political goals were often, uncouth, clearly offensive and unnecessarilly antagonistic and devoid of the required diplomacy and decorum that comes with education and grooming.
