Letters to the editor

Sat, 07 Jan 2017 10:53:22 +0000

Of Nevers Mumba and Army worms

Dear Editor,

I would like to add to the voices of those Zambians who have stood steadfastly against the tantrums and vitriol of the former tele-evangelist and ex-MMD leader, Nevers Mumba.

Nevers Mumba still wants to arrogate to himself the right to dictate to PF leaders in government what to do with the army worms currently ravaging maize fields across the country (“Nevers Mumba attacks Lungu”, Daily Nation, January 5, 2017).

While saluting the courage of the current MMD leaders who voted Nevers Mumba out of their party’s presidency, I would like to add that they are partly to blame for situations where people who should come to them as beggars today parade themselves as spiritual saviours and solution-givers for the church and the nation at large to pray for justice, peace and unity.

I believe that the problem is that we, Zambians, most especially PF leaders, have always been too polite to want to give offence.

It might have to do with our cultured upbringing that admonishes us not to unduly give offence to other people, and to treat every person with respect and dignity.

However, the mistake our parents made during the time of Alice Mulenga Lenshina and which we continue to make is that we credit self-styled prophets from Chinsali with the spirituality and the humanity which they neither need nor deserve.

This is exactly what gives people like Nevers Mumba the audacity to think that the Pentecostal world still revolves around their collapsing political world, or that they are still masters of all they say in public in the name of God.

Let us begin with some basics.

Zambians believe God appoints governing leaders and Christians are duty bound to pray for them.

If Zambia is suffering a death of good leadership in government as per Nevers Mumba then it is God’s design.

All of this puts the former tele-evangelist, Nevers Mumba in a politically seditious and spiritually blasphemous position when he claimed that he was reliably informed that the Church were urged to pray for the army worms but that the army worms which the country was currently experiencing was a small issue as the biggest issue was President Edgar Lungu and his administration who were the biggest army worms.

All said and done, PF leaders in Government must share the blame.

The former tele-evangelists of this country will stop insulting them only when they learn to react seriously, and take good care of their interests like other people in the opposition do.

After all, Nevers Mumba can’t have it both ways. Sedition? Blasphemy? Not quite perhaps.

Mubanga Luchembe, LUSAKA

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For the eyes of the Labour Minister

Dear Editor,

Allow me space to comment on the unprecedented levels of casualisation and ill-treatment taking place at Sino Hydro, Kafue Gorge lower power plant.

Our brothers are mistreated like slaves and they are being paid colonial salaries.

This is worsened by poor working conditions that a normal human being can’t be subjected to.  If a worker got injured at work, there was no compensation given to him.

If a worker falls sick and is taken to hospital, all expenses will be deducted from his own salary. Workers work under difficult conditions.

May the relevant authorities investigate these evils Zambians are subjected to by Chinese employers?

Particularly, I wish to call on the Minister of Labour Joyce N. Simukoko to come to the aid of Zambian workers at this construction site.

The protest that happened this week was a result of these problems. Shockingly, police as usual, behaved unprofessionally.    Concerned Parent

Kafue Gorge