Tue, 21 Mar 2017 12:38:52 +0000
By ANNIE ZULU
OPPOSITION political parties should accord President Edgar Lungu the respect he deserves because he is the leader of the nation whether they like it or not, says Chief Chipepo of the Tonga people of Southern Province.
Chief Chipepo said he was disappointed with what he called “insult statements” on President Lungu after his address to Parliament last week by some opposition leaders.
In an interview with the Daily Nation, the traditional leader advised politicians to practise politics of maturity, saying that there were a lot of issues the opposition could talk about other than insulting the Head of State.
He charged that all those who were insulting President Lungu were also insulting Zambians because they were the ones who put him in that position.
“Politicians must learn to be mature; there are a lot of issues that politicians should be talking about, not always insulting the Head of State on everything he does. Insults are not part of politics,
“President Lungu has got two positions right now, one he’s a president of a party and at the same time he’s the State President. The Bible is very clear in Romans 13vs1-6, it states that ‘respect those in authority. When you insult a republican President, you insult Zambians. In America, when you insult a head of state even those who don’t want him can deal with you,” said Chief Chipepo The traditional leader said respect for the office of the President was not a matter of choice but a civic obligation that must be followed to the last letter.
“Such inciting statements on the Head of State are worrying; being an opposition party or critic is no license to issue abusive, intemperate and slanderous statements on the President, it’s not just right,” he said.
He appealed to opposition politicians to be mindful of what statement they issued, reiterating that leaders were chosen by God.
