Letters to the Editor

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:32:15 +0000

Anti-PF prejudice by the UPND operatives

Dear Editor,

My attention went to the front page headline story, “Flush out terrorists” (Daily Nation, July 8, 2017), where I was impressed by the Citizen Democratic Party (CDP) president Robert Mwanza’s statement in response to suspected actions of terrorism.

Leaders and general members in some parties believe that nothing good comes out of PF and nothing good should go to PF.

Like the CDP president rightly said, if the acts of sabotage being witnessed in Zambia were perpetrated by an opposition political party, such a party deserved to be deregistered with culprits caged and labelled as a ‘terrorist group’ because their actions amount to terrorism.

Sadly, this amount of terrorism sustained by suspected political operatives reflects an anti-PF prejudice.

As a consequence, in the recent past, the Zambian culture of peace, tranquillity and unity seemed to be fading in the country, but all was not lost.

That is why I agree with the powers invoked by President Edgar Lungu even though the UPND leadership is crying foul and labelling the Head of State a dictator.

But when former French president François Hollande declared a state of emergency in November 2015, shortly after jihadists killed 130 people in simultaneous attacks across the Paris metropolis no EU country or any French political party called him a dictator as democratic tenets remained intact.

For those Zambians who did not know because they only read and depend on the UPND zealot Larry Mweetwa’s Facebook postings and Zambian Watchdog online fake news, seven terror plots have so far been foiled in France since the start of the year.

 France’s new Interior Minister Gérard Collomb bragged last Thursday, as the French parliament voted to extend the country’s state of emergency for what may be the final time.

In addition, the new French Interior Minister also said that France would confiscate weapons from about 100 people who were on a watch list for potential Islamist militants.

The move came more than two weeks after state prosecutors said a suspect behind a failed car ramming attack on the Champs-Élysées had been inspired by the Islamic State group and was a member of a gun club.

Incidentally, France first granted the police special powers in the wake of multiple deadly terrorist attacks over the past two and a half years.

Back home, in a similar manner, the Zambian parliament would next week on Tuesday, July 11, 2017 debate the motion on the declaration of threatened state of public emergency by President Edgar Lungu.

As fate would have it, Vice President Inonge Wina disclosed this when she indicated business of the National Assembly that would be considered next week while 46 UPND members of parliament remain suspended for obvious reasons.

And the Vice President said that the powers invoked by President Edgar Lungu would be outlined once Parliament had approved the emergency measures the Head of State wanted to take to arrest the current security situation in the country as democratic tenets remain intact.

Admittedly, I am convinced that if a lot of work was done by our own Zambian security personnel, the French security efforts and skills in dealing with terrorists could easily be transferred, replicated and sustained in our own terror-threatened peaceful and beautiful country.

Mubanga Luchembe,

LUSAKA

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True, Post is responsible for the current tribal hatred

Dear Editor,

I wish to agree with your author on the above and submit that the liquidated Post newspaper was indeed the paper that has made some politicians and Zambians not to be at peace with each other.

As Zambians we failed to notice how our leaders were demonized by the late evil tabloid because whoever did not play the beat with it became its number one foe.

Among the people that were demonized were presidents, government leaders, politicians both in the ruling and opposition political parties.

Some have since died and sent to their early graves by the same newspaper.

Many families agonised at the hands of this paper as many falsehoods were printed about them without any sense of shame.

Even today the tribal tensions and hate speeches we are witnessing in our beautiful Zambia were promoted by this paper.

There is no denying that the majority of Zambians had reached a point of co-existence before this paper came into being. But this happily dead newspaper did nothing to promote love for one another as Zambians.

They say a lie told 100 times to some ears may become the gospel truth later to many.

Now listen to what the Holy Bible says: “whoever lives by the sword will die by the sword.”

May Post rest in eternal torment (MPRIET)

TJ

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Invocation of article 31 is not aimed at innocent people

Dear Editor,

President Edgar Lungu invoked article 31 of the Zambian Constitution on Wednesday July 5, 2017 in view of the gutting of buildings such as markets, courts and other public offices across the country by the arsonists.

If the above is not good enough, Zesco pylons have been destroyed in some instances. The cases in point are the Zesco pylons in Lusaka West and the Copperbelt Province.

 The recent incident is the gutting of the country’s biggest and busiest market, Lusaka City Market.

This market was gutted in the early hours of Tuesday July 4, 2017 which resulted in loss of goods amounting to millions of kwacha. This is economic sabotage.

  The Head of State invoked article 31 of the Zambian Constitution within his discretion bestowed upon him by we the electorate.

The measure was taken to ensure that security in the country is not compromised by virtue of the recent arson incidents.

The perpetrators of arson can be likened to terrorists who are trying to create an impression to the outside world that the country is ungovernable by their barbaric acts.

 The current situation in view of the arson incidences if left unchecked can degenerate into chaos.

Ultimately, this can lead to declaration of the state of emergency.

 The Head of State has given the police excess powers in a bid of curb lawlessness by the arsonists who may wish to usurp power from the duly elected government. The law enforcers can search suspected

Community policing is also of the essence in that the community members will be required to report some suspected individuals to the police.

The police can arrest the suspect if the latter is found wanting after a thorough investigation.

 The Head of State categorically stated that people will continue enjoying their human rights like freedom of movement and other rights enshrined in the constitution.

This entails that there will be no curfew, contrary to people’s insinuations. In a nutshell, a curfew can only be instituted in an event of breakdown of law and order.

This is not the case at the moment because law and order are prevalent in our country at the moment.

 Arising from the above, let me hasten to mention here that the invocation of article 31 by the Head of State is not targeted at innocent people, but the law breakers.

Furthermore, people should not be apprehensive of the measure our dear president has taken. This is for our own benefit. Be rest assured that all is well.

ELEMIYA PHIRI,

Lusaka.