Dear Editor,
SOCIAL media is engulfed with unverified statements, alarming news, terrifying reports, unsubstantiated claims, fictitious issues, fabricated information and malicious dogmas.
Lack of morality is making people believe and accept slanderous issues. Many people are not interested in knowing the truth. A lie moves so fast while the truth takes long.
No wonder deceptions, tricksters, connivers, slanderers and liars seem to be thriving in our country.
Politicians have hijacked the same concept and appear to be advancing their selfish agendas by making people believe in social media propaganda. Twisting of information is becoming so prevalent in our nation.
Artistes including musicians and comedians are now making ends meet on social media by merely concocting stories and creating an actual story into a humourous joke.
Some social media bloggers are having huge following by publishing unverified stories on their Facebook pages leaving readers and observers in suspense. Creating doubts on the minds of others is another weapon being used by some politicians.
It is common nowadays by simply citing an alarming statement and thousands of people would begin liking and commenting on the same. Realising that the reading culture in our nation is poor, simply coming up with an insinuation and malicious claim is making great news in our country.
We need to be wary of such and avoid rushing to making a conclusion whenever we hear about some postings on Facebook that does not provide adequate information.
Whenever we hear about something, we should never take it to be the gospel truth. There is great need to verify and authenticate every detail we come across.
Scriptures warn us not to believe anything we hear. Wisdom demands that we question the source of any information we come across and the motive behind the publishers of such.
Just a few hours ago, the news was everywhere that the Patriotic Front want the elections postponed due to Covid-19. Professor Mukonka earlier in the day had hinted that should figures of people contracting Covid-19 keep increasing, the institution he represent would not hesitate making a recommendation that elections be halted. MPNVP does not find anything wrong in the statement and no one must be seen demonising such a genuine and noble view.
In no ways did Prof Mukonka indicate that elections would be stopped. On the other hand little did he mean he had the authority halting the elections which is enshrined in the Constitution.
We also find it difficult linking a public health expert to a political party. Prof Mukonka is not a cadre nor is he a surrogate of any political party. His is a genuine concern which should be understood to be a cautionary measure for our politicians. However, no one must trivialise Profr Mukonka’s sentiments because the same report can prompt President Lungu to call for a state of emergency and Parliament can be convened to halt the elections and defer the date.
Prof Mukonka’s statement must therefore not be taken lightly nor should it be misunderstood. MPNVP has always reminded the citizens that State House is still hosting the head of state and the President can still use his Constitutional powers to put a stop on any situation that might pose danger to the Country. There is no vacancy in State House at all even all the candidates reaching out for the highest office need to bear the fact in their minds.
Not too long in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the former President Joseph Kabila halted elections and it took another two years before the country held elections. We should not just criticise and politicise anything we hear.
As August 12, 2021 fast approaches, let us avoid political tantrums, hallucinations and unjustified claims.
False claims and insinuations causes dissatisfaction, discontentment and can incite and agitate overzealous political cadres taking to the streets for demonstrations resulting in civil unrest and violence.
‘MPNVP,’
FRONTIERS IN PURSUING ETHICS AND DEMOCRATIC TENETS.
