THE display of magnanimity between President Edgar Lungu and his successor, President-elect Hakainde Hichilema, is truly awe inspiring.
We feel particularly for President Lungu who has not only endured electoral defeat but has also suffered extreme betrayal from those he trusted and relied on to give him counsel and an accurate assessment of the Patriotic Front Party and the message it should have taken to ensure victory.
For example, anybody with access to Parallel Voter Tabulation will have known by early Friday last week that victory for the PF was not possible, and yet some party insiders who knew better championed a positive narrative promising that the President would win with a comfortable margin.
We refused to perpetuate this false narrative because it served no useful purpose.
Quite clearly, the misplaced optimism was an extension on the misplaced campaign messages that ignored the critical political mass represented by the youth.
The party grassroot have also been shell shocked by the loss attributed in part to internal dysfunctionality that clearly estranged and isolated the leadership from the reality on the ground, which distance was evidenced in the distorted messages that emerged during the electoral process Nobody doubts that President Lungu is a good man, with good intentions as could be seen through the expansion of the social cash transfer which touched the lives of the poor.
His empowerment programmes benefitted many and reflected his true desire to serve the least of society. His noble generosity traversed the length and breadth of this great country. No corner was left unattended to and many Zambians will remember him for this.
Equally, President Lungu initiated and implemented massive infrastructure projects that will serve the best interests of the Zambian economy.
Sadly, the ravages of the global economic recession wrought in part by the Covid-19 pandemic created a hostile environment which eclipsed most of the very positive attainments.
President Lungu deserved better and it is our sincere hope that he can continue to serve the country as a statesman with experience and acumen garnered from the many years he served in public office.
In particular, it is our hope that he can continue to serve as torch bearer for the house of prayer project which he initiated. This is a symbol of Zambia as a Christian Nation embodying ecumenism at its very best and therefore national unity as the ultimate goal.
We also hope that Mr Hichilema will also learn from the experience of his predecessor to remain in touch with the pulse of the nation at the grassroots without relying too much on those who may want to advance their personal interest.
These include particularly party officials and cadres who prey on small business entities including marketeers and bus operators from whom they extort large amounts of money in the name of contributions towards the party or indeed maintenance of business premises.
The law is clear that markets and bus stations should be operated by civic authorities without the interference of party functionaries.
This must be implemented immediately because acrimony has already emerged around these centres and chances are these may constitute future flash points which may be very difficult to control.
