Readers Forum

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 10:29:21 +0000

Shaka doctrine works

Dear Editor

It has been a very serious mistake to leave remnants of the Post newspaper still operating to pollute minds and create circumstances in which the same doubting thomases that have little faith in governance  continue with their evil work.

Propaganda is a very serious affair which the Government should take very seriously because fake news has very devastating results.

Hilary Clinton in the United States lost the elections because fake news combines with foreign propaganda made her a less than reliable and compelling candidate and hence lost.

She had a very good and highly credible campaign but lost to Donald Trump who had a very radical and totally “delusional” campaign promises which he is backpedalling on.

This is the power of propaganda. It sound very attractive and readable compared to factual information which may not carry the same juicy attractiveness.

The Shaka principle is the only avenue for ensuring sanity and truthfulness, otherwise the Government will be sighting shadows and non-existent situations which are created in the imagination of those who want to harm the peace and tranquillity that this country has been enjoying.

There is need for more serious effort to extend the fight against fake news from social media to the print media and finally against those who make pronouncements which they know to be totally untrue.

Tobias Soko

Catholic Bishop’s communication

Dear Editor

The arrest and detention of the leader of the largest opposition Party in Zambia HH, has surely dented the image of our beautiful nation of Zambia, as rightly observed by our Catholic Bishops in Zambia.

However two questions come to mind. Why is it that our Bishops most often are quick to point out wrongs committed by those in power, but will never comment or talk about wrongs committed by opposition groups even when some of their actions border on treason or genocide?

Secondly, why is it that our Bishops, who most evidently have a commanding voice, choose to wait until a mistake has been committed then they begin to criticize?

Is it not because they thrive on being called upon to mediate each time there are warring factions or civil strife?

However, what should be known is that; Democracy does not rejoice at evil. There can be only one government at a time in any defined democracy.

Ask Lady Secretary Clinton the name of the President of the United States of America?

Even with Clinton having won the popular vote, she will still tell you, and with no reservations of any kind, that; Donald Trump is President of the USA.

If I were Chairman of a larger body of Bishops in Africa, I would surely be advocating for a meeting with all opposition parties in Africa, to discuss the tenets of democracy.

While it is true that most African leaders such as in Zimbabwe, Uganda and Burundi suffer from dictatorial tendencies, it should also be said that dictators are to larger extent found in opposition parties. These are mostly men who want to rule at any and all costs.

Finally, the argument by our Bishops that Police should have just summoned the self-proclaimed President of some parts of the Republic of Zambia to report himself to some Police station for interrogation, can only be news for social media.

My reasons are obvious.

Peace Advocate

Who are the arsonists for the spate of mysterious fires

Dear Editor

With all due respect to UPND national youth spokesperson Gilbert Liswaniso (“UPND youths deny burning markets, other infrastructure”, Sunday Nation, April 23, 2017), the quasi-rationalistic denial on the spate of mysterious fires that have rocked the nation of late is not only naïve and dishonest but had already been rubbished by the UK-based UPND media officer, Larry Mweetwa who previously confirmed with glee, that his party members gutted the facilities in order to create anxiety among Zambians following the arrest of their leader Hakainde Hichilema.

It is therefore, impossible and completely illogical to suggest in stark contrast, that the UPND had serious things to do and would not waste time burning public places.

It is common knowledge that since the UPND leader’s arrest, the opposition party has operated as a secret society when it comes to politically sensitive national security issues and deliberate obfuscation has often been its coinage.

Arguably, its official communiqué by the UPND national youth spokesperson over the mysterious fires crisis – as images of the video footage flashed around the world of gutted public facilities on social media – reaffirmed solidarity with the incarcerated UPND leader and called for his PF counterpart President Edgar Lungu to facilitate

Hakainde Hichilema’s immediate release from incarceration and dialogue with the opposition UPND officials.

As expected, some chiefs in Southern Province who detest to denounce the UPND leader’s obstinate insolence in public defended this apparent sympathy for Hakainde Hichilema as a necessary subterfuge to placate him and prepare the way for his exit from Lusaka Central Prison – Chimbokaila.

But critics and cynics saw the request, which gave the incarcerated UPND leader all he could ask for, as fairly typical of UPND’s never-ending arrogance, vitriol and invective directed at those in authority – especially the stubborn disrespect towards the Head of State.

Most observers are not holding their breath. The PF does not see the UPND, with its irremediable stance rooted in sheer bravado and dazzling chutzpah, as a viable partner in political dialogue.

The sympathetic hearing UPND gets in Western capitals and from EU and US-backed civil society in the country is also held against it.

So rather than risk unpredictable outcomes, PF’s preference may be for some form of continued judicial due process of incarcerated UPND officials, while continuing to turn a blind eye to opposition bashing of unruly and lawless UPND suspected arsonists by the police.

The question remains: ‘Who are the arsonists responsible for the current spate of mysterious fires?’ Common sense suggests that Larry Mweetwa could have been honest enough to claim and confirm UPND’s responsibility.

Mubanga Luchembe, LUSAKA

Catholic Bishops not peace builders

Dear Editor

Is it by a sheer coincidence that all stories that appear in the Mast are anti-government?

I ask because I have never read a positive story about our government.

But perhaps it is all easy to understand and appreciate that state of affairs.

The paper has become a big mouthpiece for our headless opposition and individuals on the master’s pay roll, so it seems.

My bone of contention today however is our Catholic church which appears to have taken up the role of the opposition political parties.

For the Catholic bishops to call President Lungu a dictator I think it as not only a lie, wrong and immoral but outrageous.

I know we have some disgruntled Bishops in the church not only in the Catholic Church bent on bringing confusion in this country and they know themselves.

Some of our churches should not be there to start with but thank God His hand is on this nation.Even those men and women of ‘god’ who are seeing dictatorship in President Lungu because of the arrest of HH are suspects and will fail because the God that we know will smite them like ants.

That person who wrote in your paper about gods making mad first those they want to destroy was spot on.

All those who are day and night plotting to evil against the government of President Lungu, will fail because we know the god they are worshipping has a small ‘g’.

Instead of the Bishops being sober and approaching whatever they see wrong in a mature manner, they begin by accusing others.  Just why?

That is a deprived approach to issues in my opinion. They should be prayerful when dealing with such things instead of being politicians. God will not support them. I am vividly aware of one Catholic Bishop who appears to be on the payroll of the cartel because each time he opens his mouth, there is nothing holy that comes out because he completely takes over the role of opposition political parties.

I am not saying that the Church should not comment on political   issues but it is the manner and style of doing so which presently leaves much to be desired.

There is certainly something malodorous about the conduct of some of our Catholic Bishops in Lusaka. But it is a matter of time we will know who is behind these Bishops and their agenda.

Former Catholic, Lusaka

State of emergency

Editor,

If need be, let it be because it will be in the interest and benefit of the nation and totally against the enemy of the nation. The perceived enemies have reason to fear because their evil plans and acts would be led bare by our gallant men in uniforms but arsonists, robbers, thieves, murderers and criminals in general will have no heyday in Zambia. This will contribute highly on morals and discipline in the nation and will help the country easily deal with the high influx of illegal immigrants in shanty compounds. Cleanup and deport them.

Change Life Zambia Board

Some DCs lack principle accountabilities

Editor,

The office of the DC in some districts have lost track of principle accountabilities. The relevance of these once vibrant offices is fast eroding. Instead of going round their jurisdictional areas explaining government policies and programmes to traditional leaders and communities on things people are ignorantly complaining against government and ensuring government departments are adhering to work standards, some DC’s sit holed up in offices with no achievable targets, attending to villagers on petty matters that are supposedly a preserve of district heads of departments. Zambia first.

A.A.K, Kasempa

Chiefs, UPND cadres and tribalists

Editor,

I equally support Jean Kapata that those chiefs are UPND cadres and tribalists who do not respect the law but their tribe. It’s funny that these unprincipled cadres could neither condemn arsons and the recklessness of their tribes mate on the life of the Head of State which came to our attention through the preferred Prime TV and not ZNBC. Automatically, the cadres were the first to watch, laughed their lungs out and slept happy men. Their unruly behaviors of their hero at Kuomboka, disrespecting both the host and president is a score to them. Shame, what a culture!

Concerned senior citizen

Fires in markets

Editor,

The marketeers are the victims. My advice to all the marketeers in the country is, regard every UPND member with suspicion. Don’t hurt them but regard them as chaff. If you continue to tolerate them, they will continue to make you poorer. As for Mr. Kamba, this is your message. You must be propagating the above in mist of the marketeers so that their merchandise are protected. We say pakwakana ubunga taba insoni elyo ichakukonka ulubilo nobe chikonke ulubilo. UNPD do not mean well for our country, worse still, to our marketers.

Citizen

Lusambo’s statement towards HH

Editor,

I read in the Mast newspaper some days ago where Lusambo was quoted saying if HH dies, there will be no loss to Zambians , unless to his family. Lusambo should know that HH is more popular than him and he shouldn’t be saying such things. HH is also human just like him. Even if HH’s dog passed away today, we would mourn it, what was that?

UPND member, Solwezi

History repeating itself

Editor,

What is happening in Zambia today has happened in this country before, only that it is happening at a different time and to different people? KK, Chiluba and Sata suffered incarceration but all came out to become our presidents. However, none of them refused to recognize the legitimacy of those in power at the time. When KK was at Mukobeko, his beloved friend Madiba wanted to visit him, Chiluba refused and Madiba backed out. GBM was incarcerated but Mwine Lubemba and Bemba Chiefs sent only one chief to visit him who reported back to them.

Citizen

Who is HH to divide Zambia?

Editor,

Zambia has many political leaders who have been arrested and detained for various offences but never have we experienced what we are going through over the arrest of HH. A lot of people have been arrested before but we have never heard of their supporters or chiefs from their regions comment or misbehave the way our friends are doing. Is HH above the law?

Lawrence Tembo

Directed to Yaluma and Simukoko

Editor,

Just a few weeks ago, you were given a directive to harmonize the issue of expatriate labor force in the mining industry. My dear ministers, you are moving at a snail’s pace. Please come for a tour of duty at smelter and refinery departments in Mufulira, Mopani Copper Mines, you will end up concluding that the two departments are in India. My dear ministers, pull up your socks.

Mabuka, Mufulira