Muhabi Lungu

When Tongue in Cheek Tribal Insinuations, Hatred, and Deception is Promoted and encouraged by a Head of State.

In both of these meetings, President HH seemed preoccupied with painting himself as a victim of some “hate’ conspiracy;  that all the other Presidents before him were not strongly opposed, when they attempted or  changed the republican constitution. That Kenneth Kaunda (KK) and Fredrick Chiluba ( FTJ)  both changed the constitution, a  year before elections and that neither of them were opposed nor had any “hatred” shown to them

In the meeting with CSOs, in particular, our ‘infallible’ President complained about being **hated* ; that he could “feel it and touch it”, while twiddling his fingers to indicate its heart felt texture and the proximity of this “hate”to him.  Guarded though he may have been, the implicit tribal  connection of this “hatred,” was as palpable as his explicit verbalization on this matter, on countless other times over the course of the last few years.

The implicit connection between hate and ethnicity was unquestionably clear to a great majority of listeners; people who have since  publicly shared their shock and disappointment. Of course,  he and all of his supporters will profusely deny it and accuse all of us of precisely providing the evidence to his point *that* *we* ” *hate* ” *him* . However, this complaint of “hatred” and  victimization is not new. It has been expressed on several occasions, by the President, over time and with  less guardedness.

At a mammoth rally held in Kalomo on 21st  May 2025, while campaigning and   referring to himself as  “Sirakainde”,  the President declared that he ” held the keys to power”  and that he was ” *permanently* *seated* *to* *the* *thrown* *of* *that* *power* ” and that no one was going to remove him; “that the leadership was theirs and that they should not allow it to be taken away from them.” There can be no denial as to what was being requested for here.

This tongue in cheek subliminal tribal rallying call, deceives no one. Both for those whom the message is intended for  and for those whom it is not. We are  all able to fully understand what is being communicated and what is being solicited. In this recent case of last week,  the exact words of the President were as follows and I quote…

“I have come to notice that in this country, *a* *guy* *like* *me* , is always viewed to be malicious and assessed differently from Presidents before me. Do you want me to justify it? ….YES, there wasn’t this sort of hatred that I can touch, I can feel, because it is HH. It is this animal pariah we don’t like. Why else don’t you like your fellow citizen? *What* *is* *the* *issue* *?*”, He asked.

Of course the insinuation and import of his questions were very clear to me and to most honest observers. Upon seeing and hearing this, I cringed and gnashed my teeth. Subsequently, I genuinely felt injured, insulted and disturbed that a Head of State can use such strong accusatory words, in public, against the Zambian people and in order to claim victimization and sympathy for purposes of casting evil intent on the fundamental right towards his power being  checked and balanced. That he can publicly and manipulatively ask rhetorical questions, ostensibly designed to elicit leading and suggestive answers; responses which by themselves may promote suggestive defensive “hatred”. Incredibly frightening.

What does he mean by  “a guy like me?” Is he suggesting that ” *a*  *guy* *like* *me* ,” whatever that means, is  above  legitimate criticism. Is he suggesting that  we are  not to express any  objections against his bad governance style;  because he is somehow special as opposed to those other presidents who previously held the office? Is he demanding that his  poor judgement of human relations be exempt from criticism because of some peculiar and unstated condition?

In an analysis of his perspective and in answer to my questions, I will, over the next week, attempt to unpack what I understand his intentions  to be, by saying what he said. What is the possible value and strategy in his  accusation of  “hatred”, apparently directed to him  by his  critics.

Let me raise my very strong objection to this *low* , *down,* *dirty* *and* *shameful* *telling* *of* *a* *lie* , ( unworthy to be uttered by a President) that there were no voices of strong decent and objection or active opposition  forthcoming, by anybody, during constitutional reforms or changes in 1973, 1990, 1996, 2001, 2016 and 2021.

Secondly, I have noticed a dangerous trend in our country, over the last few years, in which expressing an opposing view or  strongly disagreeing with someone’s  bad behavior is  equivalent to “hate.” Clearly, the Head of State believes in the principle that opposing his ideas and actions is hatred. He has firmly stated it so. This belief, now frequently repeated by his followers is not only inimical to democracy but very dangerous and retrogressive towards societal progress. It is the stuff by which dictators are born. Those who want to remain permanently gulued to a seat for which there is no constitutional permanency.

Nevertheless, let me categorically state that the accusation of former Presidents not having been opposed,  is either a blatant and deliberate falsehood or grave ignorance of our collective  history by its current Head of State. Either way, it is  unacceptable dishonesty and disrespect to all of us, to all of the numerous  people who risked their jobs, reputations and lives to openly oppose KK, Chiluba and Lungu in their various attempts at changing the constitution.

There can be no dispute or selective memory  loss to that fact that aggressive opposition was always  the case, in all instances in which constitutional amendments did not  originate  from popular demand. The opposition was  loud,  actively voiced, demonstrations held, court actions taken and international lobbing openly pursued. The activities of opposition were in fact so visible and noisy that only a blind and deaf individual could have failed to pick them up.

Only a totally detached individual or a deceitful person can claim ignorance of these events. People who have constantly opposed Constitutional  Manipulation, such as Sakwiba Sikota, John Sangwa, Brebnar Changala, Fred M’membe, Lucy Sichone, Fr. Umberto Davoli, Michael Musonda and Samuel Mulafulafu. Catholic clergy such as Fr. Joe Komakoma, Fr. Miya, Fr. Peter Henriot and  many other extra ordinary  as well as ordinary Zambians  too numerous to mention. Many of  these individuals are still here to tell the story and have been fighting  in opposition to all other Presidents since 1991.

In my personal case, I have been insulted, beaten by the police, tear gassed, arrested and jailed, charged with  Treason and Murder, for opposing many of these infractions. My unyielding opposition to contrived manipulation and looming dictatorial tendencies even have  contributed to my father, Mkhondo Lungu being unceremoniously fired from being Chief of Protocall and Permanent Secretary.