Zambians mock Hichilema
By Mast Reporter
ZAMBIANS yesterday took turns in mocking President Hakainde Hichilema over social media pictures showing him writing his own speech to Parliament.
And the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) has castigated Hichilema for personalising such national matters as the national address.
Hichilema posted the pictures on his official Facebook page and wrote: “Good night fellow citizens. Taking a short rest now after burning night candles. Let’s connect this morning at Parliamentary building. Bally.”
In the pictures, Hichilema can be see in a poorly lit office at his home writing his national address ahead of the opening of the 5th Session of the 13th National Assembly yesterday.
In another post with a picture of him writing, he posted: “We are working late into the night, preparing our speech for the opening of parliament on Friday. Yes, we will talk about energy, development, and free education. What else is on your mind? Taking notes. Bally.”
However, the post, which was widely shared by United Party for National Development (UPND) and UPND sponsored or aligned pages attracted a deluge of negative comments with the bulk of users mocking the President wondering why he had not written the speech in advance.
Some wondered why the head of state would spend the whole night writing his own national address when he had aides as well as Cabinet Office to do the job.
Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) spokesperson Anthony Chibuye Hichilema for personalising important national matters.
“The question Zambians are asking is, is the presidential address to the national a personal issue? What is the role of the press secretary, including the minister of information for the President to be writing a national speech as an individual devoid of expert guidance? This is very sad,” Chibuye said.
“We therefore want to rebuke President Hichilema to be serious with national affairs. Your behaviour Mr President is so unpresidential and it shows that everything you are doing is centred just on your personal perception,” he said.
Chibuye wondered what had happened to presidential aides who were paid tax payers’ money to craft presidential speeches for Hichilema to work long hours writing his own speeches.
“Where are the inept members of your failed administration sir, for you to be writing personal speeches which are full of lies and rhetoric? Surely we can do better as a nation,” he said.
“A lot of things have gone wrong because from what we able to see on Facebook, ubu te bu President, mangalo [this is not being presidential, it’s play]. Zambians must now see that we have an omniscient [know it all] President who does not take advice,” Chibuye said.
And scores of Zambians flocked to Hichilema’s official Facebook page as well as other pages to rebuke and mock him for writing his own speeches at home when he had aides.
Most of them complained about load shedding and warned Hichilema not to bore them with irelevant issues when they were only having electricity for to to three hours a day.
“No wonder the self-praises. Kanshi bailembela fye [so he just writes his own speeches],” one user commented.
Another wrote: “What I know is that the Secretary to Cabinet appoints a team to write speeches for the President.”
“Preparing hatred,” one comment read. Te pressure nomba tulekusha?
Another commented, “You have a backlog of promises, sir. What more should we add?
“Why would the presidency write own speeches as though it was personal,” said one comment.
“It is too late, sir. Zambians are resolved to retire you and UPND in 2026. Just go and sleep,” said another.
“No more self-praise and rhetoric talk, Mr President. Zambians are not gullible,” said one comment.
“We are tired of fake promises,” read another.
Another user wrote, “Daddy, don’t just talk about energy mu speech iyo. We can’t be having electricity for only three hours a day.”
