DON’T TRUST HIM
…Hichilema does not practise the values he preaches – Msoni
By Thandizo Banda
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema can no longer be trusted to adhere to the national values and principles which he does not believe in, says All People’s Congress (APC) president Nason Msoni.
Commenting on Hichilema’s national address to Parliament on progress on National Values and Principles Friday, Msoni accused Hichilema of lacking sincerity in his public discourse.
“Hichilema’s actions don’t tally with his speeches, which have effectively shaken Zambians’ trust in the head of state. This disconnect between Hichilema’s words and deeds is his biggest weakness and evil to himself,” Msoni said.
He said that Hichilema’s administration in its current form cannot hold free and fair elections, pointing to perceived political patronage in key institutions of governance such as the police, Judiciary and Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
“Take a look at the key appointments at ECZ of known United Party for National Development (UPND) members, same with the judiciary and police service,” he said.
Msoni said Hichilema must cleanse the police service from the perceived tribal appointments.
He said this was the perception Zambians had about Hichilema and his government.
“For instance, let’s look at the police command’s top officials. We shall start with the Inspector General of Police, Graphael Musamba; his three deputy inspector generals are all from the same Zambezi region,” Msoni said.
“This is a fact. Let’s go to all the provincial commissioners of police. Eight are from the Zambezi region, while one is from the East and the other one from Muchinga. So, what national unity was he preaching about? So how can we talk about national unity? How can we talk about One Zambia One Nation?”
He said the continued scheming of imingalato by UPND leaders showed how deceitful and manipulative those in leadership were, despite the claim they were making about holding a free and fair election in August.
Msoni said Hichilema’s claims of national unity was a façade.
“Instead of fostering unity, this administration’s actions have deepened political fissures. The UPND government has systematically worked to sideline opposition voices and suppress dissent, which can lead to a feeling of exclusion for those who don’t align with the ruling party,” he said.
Msoni said the UPND administration was also advancing selective application of principles between opposition figures and its own members, creating a sense of injustice and further division.
He cited the handling of the death of the late former president Edgar Lungu as a missed opportunity for national unity.
Msoni said instead Hichilema had made it a war to win and bury his sworn enemy, a route that had exposed deep political divisions in the country.
“Opposition parties are often blocked from holding rallies due to what police say are security concerns, while those in the UPND are allowed to hold meetings and rallies openly without any reservations,” he said.
UPND associates and cadres were allowed to insult the late Lungu and his family at will without any action taken against them, but when it came from the other side of the divide, cyber laws were effectively implemented.
“Even when people have reported, the police will never move or act. There are also cases of arbitrary arrests and intimidation of opposition leaders and activists,” he said.
Msoni said Hichilema was the wrong person to talk about national values and principles when he had never practised any since he took over the government.
“Essentially, institutions, which are meant to be impartial guardians of democracy, are being used in a way that tilts the playing field in favor of the ruling party, making genuine free and fair elections a challenge,” he said.
Msoni said while emphasising transparency and good governance, Hichilema had failed to publicly declare his assets.
“We’ve also witnessed the insatiable desire by Hichilema’s government to change the Constitution against the will of the Zambians,” he said.
