Opinion: HH’s Hypocrisy on Violence There is a lot of hypocrisy being exhibited by UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema over the violence that has rocked campaigns recently. Hichilema says that he rejects violence, but does he really mean it? This is the man who has for a long time defended the Mapatizya formula, a UPND engineered strategy of violence. He has condoned the use of violence and even encouraged his members to arm themselves. How can we trust anything that Hakainde says? Listen to the recorded call between GBM and Ephraim Shakafuswa. HH has not condemned these statements by GBM and Shakafuswa If he detests violence as he claims, he would have suspended them from his campaign if he is committed to non-violence. Hichilema’s failure to take responsiblity for these terrible, inciteful comments is a negative harbinger of the kind of human rights violations we can expect under an the Hichilema presidency. That’s why its a serious risk taking mission to vote Hichilema. But his silence on some of the violence perpetrated by UPND explains something. The opposition leader is determined to take by at all cost and by all means even when it means using the Mapatizya formula to shed blood. But Hichilema will do himself a huge favour by taking it a little easy in his pursuit for power. Everything for him seems to begin and end with winning this election and it is slowly turning into an obsession. He seems like a man pursuing power for its own sake. Only two days ago he led a band of UPND cadres to accompany him to the airport in Mongu where a clash ensued with ruling Patriotic Front cadres. Hichilema had been given free advice to either leave early before the arrival of acting President Guy Scott or an hour after Scott had arrived but the all too confident UPND ‘supreme’ leader had none of it and followed his self assured way of defying everyone. Fast forward there was a clash and one of his members was hammered with a plank and off he went for his next campaign station. To listen to him strike a confident note that he had already won sends fright in any reasonable He says it without an ounce of shame that he is the chosen one this time around. Is it not the prerogative of voters to choose who they like? Has he not offered himself for leadership on three occasions with the margins ever declining? Do we all not know that numbers don’t lie? He may have hit his first attempt with 32% of the vote but that tumbled to 19% at the next poll and in 2011 was at 18%. So where is this confidence oozing from? By striking an arrogant air Hichilema or HH as his supporters love to refer to him should climb down his high horse and come down to earth where real votes come from. Maybe too much time spent airborne on his numerous helicopters may have sucked off some realism from him. This election is far from decided and the sooner he realises the better. It could be a long way before Zambians who have the final say pick their next leader. And it may not be Hichilema and so before you start hoisting those champagne bottles brother man take a look down off your high horse for only the voters have the final say. For now, good luck to the 11 contestants. No need to get into the pride comes before a fall vibe for this is just an election. There will be another in 18 months and for those that will live longer many more after that. zambiareports/2015/01/10/opinion-hhs-hypocrisy-violence/
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 07:35:04 +0000
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