DOUBLE-TONGUED HH

IT is now more than clear that United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema is not someone to be trusted. Mind you, he wants to show all and sundry that he is focused and a principled politician. Yet he is not. Mr Hichilema has a penchant of changing his position to suit the political situation – and more often than not, he ends up confusing his followers. A classic example of the man’s unsteady mind are the events during the recent by-election in Sesheke, described by many as the bloodiest in the district. The bloody clashes pitted Patriotic Front cadres against their UPND opponents. And caught in the middle of the two political protagonists were the Zambia Police Service. The conduct of the local police were roundly condemned by both parties, more so from the UPND. Mr Hichilema went as far as making very serious claims to a gullible international press that President Edgar Lungu was out to kill him. He spoke of how he was forced to hide in the forest to safeguard his life. But the truth turned out to expose how his ego endangered the lives of not only the President but other innocent people as well. As Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo explained, the police and the two major parties – UPND AND PF – had agreed on a programme in which each party could campaign. Mr Hichilema was allocated a day which he utilised. But on Friday, February 8, which was allotted to the PF, Mr Hichilema’s entourage was on the road and tried to block the presidential motorcade. The police reacted swiftly and dispersed the UPND motorcade and in the process used teargas. Mr Hichilema is on record to have condemned the police action as unprofessional. They were unprofessional for keeping the peace. The same police officers later attacked and battered PF cadres at a lodge they were booked. That unwarranted attack went well with the UPND campaign team. Yesterday, the UPND president promised to reinstate some senior police officers in Sesheke who have been retired following last week’s fracas. Mr Hichilema claims the officers acted in a professional manner. Clearly, this is a man desperately trying to take advantage of a situation that is not political and wants the world to believe that the retired policemen have been victimised. This is a gentleman who has never had any kind words for the Zambia Police Service. But because it suits with his strategy, he now appears to be siding with them – but for the wrong reasons. Mr Hichilema, instead of building the nation wants to destroy everything it stands for by actually inciting violence. Yesterday, the UPND president advised Zambians to defend themselves whenever they are attacked by the PF alleging that the law was made unimportant by the PF administration. Mr Hichilema has always tried to portray a picture that Zambia was a country on the brink of civil strife, that there was a breakdown of the rule of law. The only snag is that Zambians do not take him seriously. We would urge Zambians to heed Tutwa Ngulube, the PF Kabwe Central Member of Parliament’s advice to resist attempts by divisive politicians to incite them against one another because they would face the wrath of the law individually. If anything, Zambians must continue to seek answers from Mr Hichilema about his role in the scandal-plagued Saturnia Pension Scheme, in which thousands of Zambians face destitution because their pension contributions have vanished. The nation must also demand to know how Mr Hichilema and his business cum political associate Senior Chief Mukuni of the Toka Leya ended up with controlling shares in some state-owned companies during the privatisation era in which the UPND chief was a key figure. Zambians must not allow themselves to be misled by political charlatans and should dismiss their calls for “panga for panga” tactics with contempt. That is not the Zambia people want.