IGNORE ELIGIBILITY DEBATE

THE sudden resurgence of the debate on President Edgar Lungu’s eligibility is a disruptive scheme aimed at contaminating political discourse.

It appears that this debate was planned way back and will gain momentum as Zambia gets closer to campaign period.

In the initial stage, the discussion was dim but is slowly growing through selected legal practitioners, compromised Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and some overzealous communications strategists.

Schemers will be using media platforms that are opposition inclined to drive the covert agenda in a coordinated manner.

Clearly, this scheme is driven by an opposition party that has enlisted NGOs, some legal practitioners and individuals hell-bent on getting state power at all cost.

Therefore, well-meaning politicians must resist the temptation of getting mired in this debate that is clearly an obstruction, which if not avoided, can lead to loss of focus.

Soon, voices will resonate on sponsored programmes on community radio and private television stations about the Presidential eligibility.

It will not be surprising if they start arranging public discussions on the same topic where the language will be couched in a manner that appears innocent and patriotic, yet disruptive.

They are very much aware that the Constitutional Court had ruled that a presidential term constitutes five years and thus President Lungu’s reign from 2015 to 2016 could not be classified as a full term of office.

Schemers are well aware of this fact and their aim is to sway public opinion that President Lungu does not qualify, hence portray that the Patriotic Front (PF) has no candidate.

This is a very dangerous scheme that can breed anarchy.

In such a scenario, it will be prudent for the PF to stay away from any debate and resist any temptation to respond to wild utterances, lest they end up magnifying the provocative discourse.

At the moment, detractors are using a legal mind to release titbits about the Presidential eligibility to attract the attention of citizens and the international community.

Unfortunately, the responses in the political arena are simply igniting the flame and ultimately playing to the tune of schemers.

Such a debate can easily burn out if it is ignored rather than unleashing a volley of responses, which in turn ignite the discourse.

Zambia has a myriad of challenges to deal with and therefore the debate on the eligibility must not take much of the political space.

The economic outlay has suffered knocks ranging from rising inflation, prohibitive lending rates, stuttering currency, stunted Growth Domestic Product to a growing debt stock.

Government is yet to clinch a bail-out package with the International Monetary Fund while unemployment levels are growing particularly among the youth.

These and other challenges need attention.

It is for this reason that citizens cannot afford to get drowned in a debate over a matter which has long been dealt with by the Constitutional Court.

Government leaders and those in the party must expend their energies on resolving economic and other challenges and ignore that debate on eligibility because it is aimed at distracting them.

The sooner they realise that the debate is simply a trap, the better.

No one should fall into this trap by shouting their lungs out because they will be playing in the hands of schemers.

Simply ignore them and focus on issues of substance; don’t engage in debate with people who are blowing hot air.