LET ALL PREACH PEACE

“HE who comes to equity must do so with clean hands,” aptly applies to United Party for National Development (UPND) Hakainde Hichilema after his claims that his supporters were being treated unfairly by law enforcement agencies.

He who comes to equity must do so with clean hands is a legal maxim that was developed in the middle ages (England) from the courts of chancery.

This maxim is a rule of law that someone bringing a lawsuit against another person and asking the  court for equitable relief must be innocent of wrongdoing or unfair conduct relating to the subject matter of his/her claim.

In the Zambian context, is Mr Hichilema being honest with himself for insinuating that his supporters are being mistreated particularly during elections?

Is it not ironic that prominent Zambians who have gone globetrotting in the past preaching to all and sundry about the breakdown of law and order are the same characters asking their followers to break the law with impunity.

How could they convince Zambians that they mean well for the country when instead of preaching reconciliation, they want their supporters to hit back at perceived enemies?

When things do not go their way, they cry sour grapes.

We agree with former State House Deputy Minister Blackson Sikanyika who has criticised calls by Mr Hichilema for his supporters to defend themselves and that he was being irresponsible.

What, we may ask, are Mr Hichilema’s supporters defending themselves from?

As Mr Sikanyika said, the statement was careless and irresponsible and should be condemned by all Zambians, adding that Mr Hichilema’s statement had potential to put the country on fire.

"The statement from the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is careless and irresponsible and has potential to cause pandemonium in the country.

Mr Hichilema, as we have noted before in this column must strive to build the nation and not destroy it.

He ought to be encouraging his supporters to uphold the rule of law that he claims has broken down. How could the nation uphold the rule of law when one of the largest political parties is hell-bent on fanning chaos?

And when his supporters are arrested for allegedly breaking the law, he turns around and says they are being targeted and locked up indiscriminately?

It would be something else if Mr Hichilema could tell his supporters to work with the security wings instead of trying to be a law unto themselves.

We think UPND cadres are their own worst enemies and the statements coming from their leaders like Mr Hichilema are not encouraging. They are being told it is okay to disregard the law because it is biased against them.

Mr Sikanyika said it was important for political players to safeguard the peace the country was enjoying and “as we head for an election next year politicians should refrain from issuing careless statements that can incite violence.”

That is our hope too, that no one preaching disorder should cry if the law catches up with them.