OTHER CHIEFS SHOULD EMULATE CHIEF MUKUNI

AT the height of then opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema’s troubles, there was one constant figure around him and that was of His Royal Highness Chief Mukuni.

Chief Mukuni made the fight for Hakainde Hichilema’s freedoms as his own personal fight. He attended numerous court sessions and issued hundreds of press statements condemning what he felt was harassment of Mr Hichilema.

When asked by Journalists why he was always attending Mr Hichilema’s court sessions and defending him in the media, His Royal Highness explained that as a Chief, Mr Hichilema is his subject and when he is suffering, him as a Father ought to be there to support him.

Now the question is, where are the other Chiefs from other parts of the country when their subjects are being harassed? Why are they silent over what we are going through under this administration?

Where are the Chiefs from Luapula, Muchinga, Eastern Province and Copperbelt Provinces when people are expecting their voices on key national issues?

The Chiefs fully know that what we are going through under President Hichilema is pure persecution and harassment based on politics. To this day, no single Chief from these regions has issued any single statement on our persecution.

They have opted to remain conveniently silent because it is in their best interest. For us we believe that when a child is being mistreated, the Father must be seen to be protecting the Child.

We saw it even with Dr Frederick Chiluba, the Chiefs from Luapula came and camped in Lusaka for most parts to offer solidarity to Dr Chiluba as he was facing court cases.

We wish to advise our silent Chiefs to learn from Chief Mukuni and use their influence and help redirect the governance architecture in this country. Our Chiefs, just like Chief Mukuni are an important stakeholder in the governance process and should not opt for silence for convenience reasons.

When we choose silence, we have already picked the side of the oppressor.

BOWMAN LUSAMBO