Prof. Michelo Hansungule
Zambian politics has descended into gutter politics without any decency or shame under the current government. A serving minister of Defence and former minister of Finance describe a citizen as a ‘criminal’ to the media yet this citizen has neither been tried nor convicted of a criminal offence, ever heard of that? Isn’t this promoting lawlessness to the extreme? How can a citizen be criminal before any judicial process? Doesn’t this define the authors as unfit for public office let alone the office of a minister?
Yet it is an offence to take the law into your own hands and we are all persuaded to not resort to self-help regardless of circumstances. Only in a few exceptions does the law permit self-defence, defence of property and defence of others and in this case in accordance with strictly defined circumstances. If a citizen resorts to self-help against another, they can be prosecuted and imprisoned for it.
Defence Minister Davis Chama and former Finance Minister Edith Nawakwi took turns this week lambasting opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema as a ‘criminal’ over his role in the privatisation of the public economy some thirty years ago. Could it be that it is because they are criminals themselves which is why they easily can recognise a criminal when they see one? How do we explain senior government officials so easily using the word ‘criminal’ against the grain of the law if they are not?
And what is this in terms of teaching our children how to behave in leadership, or does it not matter? In these days of social media, children are not only watching leaders behaving like toddlers calling others their political opponents ‘criminals’ and shouting bring it on, bring it on referring to court contempt threats and you are a minister or former minister?
In the week, Edith Nawakwi fed the media with serious allegations against Hakainde Hichilema regarding his role during the privation process. Though she purports to be opposition herself, she was intent on defaming her colleague to the worst possible degree and shifted all the blame to him as if he was the minister responsible for finance while she was a mere consultant. Among other things, she accused him of undervaluing assets of Ramcoz, selling to himself and buying the Lima Bank house in Kabulonga using his position as chairman of the privatisation committee and failing to declare an interest during negotiations for the sell of the Mosiotunya hotel in Livingstone.
Before Hakainde could respond, including KBM, Sean Tembo, YALI jumped into the bandwagon and found Hichilema guilty of the charges. KBM said Hichilema failed to disclose interest in the Mosiotunya hotel negotiations but suggested he should not be arrested to avoid chaos in the country. Sean Tembo who pretended to ‘sit as a court in the matter’ while ‘acquitting Hichilema on Ramcoz and Lima bank house, found him ‘guilty’ of failing to declare interest in the Mosiotunya hotel negotiations and sell. Interestingly he never found Edith to have defamed Hichilema in the Ramcoz and Lima bank affairs despite finding Hichilema on firmer grounds on the two issues? YALI which has always been on the side of the ruling party the Patriotic Front even described the privation process of the hotel as ‘theft’ by Hichilema whom they accused him of selling the hotel to himself.
Yet all these comments from other opposition leaders came before Hichilema laid out his case. This raises serious questions regarding the calibre and character of our politics? These are people aspiring to lead us. They can’t even as much pose so as to hear from the other side before venturing their verdicts. And as it turned out unfortunately for them, Hichilema’s response in both the letter of demand to Ms Nawakwi and in the statement of claim he filed in court demonstrated that the accusations were a cocktail of lies and using dates and names of the people involved in those transactions and the period involved, detailed the lie on each.
Of course, coordinating this tapestry of lies is president Edgar Lungu, the main beneficiary of the lies. Most people do not know Edgar Lungu, those who support and who oppose him, both sides do not know him. Edgar is a complicated figure. Remember, starting from his party, his ascendancy to lead the party was controversial. There were two conventions his came after the first convention which he just ignored and organised his. Following that he ordered some judges to affirm his leadership and the rest is history. In 2016 when Hichilema dared complain against the election in which he was controversially declared loser, Edgar simply banned the Constitutional Court from hearing Hichilema’s complaints. With this history in mind, it is quite clear most of those who jumped the bandwagon and made remarks finding Hichilema guilty as charged by Edith Nawakwi did so as Edgar’s surrogates, a suggestion Hichilema made.
How do we address this problem? It is simple. Action should be taken against those who defame others. Hakainde Hichilema must sue all those that have written things and made statements defaming him. Sue YALI, sue opposition and other politicians and other leaders who have made unbalanced comments and statements against him. This is the best way to promote values in society. Sue them and if they run foul of the law lock them up for contempt, no empathy. Clean them up of all their money, let them toil for years paying court costs arising from their irresponsible careless conduct. If you use empathy and forgive them, you are promoting impunity and bad leadership will continue. You are imparting bad values on our children that lying is Ok and there is nothing wrong with defaming others. So, I am calling on Hakainde to clean them all up with hefty bills arising from court processes. Let them walk naked and turn to streets to beg food. This way, politics will move towards decency and politicking become value based.
Where has this one appeared from? After using university of Pretoria letterhead for upnd agendas he didn’t learn anything. His hh dribbled his way into owing hotels & companies. Courts will decided.
This is quite emotional No Hansungule.”Let them walk naked and turn to the streets to beg for food”?
O generation of vipers in the upndead, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. You can’t defend the transgression of the son of your soil because of you utter the same dialect.
You’re cursed. Your son vividly confessed that in his 20s he seized the moment. His youthful greed saw Government sleeping and he helped himself. We wanna know how. H² is not fit to lead our youth by example. His was a total mess.
He is a due thief.
Lawlessness is at its peak in our Country. Well articulated Prof.
Partisan politics sometimes reduces even the educated to mere cadres. Sean Tembo says you threatened him, why can’t you join HH’s legal team? That’s the best way to defend your candidate. Can you answer the questions Sean has asked?
I agree, my only consolation is that YALI is already a deeply discredit organization, the FDD party is a failed project and would obviously align to PF. And the opposition leaders like Sean and Winter can’t stomach the popularity of their colleague HH. Sue them all, they will wet themselves in court
I have a question for Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ). Why is PF displaying their chitenges on electrical poles and other high elevations in a manner of campaigning? Is the campaign period on? If not, where is fairness since Opposition Political Parties are not doing so. Will it make sense to consider next year’s elections as Free and Fair if the playing field is already favoring the Ruling Party?
The professor has found no wrong in HH dealings as regards the hotel transaction but to those asking questions,Let him clear his name we move on,by the way Professor! it’s him who started the whole issue and at no time did Lungu throw any stone,
I support and concur with you absolutely
I agree with everything else but I’m not too sure about the last paragraph. It is not that simple because 1) HH will lose heaps of money too in the process of suing all of them; 2) If these are acting as Lungu’s surrogates, then it is likely Lungu and the State will pay for their legal costs (no wonder the audacity of ‘bring it on’ from Nawakwi); 3) Suing in the impartial Zambian courts is no guarantee of any success… these judges are Lungu’s minions as you have alluded to on ConCourt Lungu orders; 4) Such cases would drag on forever HH would just lose valuable time to campaign.
I say don’t fall for their tricks… sue Nawakwi and make an example out of her.
Should read: …“3) Suing in the partial Zambian courts is no guarantee of any success…
We don’t expect anything from this tribal Bush pig. These are men who lack integrity. One questions the authenticity of some professorships. How can a supposed educated man be driven by tribe and controlled by another human to spread propaganda allegations against a sitting president? I now believe that education does not heal stupldlty.
We are all innocent until proven guilty in a Court of Law. No one should brand HH a “Criminal ” b4 he is convicted as such in Court.HH has sued Edith Nawakwi in Court and its now up to her to produce Evidence in Court proving that HH committed Crimes during the Privatization Programme. Lets leave the Court to deal with this Defamation Case. Jezebel Edith Nawakwi should respect our Courts during this litigation.
Prof. H.M, you’re 100% right. Luck of decency and integrity in the Zambian politics means everything has gone to the drain. E C Lunch is the best copycat of Donald Trump whilst his cabinet he’s full of people stealing day and night. For as long as PF is in power more poverty in Zambia as years progress or goes on.
Start working you failures. Nu kuli HH, dollar to kwacha crossing K20 this week. And you are still fast asleep. Neither Nawakwi, Bill 10 nor incorrigible Kaizar will save you from your impending exit. The same Police you are giving houses are saying tabakapite.
If an old brainwashed He-goat was a human being. Unfortunately this professor is using tribe to analyze things.
KZ….kwekwekwekwekwekwe..ati kapoli….. kwekwekwekwekwekwe.. you’ve made my Sunday, for sure education doesn’t heal stup!d!ty…. kwekwekwekwekwekwe
It is you thriving on tribal talk;the professor did not mention any of that. foul mouth
THIS TIME LET PF GIVE OUT MASSIVE FUNDS TO US BUT WE SHALL NEVER GIVE THEM EVEN A SINGLE VOTE DROP.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY WILL THROW CHITENGE MATERIAL TO ALL OF US AND LOOK LIKE WE ARE PF OUTSIDE BUT INSIDE PEOPLE HAVE REALIZED THAT IT A SINKING BOAT.
The fo.ol called HH should have answered the question many years ago. But whenever he is asked the stu.pid hh dodge the question. We want answers whether the sata.nic party like it or not.
Partly, this is where the $3m court case arose from on Edith Nawakwi
Sue everyone until they run naked. Don’t feel sorry for anybody, no sympathy. Just be callous at heart. I hope this doesn’t explode right in the UPND face.
Prof Michelo Hansungule seems to be part of those calling the shots. Why am I not surprised?
I dont know why people are misleading others by saying privatization was done 30 years ago when it was started around 23 years ago. Every leader should be held to account regardless of whether they are in opposition or in the ruling party. We need sanitized leadership willing to be investigated if need arises as a clean person will fear nothing. Real development will not come by accident if we keep on electing people with a questionable past
What type of hypocrisy is this one or professor,for to call others criminals is good sanity what double standards is this one.Politics blind pipo mwe.It has turned a professor into a ichiwelewele (no reasoning).
THE Illiterate prof has already declared HH innocent.
LET THE COURTS DECIDE.
BESIDES, HH HAS DUG A HOLE FOR HIMSELF BY SUING NAWAKI.
HOW DUMB FOR HH!!
HE IS NOW ENTRAPPED
Heads up HH for suing Nawakwi. Let the courts decide the case, not this noisemaking we are hearing.
Edith Nawakwi in the interview said she asked HH in their meeting, Mr. Hichilema, is this the value of the Hotel, and HH said yes.
From this stament, I can imagine what the judge will say in court.
The minister had the right to cancel the sale with advise from technocrats at ministry of Finance. But from her statement she went ahead. I can imagine the verdict.
Law is Law, not political mobe judgement.
Wanyeka munzi.
HH indeed is guilty but he is playing tribal politics.If I was born in other parts no one whould have asked.What kind of a leader who plays such tribal remarks.That man can divide the country.He is thief who wants to hide in tribe.Coz i was born that earlier that’s why they don’t want me to be a presdeint.The man is pure tribalists.Those youths who want to follow him careful<he has no interest for the country but for himself.he will never even help the tongas.Ni lazo indeed
This matter is headed to Court, why can’t people let the courts decide. I thought a Professor would understand legal proceedings better than some of us. Please sir, we’ve heard enough on this matter, allow the Court to do its job.
Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!
This article by this guy called Hansungule is precisely why Hichilema said that if ”he wasn’t Tonga no one would have brought out the issue of privatization”. Yes you head him right. He simply meant that a Tonga cannot steal other tribes are habitual thieves, it is normal for them to steal. If no one has figured out that language, I rest my case. Let’s turn to the article. The article is about HH and Nawakwi but this Guy just goes for LUNGU because he is the obstacle on the way to state house by his friend Hichilema. So he (Hansungule) has picked up the AK-forty-seven pretending to shoot At anyone who has defamed his friend Hichilema but all of a sudden he turns his gun to ECL. And Chagwa has been their real enemy/ target because he is occupying the plot 1 that…
… And Chagwa has been their real enemy/ target because he is occupying the plot that HH, his friend is madly looking for but for some reason he cannot get it if ECL is on the way. Hansungule urges his friend(HH) to sue all those “defaming” him. He does not even mention the privatization issue involving his tribesman. To this chap Hansungule the issue of privatization is immaterial, as long as his tribesman can amass wealth through dubious means it is ok. God help us. All what people are saying is let HH answer the question of whether or not he declared interest by undervaluing the Govt. Property and buying himself? Hansungule you may be enjoying your MacDonalds in Pretoria but you need to be objective your symbolical cord was buried here in Zambia. Chill bro.
I’m in between two tribes. Wabeja professor Hansungule because you are the *****s that hide behind books in the name of academic intelligence when you have never felt a bullet pass next to you. Imwe badara, how can you sink so low? Why don’t we let our government and other independent organizations deal with this. HH himself taunted former minister of finance in Edith Nawakwi to come forward and explain, which she did. Now, that the cat is out of the bag, funga kinwa mwana mudara because all of us Zambians just want to know the truth since HH himself brought up this issue and dared the former Finance minister in Nawakwi to clarify everything. Why don’t we let HH do the same because there’s physical evidence now against him.
Naba professor bauka… But fairing wrong direction.. it’s mighty Edith professor
We know you hate Edgar Lungu but surely when did he order judges to make him leader yet he couldn’t do the same when it came to the issue of Ministers. Gentlemen, let’s try to be realistic.
Prof. Have you made peace with your son whom you abandoned
UPND and HH are playing too nice…..
Politics is indeed a dirty game full of smear campains.
HH , get off your SDA chair and open fire , give lungu as much as he is giving you.
UPND media team , you have plenty ammunition , starting with the gassing of our people. Stop acting like scared little girls and dish out the dirt.
I find it very strange that a Professor at Law complaining, and legitimately so, that others are calling a fellow citizen a criminal without due process of the law then goes on to state the following:
1. Following that he ordered some judges to affirm his leadership and the rest is history.
2. Edgar simply banned the Constitutional Court from hearing Hichilema’s complaints.
Was this established in court that Judges took orders from Edgar Lungu or that he banned the constitution court?
Isn’t this hypocritical?
is this a professor of Herbalist or criminals what a professor no wonder we can not even make a razor blade because of such professors,
what a shame.
Edith Nawakwi cannot abdicate her Responsibility as Minister of Finance. As a Policy Maker she was employed to make decision as a Minister of Finance. Edith in making those Ministerial Decisions chose or rejected Advice given to her in good faith. If her decision turns out to be wrong she can’t blame the Advisor. She must take full Responsibility for the decisions she made on Privatization. She can’t blame and defame One Consultant among many for the failures of the Privatization Programme. Branding HH a Criminal is uncalled for and foolish as it will not help Edith Nawakwi’s Cause. By the way doesn t Edith Nawakwi have her own “skeletons ” in the Privatization Box? Those who live in Glass Houses should’nt throw stones. These wild Allegations will haunt Edith Nawakwi in future…
The guilty are always afraid but the Innocent will always be brave. Each accusation needs to be defended in open court. It is not enough to start incriminating every other person. Defamation in politics is a contested notion. Blaming a politician for social problems is not new. Therefore, blaming HH is not strange. Talking at length about a sitting president instead proving the innocence of a wrongly accused opposition leader is hot air, irrelevant, immaterial, condescending and it will not absolve any accused person. Any dubious property that lands in the hands of leaders of integrity must be taken back or forfeited to the state without further delay. In political contests, what matters is victory. At the moment, victory is on the side of the PF government. Or are we discarding our…
Any dubious property that lands in the hands of leaders of integrity must be taken back or forfeited to the state without further delay. In political contests, what matters is victory. At the moment, victory is on the side of the PF government. Or are we discarding our justice system? Or are we abandoning our magistrates and judges? Justice is fair even when it appears to be unjust. Take time to exculpate yourself. Take time to vindicate yourself. Take time to prove yourself innocent.
Professor akota. Who is KBM, Prof?
I just looked at the name and stopped wasting my time. For years Tonga have been demonizing bembas for thieves. Now the chickens has come home to roast.
Kente clad Michelo Hasungule is actually a lawyer with total disregard of the Law of Evidence!! He reasons by analogy and extrajudicial presumptions!! Let your leader have his day in court should that come to pass. The courts may just find for your UPND Ltd CEO.