By Kapya Kaoma.
“Woe to that land that’s governed by a child.” Citing William Shakespeare when speaking about Zambian politics is delirious, but how else could one describe HH’s African Arguments interview? Pressed about his many losses, Hichilema’s answer was simply childish: “We don’t count how many times we run. This election is not us against them, but the people of Zambia against the PF.” A smart politician wouldn’t close an interview with this line, but for team HH, this line killed it.
“We” and “us,” simply means HH, while “run” refers to losing elections. In other words, “It doesn’t matter how many times HH has lost elections, Zambians want change.”
Since HH and UPND cadres love soccer, let’s assume the Zambian National soccer coach said, “I don’t count how many times the team has lost, Zambians want change at FAZ; or a CEO said, “I don’t care how many times we have lost money, shareholders want to change the Board,” would such a person keep the job?
Whoever manages HH needs political science 101; the man comes out erratic, unreasonable and childlike during interviews. Of course, he may not be media friendly, but his people would have known this weakness. They could have avoided putting him in situations where he exposes himself as simply illogical, insane and definitely ill prepared for the highest office in the land. Optics matter and his team has failed to sell his presidential character to the public.
Losing an election means rejection of one’s political agenda. The five defeats means that the electorate rejected him five times. It is on Hichilema to polish his message each time he runs again–thus his 6 times as the UPND flag bearer has now become a messaging liability. He has nothing new to tell Zambians which he has not said in the last 5 runs. Partially this problem has contributed to the chaotic messaging and porous alliances–recycling PF and MMD vomits who add nothing of value to his party aside from garbage of immorality and violence. Each election circle, HH and the UPND operate like sex workers–looking for clients for short term needs as opposed to long-term political ends. In the end, they expose themselves to more and more attacks as once inner-circlers dump them for highest bidders.
Zambians want change, but in a democracy, change comes by winning elections. HH and UPND defeats are emblematic of people’s rejection of HH’s ideas of change–you may repackage a 15 years old suit, but that won’t make it brand new; you may apply makeup on a 59 year old woman, but that won’t make her a teenage model. Bally is self-fixed–he has nothing new to offer aside from responding to the attacks and accusations from those who desert his alliance. Sadly, HH and the UPND cannot easily dismiss Kambwili or GBM attacks since they have the legitimate first-hand experience of working with the party. In as much as they are able to make up many things, the fact that they worked with HH gives them rhetoric power to define HH in the way HH cannot define Lungu.
That said, it is egoistic and condescending for HH to dismiss previous defeats. Good political strategists would have anticipated this question, and helped him to begin by owning his losses first, and then make an emotional appeal for his love for Zambia as the reason for his endless attempts at the highest office. This would have been the best way to end the interview. Unfortunately, this is another sign of how weak and ill prepared the HH team has been throughout this campaign; something that may shatter their dreams for Plot 1 once again.
On the economic front, the African Arguments interview also exposed the poor quality of HH’s political strategists and speech writers. HH came out disorganized and at the most, confused. For example, team HH forgot that their candidate ran against Sata, and insulted him at will. Moreover Lungu is just a continuation of the Sata administration. He called Sata’s policies wrong for Zambia; the “Chibwi has no plan” moniker, may refresh his memory. But his marriage to Sata’s Vice President Guy Scott led to his veneration of Sata’s PF. Under the Sata administration, HH noted, the economy was booming and growing at 6% until Lungu inherited it; now “it’s probably less than 1% if not negative this year.” When did Sata become an idol in UPND political culture? You can’t praise Sata’s economic policies when you are on record opposing the same unless you are willing to withdraw your earlier criticism, which HH has not yet done.
Those who claim that HH does not know what he is talking about when it comes to repairing the economy may have a point. The global COVID-19 Pandemic has affected economies across the world, thus the slow growth of the Zambian economy is expected. As for the destruction of Zambia’s economy, President Sata’s cipante pante economic policies that continued under the Lungu regime are chiefly to blame for the ongoing economic mess. Moreover Lungu is just a continuation of the Sata administration.
On the democratic front, it is said “those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” HH has been in politics since 2006, but he keeps making kindergarten blunders. He was so quick to attack Lungu for “pushing for a third term, ” which he termed “unacceptable.” Is being UPND president for 15 years acceptable? Again, his team blew it. He should have spoken about his dreams for Zambia, rather than exposing himself to his weakest line of attack–losing 5 elections and overstaying as UPND president. Indeed two presidents died in office, but it doesn’t change the fact that he has been UPND president for 15 years and lost 5 elections. Should he lose again, he would become the most defeated presidential candidate in Southern Africa. It is not unfair to term him a perpetual loser as M’membe did–it is the truth. He may not count how many times he lost, but history will.
Bally is right. We need change. The economy is a mess. Corruption is a norm. PF cadres are the law; only their cries are heard. Their blood is thicker than our blood, for only PF cadres die from political violence. We don’t die at all, for at their mercy, we exist to die. The recent video of the UPND young man being abducted from his home in broad daylight in Luanshya for simply shouting, “Forward, ” as PF cadres drove by, speaks for itself. That the police drove-by unconcerned speaks to the rotten nature of the law enforcement system under the PF regime–we don’t have law enforcement, but the law abandonment!
Is Bally the change? Even then would he govern as an adult and not a child? African false prophets abound. TB Joshua is dead. Bushiri is a cheat. Seer 1 is dead crazy. Countless in Zambia I ignore. But come August 12, will millions of the UPND cadres reverse their palms and wipe out tears from their faces, as PF cadres dance in our streets?
Spot on! Hichilema isn’t as clever as his supporters and followers project him, he’s just an Oppenheimer economic hit man.
While you are fixated on how many times HH has lost, HH is still resolute & is stilli moving FORWARD. It’s not about how many times you fall that determines ones failure or success, it’s the ability of getting up & soldiering on. Non of us would be walking if we had given up as babies. The baby is now ready to walk next week! Let’s go, we have alot of work to do to fix the mess.
Kapya Kaoma, learn to say, “in my opinion …” and “I believe …” and the like. Your opinions and beliefs are not the opinions and beliefs of every Zambian. I concur with you on so many fronts, though. Kaizar Zulu, however, is not going to read your article bu make a comment loaded with profanity.
Kapya Kaoma, I salute you for exposing the lack of a clear message and strategy from the UPND. UPND and HH simply think because Zambians have fallen on hard times economically, thanks to the high cost of living, they will vote UPND and not PF. Yet UPND lamentably fail to tell us HOW Bally will fix the Zambian economy that ain’t broken not just by PF (mis)handling of it but by a slew of problems from the 2016/17 global sluggish economic growth arising from the US-China trade wars with effects on the demand for Zambian copper, the country’s major forex earner, and a slump in the country’s economic growth, the 2018/19 drought and resultant energy deficits at both national and household economic level to the 2020 outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic that has brought about reduced economic…
The number of times one falls is irrelevant, it is the number of times a man gets up that matters. So soldier on HH, all the ten provinces are with you
…output and a rise in the cost of imported finished goods on which Zambia is heavily dependent. If Bally had a clear message of fixing the economy, he should have been talking more about how he is going to change the structure of the Zambian economy that is heavily dependent on the export of base metals and the import of finished goods, as this has been more or less the case since the time of UNIP, beyond what PF is doing in diversifying the economy in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, tourism and energy as a driver of the economy. UPND should have carefully read the PF policy documents to find out exactly what the shortcomings have been in policy formulation and implementation before telling us how it would do things differently.
Because of continuously rejecting HH because of a chitenge material and a tee shirt from PF, look now you are blocking a capable man
UPND should start preparing for HH successor. Wether he wins or losses, the 2026 elections will be tougher.
kapya Kaoma writes “Each election circle, HH and the UPND operate like sex workers–looking for clients for short term needs as opposed to long-term political ends.” Indeed, it is the lack of clear messaging and strategy that has made HH and UPND behave they do and not to be electable to government. It is not just enough to politically thrive on the misfortunes of the party in power. There is need to come up with a clear message and emphasise on how you are going to do things differently from the party in power. MMD campaigned for change in 1990 but they also had a message on how they were going to handle governance issues and the economy differently from UNIP, even when they faltered on this. So was the case with PF in 2011. But for the UPND, for example, there is lack of a coherent…
…message on how they are going to handle governance issues arising from the unfinished business of constitution-making in Zambia. In short, they are not telling us how the socio-economic rights that are at the heart of Zambia’s socio- economic problems are going to be dealt with taking into account the fact that they were in the forefront in 2015 in campaigning against the referendum that sought to expand the current Bill of Rights in the Zambian constitution to include socio-economic rights. Yet this should have been a campaign issue for the UPND on how they were going to handle the issues of socio-economic rights differently from the PF. The issue of Bill 10 which the PF tried to use to deal with some of the current governance issues should also have been at the heart of the UPND…
… campaign.
It’s his democratic right to stand for the 6th or 7th time. I have lost track of how many times he has stood, who cares? If anything people love an under dog story, to some if not most perseverance is a good quality. The last loss is definitely questionable.
HH is an Oppenheimer Economic Hit Man
Even if HH loses 10 times it is not him who loses. It is the Zambians, because it means continued suffering under this regime. HH has already worked for himself and has already secured his children’s future. That’s why he said he will never give up on Zambia. It is Zambia’s future that he is trying to secure. We know some people are rich using Government resources
Lt thanks for blocking me. We will see if your upnd will win and then we will see then if your website is allowed access in Zambia.
Ulemu kwa HH, na incoming boma yao. We are relying on you, And respectfully thankful to PF for running your race
I stopped reading the article the minute I saw the citing from William Shakespeare! What an insult to the Zambian people. Mr Kapya Kaoma, next time try citing Shaka Zulu, Mansa Musa or the great Ewuare before spewing out your plagiarised opinion. We error the minute we try to compare ourselves unfamiliar cultures and use it to bash ourselves on the head.
WE ZAMBIANS NEED AN OPPENHEIMER HERE
WHAT HAVE WE REALLY ACHIEVED ON OUR OWN ??? WITHOUT OUTSIDE HELP
LETS FACE FACTS HERE
@ THE TRUTH
But what about those Zambians who are former employees of BP who have had their monthly pension contributions not paid out by Saturnia to which HH is a major shareholder? Are these not still suffering and will they not continue suffering if HH is elected?
AND BY THE WAY ITS NOT ABOUT THE OPPOSITION REALLY
IT JUST THE FACT PEOPLE OF TIRED OF PF AND ITS NONSENSE
AND THAT ALONE WILL DESTROY THEM AND PUT ANOTHER PARTY IN
On hh, Kapya you are spot on! On the PF and the economy, you are wrong, Kapya!! Read “The Observer” comment above (4 & 6) and he sums up what you don’t understand about global and local economic dynamics. Economy messed up?? Explain the recent kwacha appreciation, Reverend???
Nailed it or is it him!
Its does not mean when one falls then should remain on the ground crying. Those who follow politics will agree that in the past there was a lot of cheating by the PF especially in 2016.This time around people have made up their minds and are crying for change. As for fixing the economy why should Bally reveal his strategy to his rivals. Every thing has its own time and there is nothing that can be done. Mr. Kapya Kaoma your analysis of the situation is not what is obtaining on the ground. Those ignoring this HH fever are doing for lack of being serious. This country has fallen apart where the police service despite being well funded by then Mighty PF has simply failed to handle matters. Cadres are not armed with guns or sophiscated weapons such as AK47 but simply stones and other crude…
Forest reserve 27 was said to be corruption venue as PF was sharing plots there. UPND sung this corruption song of forest reserve 27. Since Jean Kapata mentioned the UPND MPs and members who got plots from forest reserve 27, it ceased being corruption. UPND stopped the song. Infact Mr Katuka was asked what HH and his leadership will do to those MPs in forest reserve 27, his answer was we will get back to you. Till today ba Katuka taba moneka. 42 Houses when it was learnt that Mr Situmbeko’s nephew is in the mix, the song sotpped from UPND side. On 42 fire trucks the big question I have is can HH fail to get quotations from europe and show Zambians the exact cost of those trucks than just shouting corruption? Its against these issues I don’t believe UPND is the answer to Zambia’s…
economic challenges. What economic fundementals will UPND put in place that will improve the exchange rate if South Africa rand was R7 to 1US$ in 2011 when PF took over and its R14 to a dollar slitly over 100% depreciation. Remember SA is heavily industrialised. When PF took over in September 2011 the exchange rate was K5 average to 1 US$. Today its K19 which is a 280% depreciation. The GDP of a country shows how strong the economy of that country is so in essense South Africa is almost 3 times stronger against the US dollar compared to Zambia, if we round off 280% to 300% . Giving a 1 to 3 ratio in strength. What can you conclude from these hard numbers? If the strongest and well organised economy in Africa could have such a ratio with Zambia then we have actually faired well.
And he calls himself “Bally,” he thinks ruling a country is kids play…. HH is so childish no wonder they call him under 5…and he has lost more than 5 times because Zambians know that he’s a joke of a Politician…and this time he should just retire
WE WILL OVERCOME
PF MUST FALL
The wounds of a friend are better than the kisses of an enemy. I hope that HH takes a leaf from this advice that comes at the critical crossroads in Zambia’s politics. HH lacks oratorical charisma. He is a chief executive and not a politician. He would have done well to be a play maker, a deep pockets financier of someone else. Union and not alliance with Nevers Mumba’s MMD and UNIP would have been the best chance for UPND to rule Zambia. A United Party for Independence, Democracy and National Development (UPIDND) an merger of UPND, UNIP and MMD would be a great ticket to sell to the Zambian people. Bishop Trevor Mwamba as President would earn my vote. Mumba as VP and HH as Party Chairman would speak eloquently to Zambians. Mumba is too emotional, unpredictable and erratic to be…
… President.
@#15 can you explain why the Kwacha was the world worst performing currency as reported by Bloomberg?
Kaya,but i am on team PF
People are mistaking rejection and falling. HH did not fall in order to get up and fight on but was rejected.. There is a difference in that. Once people reject you so many times, then respect the people’s wishes and leave the place for someone else that people will like and vote for. It should not be like it is either ME or NOBODY.
In Europe if a party loses elections then the party leader steps down to leave room for a new leader with fresh ideas. that is dignity not clinging on. That is how losing parties bounce back. New leader, new ideas , new voters.
Lungu can not win any free and fair election, period.
The man is a rejected fraud convict forcing himself upon zambia without shame.
Spaka are you a prophet also ? Trying to predict elections. All elections held in Zambia before have been declared free and fair by respected observers from from home and abroad. I dont think Spaka is a respected observer or analyst. What do you do for a living by the way? From the posting you seem to be a frustrated guy. Find something more fruitful to do. HH will not give you anything. You must start from yourself from the way i see. You might need help to organize yourself better. Friendly advice.
HH has never called himself Bally. It’s Zambian youths who have Christened him thus out of their love for him and he has no choice but to accept it.
HH is simply a square peg in a round hole he can’t simply fit the mold no matter how many times you try. His level of rigidity is what has made him lose so many times. Do you mean all those that worked with him and left have a problem only him is the messiah for Zambia? How do you personalise the ambition when it depends on the majority to decide your fate ? This is what qualifies UPND a cult.
He can’t win.His party is too tribal where they have even told him never to waste time in southern province.He thinks we’ll vote fo him.We’ll vote for him when his people start voting for other parties.For the past 24 years southern province just vote for UPND.Despite Mwanawasa works they never cared an ything.UPND should be stoppedu from dividing the beautiful country
{1}…There is a reason why HH has been beaten by Mwanawasa, Banda, Sata and Lungu. It’s because he is so static and fails to make precise political calculations and connect with people. So he keeps going round the same round about in circles stuck, especially that Zambians have refused to come out in numbers for him to get the keys to State House.
After Sata died, Lungu was the weakest opponent for HH to defeat because there was total confusion in PF. And Lungu had not been a seasoned politician prior to Sata’s death.
{2}… After PF and Fred Mmembe had spent years hounding Rupiah Banda and striping his immunity, HH should have been the first person to ask Rupiah Banda for his support after Sata died. But as usual, HH is too slow. And in the end Lungu asked Banda for his support tapping into MMD Supporters.
In the end these 4 people {Edgar Lungu + Rupiah Banda+ Guy Scott + Inonge Wina} went against Hakainde Hichilema.
{3}… Mwanawasa knew that he was against a big mountain. He persuaded a retired Rupiah Banda doing farming on his farm in Chipata back into the frontline politics. RB overturned eastern province which was still UNIP into MMD Strong Hold and Levy got his big price and made RB his VP. Levy made a good political calculation. HH must separate business mentality and learn to make political calculations.
@25 Abena
One if the best piece of advice I have seen on Lusaka Times….yes Spaka seems like a very frustrated guy and his only hope is HH…vary sad indeed but i think Spaka should start fighting and hustling for himself instead of pinning his hopes of survival on a Candidate who is a perpetual loser HH…….you can tell Kaizar Zulu and Tarino Oranve are just Commedians and they rile people for fun but Spaka takes things so serious…
@26 Nemwine
And that’s false hope because the same youths won’t even Vote…this is where HH always gets it wrong….Social Media is very deceptive….what you see is not what you get…bally this bally that…yes for fooling around but not with the affairs of the Country
Ba INDEPENDENT OBSERVER,
You are objective and too smart to be supporting PF dunderheads .
A person like you need to be supporting HH. I agree with some of your points.
Zambia needs change before we completely get lost.
Anonymous @42, when people who love u give u a nickname, u accept it. That’s HH has done. U accuse him of being a social media politician but u can’t see that when he tries to reach out to people, the PF puts every obstacle along the way. What is he supposed to do? Zambia is a largely peaceful country but we’re slowly losing that reputation.
Observer, you clearly do not know to observer. The ability to observe analytically is critical.
Project everything in Zambia and this is what we shall have in year 5, 2021 being year 0: militiamen running parts of Zambia, grand theft via corruption, non operational health institutions, critical shortages of drugs (this time not even expired ones will be available)
Edgar Lungu has lamentably failed.
@31 Robert Samundengu
And you’re the reason why HH is losing elections….if you support HH you’re smart,,,if you don’t support HH then you’re dull….what kind of thinking is this???…and is this you insult voters and expect them to vote for HH…..?????….false hope…August 12th is the end of HH and UPND
We need change except that change is not under 5 hh….he is moving forward ‘kalela style’ …
Bally lost five times and he is rushing towards the sixth defeat on gust 12.
He is the dictator who doesn’t like others growing bigger than him. He wants to keep everyone under his heels. Even now the so called UPND Alliance is nowhere to be seen. It’s on HH all over, as if there is no other leader!
People of Zambia have rejected HH’s way of politics and his agenda five times in a row. Yet he is not ready to learn the lesson.
Hakainde Hichilema is a coward who is only worried about his own life. No matter what happens to the lives of others, he will keep hiding in his home.
You are bang on. HH has nothing new to tell people. In fact, he is now lifting content and even achievements of others to project as his election promises. In last couple of weeks, he has made the promises, which ECL has either already done or is in the process if doing. Such is the case of HH!
HH is confused and so is everyone in UPND Alliance. They are not clear on what they have to deliver and how. Mere promising something out of the blue won’t help. They need to have a clear blue print of development presented to the electorate. Then only people will think of voting UPND Alliance.
Politics is a team game. It can’t be played solo. One needs a strong team to be in the game and win it. But here, we have an individual who claims to have formed an alliance with most of the opposition parties, but none of them is seen campaigning. Now, how can people believe a self proclaimed leader who can’t even take his allies along? What would he do for the people? He can’t be a leader, he has to be dictator.
@Matumbo UPND should have done this ling back. Waiting for five defeats and heading for the sixth is not at all a good political strategy.
@The Truth you are undermining the power people. If HH’s defeat is not people’s loss. They took conscious decision. If anyone is at the loss, it is HH and UPND. Don’t demean the voters. And what future are you talking about? If HH was really that concerned about Zambians, he wouldn’t have betrayed the country in first place. He wouldn’t have sold our assets to his friends and himself. He is the one who has made Chief Mukuni his partner in crime to loot Zambia. Caring for Zambia’s future, my foot.
@tikki you mean we should sell the country to foreigners. That’s what HH is planning. He is the puppet in the hands of Oppenhmeier and CIA.
Who is a dunderhead between a person who has Lost elections five times and one who is in state house?
Think again!
HH will only win because people are tired of PF and Lungu. The other parties are still small to be considered. HH win will not mean he will fix anything. Watch this space. Fred Mmembe will be the next attractive opposition after 12 August, 2021
Failure is an opportunty to try better the next time it does not mean you have to give up. Thormas Edison failed 10,000 times before perfecting the incandescent electric light bulb. Arguably America’s greatest inventor, Thomas Edison had an extraordinarily positive perception of life that greatly enhanced his ability as an inventor.
Lungu is the one who has failed five times and trying to hang on to a position he knows is not going to perform but merely going to make things even worse than there.
Ulemu kwa HH na incoming cabinet yao. Please come and sort out the situation, we are relying on you
Lungu admitted himself on live video that he lost the elections twice and refused to step down, he also said that even if he is voted out this time he will still not step down. Video is there for all to see and listen
The counting is over chana Kapya Kaoma
16 @FutureZed I bet $20,000 if you or anyone on this platform or behond can find where this piece was stolen from. I may be dumb, but plagiarism is below my belt.
Sorry for the typos above in “beyond.” Here is the corrected one.
16 @FutureZed I bet $20,000 if you or anyone on this platform or beyond can find where this piece was stolen from. I may be dumb, but plagiarism is below my belt
HH is simply a lucky child who happened to have been pushed to the throne at the right time when he was a Tonga as a qualification. HH does not inspire the majority of Zambians he only inspires but a few. The substance of his messages are questionable, the chap is a flip flop he does not know whether he is going or coming.
@Kapya Kaoma #64
You have attracted a lot of intelligent comments. I like your skill of writing with sound arguments.
But @FutureZed was trying to draw you to quoting or citing Afrikans or anyone near home forgetting that you can chose Shakespeare if you want over others. Plagiarising is failing to give credit to the source.
I have read John Wan’s write up on africanarguments of June 2021. The reference to the interviewer is shown. Nothing worth betting USD 20K for.
When King Edward died, it was for his surviving son a minor to take over kingship; but some people objected hat it might not go well. “Woe to the land that is governed by a child”, they complained. Another group insisted that the young king can still rule with the help of the regent council and when he is old enough he takes full control. Kapya is advising: don’t go for regency, don’t go for under 5, or an immature child, a 5 time reject/loser. We are in a hurry to develop our country. How does HH reduce his losses to three because the other two were bye elections!
Spot on
Its a story of not giving up and perseverance you will succeed oneday. So your story is useless