By Sean Tembo – PeP President
1. In the past five years also during my time in opposition against the PF administration, l had the opportunity to meet and rub shoulders with many so-called civil society activists as well as democracy and good-governance activists. One thing that brought us together was our opposition to the PF administration. We even undertook certain activities together with some of them, such as protesting at Parliament against PF corruption, during presentation of the national budget. Of course in our respective capacities, me as an opposition leader and them as activists. However along the way l began to wonder whether these were independent activists that just wanted democracy and good governance for Zambia, from the goodness of their hearts, or they were UPND cadres disguising themselves as activists. My suspicions began to slowly get confirmed during instances that the UPND did exactly what we used to condemn PF for, such as political violence. During those instances, l would unequivocally condemn UPND but to my surprise, my colleagues in the struggle would defend them, giving all sorts of flimsy excuses such as “it’s probably not them” or “they were infiltrated by PF”.
2. Fast forward to this day, UPND is now in power and Mr Hakainde Hichilema is no longer that pitiful opposition leader. He now has the instruments of power and is Commander in Chief of the Defense Forces. And while l have continued to offer checks and balances to the new Government with the same consistency and determination that we had during the PF administration, my activist colleagues are not just turning a blind eye to the wrongs being committed under the new administration, but they are also in the forefront condemning our checks and balances. To a large extent this confirms my earlier suspicions that these were not independent civil society activists who advocated for democracy and good governance from the goodness of their hearts, no. These are bonafide cadres of the UPND. They are politicians who are possibly now looking for rewards from the new Government, and therefore cannot afford to speak against President Hichilema even if he does something wrong.
3. These fake activists are now even peddling a narrative that the reason why we are very active in providing checks and balances is because President Hichilema has given us freedom of expression. That is absolute nonsense. President Hichilema has no power or authority to give anyone the freedom of expression. We draw our freedom of expression from the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia, specifically articles 20 and 21, and not from any individual, regardless of whether that individual is a President. We enjoy these freedoms not as a favor from President Hichilema but because we are bonafide citizens of this Republic. The moment that we were born, the Constitution gave us these freedoms and liberties, and we shall fight to death to protect them. Anyone wanting to take away our constitutionally given freedoms and liberties must be willing to fight to death too. We fought for these freedoms and liberties under the PF administration, in the streets, in boardrooms, in courtrooms and at our homes. We shall not be shy to do the same under the UPND administration. Let no man or woman mistake the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy and think they are a favor given to us by the current administration.
4. I further want to put it on record that the checks and balances that we provide are objective and above board. The only reason why people think we are outspoken is because we are the only ones that are speaking out against the wrongs of the UPND administration, whereas during the PF administration, there were many people speaking against the wrongs of that time and our voice might have been overshadowed. But the intensity and frequency of our checks and balances has remained the same over the past 5 years. The challenge we have at the moment is that half of the people are unable to speak because they are expecting a “ka something” from President Hichilema, while the other half are afraid of being investigated for the wrongs that they committed during the PF administration. Those of us who do not have any luggage are very few, and that imposes an enormous responsibility on us to look out for the interests of the nation, and we are doing exactly that. The good citizens of this nation can be rest assured that the responsibility is in good hands. We are equal to the task, and no threats, whether verbal or physical can deter us.
5. I actually never thought a day would come in this country when half of the cabinet that the President appoints is scandal-ridden and yet no one is voicing a concern about it. And those of us who do voice out a concern are ostracized. I never thought a day would come when a President would resist to declare his assets and people would defend such a constitutional transgression with excuses such as “he is a rich man, he has come to work and not to steal”. Such naivety by our people. My plea to the good citizens of this nation is that let us consistently hold our leaders accountable, regardless of whether we like them or we don’t. Let us point out a wrong when we see it. Let us not defend mediocrity. Even the bad government that the PF gave us did not materialize from nowhere, it was created by people that supported nonsense. If you support nonsense today, you’re contributing to the creation of a bad government. Be wise
Excellent piece of advice and information. Keep it up. He is not a semi god .
What I don’t like about Zambian politics, is that they have developed a saying that if you criticise your opponent : ( they say that you hate him ! ) That is total stupidity.
Politics is just a
( competition game like football, ) when you dribble your opponent it doesn’t mean that you hate him !?
I have observed this fullish staying when ever Tembo critices the president.
( Stupidy mouths say he hates him , ) no Tembo doesn’t hate the president, in fact he could even be one of his best friends.
Tembo is helping the president not to lose his lane of duty , he doesn’t hate the president.
Stop it Zambians it is wrong the president is not a baby.
Very true, President Tembo. As at now, you are the only one who is talking objectively, the rest are just quiet waiting for appointments. President HH is not being honest in his approach. We need to know even the actual debts UPND found because they objected the $13 billion figure saying it’s $38 billion without any proof. They are still talking as if they are still in opposition.
Oh Tembo will manage this grouping.The yufi are meticulously waiting for jobs
“President Hichilema has no power or authority to give anyone the freedom of expression. We draw our freedom of expression from the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia, specifically articles 20 and 21, and not from any individual…..”
You were panel beaten to a pulp by Paul Monga on cario Rd, you went mute after that then were in PF support mode….
Yes indeed these guys are tricky they are amplifying the figure of the debt so that they could take the balance into their pockets, how different are they from the previous regimes ? They are just same characters who rob the poor Zambians, HH cannot boast about anything concerning transparency let him first explain how he acquired that massive wealth , when he cannot even say the name of his father and how worth is or was, he himself said he couldn’t even afford a pair of shoes school shoes , but now wallows in wealth his father never had , was is it not during the loss of Zambian assets that he took advantage of the floppy privatization to loot.
I don’t think this President will do anything to follow up the perceived thieves because he is a thousand times their leader in…
We told you so.
It’s time to dance to your own tune.
Kikikikikikijukija Hehehehehehe nkunkunkunkyu hahahahahaha kwekwekwekwe kwikwikwikwikwi kwokwokwokwokwo.
Sean is now wiser than anyone else!
Udzamudziba Yesu.
It is just getting started. How can they condemn h² when they are waiting for appointments. Yaba! Ababena libangefye.
Sean Tembo is a breath of fresh air. Please continue to offer checks and balances because HH needs people like you to make him a better president. At the end of the day, the country should come first and no more politics of the belly. I hope your relentless exposure of wrong doing will bring about the necessary change of mindset and order required at all levels. Only a hebetudinous would find ST to be a nuisance.
Sean, checks and balances are imporrant. There’s just an unwritten rule that a newly elected leadership is given time to establish itself, before we start our mudslinging. In America for instance, its usually 100 days. Let’s give HH and UPND 3 months to set up their administration for all instruments of government to be handed over to them. This courtesy is important to accord our leaders, including you if you ever became a head of state – to shift from opposition to governing mode. “A baby is never born with ability to walk”
Tembo is saying it as it is. Yesterday I saw two youths insulting a woman wearing a PF t shirt and nobody raised s voice to defend this poor woman. I took it upon myself knowing how risk it was, to reason with them. How can you fight scandal with a group that has at one time or another been involved in scandal? Ba Linda Kasonde and your friends why have you kept quiet on certain appointments?
Come on sean, why does your article sound to me like you are begging for sympathy? You realise that it is a lone fight. Why do you need help?
Zip it and welcome to reality.
Surprise! All of you, the opposition demagogues, the fake civil society and; the university and college duped youths smear campaigned against the PF and got us here. I am surprised that you’re just waking out of slumber this time. One thing I can tell you is that an ideal Government ni beans. There’s no. Zeris no. Ouch! Barely a couple of weeks, you condemn? Wait! Is it Political Parties or some System of Governance that is corrupt?
Good Lord, Sean is literally begging.
Civil liberty groups and the church are trying to figure out the monster we have in Government.
Heading and content complete mismatch. By illegal you mean the ministries are not ratified by parliament. Leadership is had and sometimes competing positions clash – that will be the reason why he delayed naming his cabinet. But there was pressure to name cabinet. I am sure when he got the legal opinion he went ahead and named cabinet but those with new Ministries do not need to report to work until parliament ratified them.
Sean Tembo was opposition on the side of PF – a new trend in Zambia. He once tried to demonstrate against PF government , one beating converted him to their supporters. There is time and space to criticise , for now he is not making sense. He is being abusive and unreasonable. What constitutes cattle mentality? He needs to exhaust that debate so we understand…
What Sean Tembo should know is that no one is perfect including him. It is alleged that Sean Tembo fled from Botswana where he is still wanted for fraud. When u live in a Glass House don’t throw stones. To be warned is to be forewarned. The writing is on the wall.
OMG, you call Sean Tembo a politician the embezzler, the Botswana government is waiting for him.
Don’t be misled by Sean Tembo he talks of his found freedom, has he forgotten about POA, he was clobbered by PF cadres why didn’t he talk about his constitutional right?
He is full of Makaka!
Bally is fixing everything and don’t worry build yoyr political career bitter man and we shall meet in 2026 with much anticipated zeroes.
Zambians are not fools, talk about what you want to do when voted in power not attacking HH, learn from failed politicians GBM, CK and C Banda.
Zambia Forward!
OMG, you call Sean Tembo a politician the embezzler, the Botswana government is waiting for him.
Don’t be misled by Sean Tembo he talks of his found freedom, has he forgotten about POA, he was clobbered by PF cadres why didn’t he talk about his constitutional right?
He is full of Makaka!
Bally is fixing everything and don’t worry build yoyr political career bitter man and we shall meet in 2026 with much anticipated zeroes.
Zambians are not fools, talk about what you want to do when voted in power not attacking HH, learn from failed politicians GBM, CK and C Banda.
Zambia Forward 2031!
F****k LT you suck, how come my comment is on moderation sucker!?
Tembo says half the cabinet is scandal-ridden. I read on up to the end and couldn’t see Tembo’s evidence of the scandals associated with 1/2 of HH’s cabinet. Some say this is a great way to offer checks and balances. On UPND violence, this was reactive violence after some of their members were killed by the PF that they decided that enough was enough. Tembo’s own faults are writ large such as his objection to singing songs in languages other than Nyanja and Bemba at the inauguration ceremony. Should I state the obvious: neither Nyanja nor Bemba are native languages to Lusaka.
Misleading headline, there is no mention of who was involved in the scandals and what scandals they were. Such information would have made the article more credible but as it is, i think it is sour grapes that you have Mr Tembo
SHANI MBOTE IS A SCANDAL RIDDEN CROOK WHO RAN AWAY FROM BOTSWANA AS REPORTED BY ONLINE PUBLICATIONS YET HE TOO WAS VYING FOR THE PRESIDENCY. IF HE ALLEGES THAT SOME NGO LEADERS SUPPORTED UPND, WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO BLATANTLY SUPPORTED PF SUCH AS NTEWEWEWE, DEFENDERS OF DEMOCRACY, CHRISTIANS FOR LUNGU, PRESIDENTIAL EMPOWERMENT FUND, ETC.?
Just watching. Yes no volume from the record player.
“Half of the Cabinet appointed is Scandal-Ridden”. Name them. This is not criticism Ba Tembo. This is yapping, spewing nonsense daily.
“Half of the Cabinet appointed is Scandal-Ridden” Name them!! This is not criticism Ba Tembo. Its what we call yapping.
Sean Tembo thinks that he is so clever that he just has to be president of Zambia one day because everyone who has been president is not as clever as himself. Yet here’s a man who fails to recognize that our statehood as Zambia was birthed at gunpoint by colonialists and that every president has a duty to make this experiment work or else Zambia falls to pieces.
VERY FEW IN THE UPPER ECHELONS OF SOCIETY ARE NOT SCANDAL RIDDEN
SO HE CHOSE THE BEST OF A BAD BUNCH I RECKON
GET OVER IT TEMBO
Try to make your ‘checks and balances’ not to be personal or pure tribal laced Tembo…be objective. I doubt people are ‘attacking you’ because you are making objective checks and balances it is because your statements are coming out as personal attacks with a veneer of tribal hate.
Be factual, not like Mr. know it all genius with an axe to grind for your pathetic performance, whereby even the total tally of rejected ballots cast surpassed those cast for yourself. Consider taking a few weeks to regroup, analyze and sincerely study the new administration in that time.
We all know your are a fraudster who is on the run from Botswana for having obtained illegal pecuniary gain from the Government of Botswana. You too are tainted with scandal unfit for public office.
Yes if the same ministers were appointed by Lungu then they would have been called thieves…now since it’s HH who appointed them then they’re all saints…no wonder we don’t develop in Africa….being ruled by the same corrupt thieves they just keep changing colors…..from green to yellow
I sense knee-jerk reaction from some quarters because ST is using the same techniques of alternative facts which got them where they are. Most bullies turn out to be the biggest cowards when it comes to testing their own medicine. Presidents appointment people through consultation and recommendations. If indeed half of these appointments are scandal ridden then surely HH would be the beneficiary if he acted to address this concern? Let ST spill the beans because we are tired of broken promises by people who don’t mean well.
LAZ, civil society, the church, prominent bishops, nowadays volume zeris no. Deafening silence.
Bamudala ba shonga is waiting for a ka something from state house.
Sean Tembo, just accept it, your so called “checks & Balances” has backfired, because of the way you approached it. Had you raised issues after 3 months (90days), you would have won support from many of us. You cant be attacking HH, 2 days after being sworn in and claim you are doing “checks & Balances”. Give HH & his team time to settle in their positions, once they bring up policies and laws, that is when you can raise your finger. BTW – Checks & Balances are done in Parley and NOT on FB or Lusakatimes. In Lungu`s era, the only checks & balances you provided were against HH, literally, you never stood up against ECL/Lungu. So stop lying that you fought for freedom. You didnt. HH has given you the freedom you are now abusing
In fact Sean Tembo said publicly that in the event of a re-run of the presidential election, his party was going to throw its weight behind Lungu and his PF. Ditto Fred M’membe. Most voters asked themselves wht mortal sin HH had committed against both M’membe and Tembo and decided that their vote was HH’s.
ST , Tiyali reloaded……..
These are people who want to make a name for themselves making noise on SM having failed every where else…….
Infact they can’t survive anywhere else in the real world with this kind of
” checks and balances ” as they like to call it……..
In any developed country failures in life like these are not given time of day……..
Sean Tembo = empty vessel making most noise. If he has nothing to say, he shouldn’t say it. Don’t insult the freedom of expression.
Sean Tembo leads a party with no recognised executive. That’s why he publishes un-refined and un-developed statements. He has no one to bounce off his thoughts before releasing them to the public. He doesn’t realise just how parochial accountancy training is to understanding matters of state if it’s not backed up by relevant reading from other branches of social science.
Way to go Mr Sean Tembo. But don’t be generic like HH’s speech when opening parliament. You mention that your freedom is enshrined in the Constitution, therefore do not fear, just name this scandalous ministers to comprehend your headline. Be like Sata who was straight to the point. I can help with a few names. For instance I know of Felix Mutati who was in the previous government but now a hero, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane who was at the center of many financial issues under RB’s government when he was Finance Minister, Frank Tayali when he was at Indeni and at DEC, just to mention a few. So you can categorically state their names and what they did your article to have any relevance or else you may end up like Mr Chama Chakomboka
Sean Tembo where’s the evidence of scandals in this article ? Useless waste of space.
Mbulutati @ 27, that’s the way it should be. But will Sean Tembo learn?
For all you HH supporters, Sean Tembo is simply advising you not to be narrow minded and support the present government blindly. All politicians including HH are not saints. Learn from history, otherwise its only bound to repeat its self. Keep it up Sean T!!!
Sean Tembo got less than 0.0001% of the votes in last months election, and clearly the grapes are very sour. You say that half the cabinet is scandal ridden, BUT YOU DON’T NAME THEM. Until you do, I have no qualms to call you a COWARD!
Oh please LT get rid of this stup!d moderation stuff! There is no more Edgar China Lungu to put you in JAIL!
Sean Tembo got less than 0.0001% of the votes in last months election, and clearly the grapes are very sour. You say that half the cabinet is scandal ridden, BUT YOU DON’T NAME THEM. Until you do, I have no qualms to call you a C0WARD!
ST, you surely know empty barrels make the loudest noise. Those people are like vultures. They are patiently waiting to be appointed. When HH finishes with all appointments and they come to realise they have been left out, they will pounch on him like a ton of concrete. Don’t beg anyone to talk now, they will be back in opposition with a vengeance. That’s when HH will loose it and become a dictator like his predecessors. We all know that new presidents preach democracy this and that at the beginning but is never followed through. Nothing good will come out of 90% this crop of ministers. It’s a fact awaiting to be proven wrong.
No facts, figures, dates, evidence, no substantive arguments. These are the people who, when policies start being produced and implemented will just say “it is a bad policy” without motivation or any analysis. No substance, just yappety yap yap yap. You sound so bitter, like a f00l dancing and shouting to be noticed. Get over it bitter sir.
Mr. Tembo Hats for your consistence indeed. This strange phenomenon that you have pointed out is very evident. We now have the so called majority who are mute to the misgivings of the current Govt for whatever reason. John Sangwa has been the exception he has voiced out whenever there was what was seemingly a misgiving on the part of the current Govt. Indeed where are the so called NGOs to provide the checks and balances. The fact that HH had so much votes does not necessarily mean that he may do well economically. He has to prove himself he may as well turn out to be more brutal than his predecessors. We need to be level headed, we cannot afford to give any individual a blank check to rule this great nation. If our laws require that our leaders declare their assets why would anyone…
Sean you are a man, your checks and balances are genuine
Off my head, I can think of these three scandals: Situmbeko Musokwatane and the bicycle scandal and the 48 houses linked to his nephew at the Ministry of Finance; Frank Tayali at Indeni and the bribery scandal at DEC; Mwiimbu and his house in the infamous Forest 27. There could be more that ST knows about.
Sean Zero Tembo is still talking, I heard a woman in Chongwe told his child that uzasila monga Sean Tembo ngati suli careful
So you wanna tell us that the writer Sean Tembo himself is totally free of any scandals and sins of omission?
Sean don’t be discouraged, keep on providing checks and balances.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”
Dont pursuade us to see wrongs and start judging so soon.
We have our own minds and we can see a wrong where there is one.
With the new givernment its so far so good.
Very soon Sean Tembo will have a large following because he appears to be the man of the game, compared to those politicians who are ukwalolo mwela eko twalola,.
Politicians need to be strong in what they believe in c, in principals than running or jumping from one political party to the next like Masebo, Dorah , Mutati and the crafty Musokotwane who want to sell Zambia on a song like he did during Mwanawasa and RB all these are finished politicians whose interest is just to make money through shoddy deals which doesn’t benefit Zambians in general.
Man doesn’t know what “checks and balances” means. It doesn’t mean daily commentary about everything. People are ignoring you because you are losing any remnants of relevance you had. You are speaking and criticizing faster than the entire government has said anything combined. At this rate, even people in your household will stop reading your garbage.
Man has literally been in the office for 2 weeks and you want us to believe he has made more crime than the entire 10 years of PF’s rule? C’mon now!
Please provide evidence of half the cabinet scandals… it’s this type of sensationalism that will make most neutral people not take you seriously. Only HH haters will rejoice in your rumblings.
Its laughable that Sean is talking about Freedom of Expression yes its there enshrined in our constitution even during Lazy Lungu’s oppressive regime but remember he was mute even when his cadres in the name of Paul Moonga clobbered him…you went silent after that maybe they threw you a bone. Why dont you revisit that case since you went to hospital and the Police …the docket is still open?
Good piece and objectively put together Sean Tembo. You are now catching our attention with your party.
But Sean first report to the Botswana government to answer you case! You want to portray other as being corrupt, as someone else has said people in glass house should not throw stones!.
Why do you not give 100 days to HH led government? Like the rest of ge world? The people have spoken through the vote! too bad they did not vote for you to be in government!
If this government fails to prove their corruption mantra used to campaign on and win elections point fingers at the previous government, people will conclude that they deceived the nation to get into power. So Sean is justified to question them as well. The current goodwill will disappear overnight. Mind you everyone is waiting to see if promises made will be delivered. This was not a revolution, just an opportunity to see if you will do as you said.
Do we have an extradition treaty with Botswana?
Criminals that give a bad name to our Country must not have the freedom to yap around.
SEAN GO AND CLEAR YOUR NAME OR UPND WILL HAVE TO HAND YOU OVER THEN WE CAN TALK.
Its a new dawn – you are welcome to take a ride baby.
Yaba! Ba Sean Zero Tembo nabo
Tondolo yawamako. The reason you scored zero is because nobody wants to listen to you; like Kambwili
This author Sean Tembo = sour grapes. He lost biggly to HH now all he does is write petty articles with no substance,no evidence or logical flow its just yapping to be seen as relevant.
YOU have no right to point at a speck in Government wen you have a forest in your eye!!
Foolishness and checks and balances are two different things!!
So if you have evidence of scandals, lay it in the open or shut up!
It is a natural feeling to be bitter when the person you did not expect to win actually wins. I feel it several times in sports but obviously no need to hate. Checks and balances are good essential ingridients to Democray but this type of checks and balances do not add value, actually they destroy the essence of Opposition in the real sense. Hope Tembo and his supporters will one day come to terms, slow down and only criticise when it really matters. It will be a long way if you think of 5 years and probably 10 years.
We support your checks and balances but please name these people in case the President is not aware.
Shaun. Bravo you now drawing our attention. We can help you to name these scandalous ministers and including the incoming advisories. Musokotwane on zamtel, windfall tax. Masebo on land around ibex, funeral hearses. Tayali scandal at Indeni.
On H.E. himself the list is vast. Intercontinental of Livingstone. CEC scandal. And wait something people dont know is his Aflife, Metropolitan Life and capital markets. NHIMA contract to ZSIC Life then subcontracted to Muna Hantuba is a scandal of the highest order.
The following are his direct business partners that will replace one Valden Findlay. Bradford Machila, Muna Hantuba, Valentine Chitalu and Chief Mukuni. Citizens wake up and check these names at PACRA. More will come out.
Please, you die hard supporters of UPND, your blind loyalty will cost this government and country. Allow for constructive criticism it’s how people grow and develop. Attack the substance of what Sean says not his person. We allowed you the same in opposition. Now it’s time to work and fulfill promises made to the Zambians. You are not in opposition anymore, hold the new leadership to account. Otherwise this will be a short lived government. We all want them to succeed, it’s everyones government now so everyone’s business to monitor.
Those scorning Tembo that he go 0.001 percent of the vote should remember what happens during funerals. People will wait for the rich relatives to come before they make decisions on the burial arrangements. These people will ignore those without money but the moneyless people will be the one to organize the cleaning of the deceased, and actual interning of the body. They may not have money but they have what it takes to conclude a funeral successfully.
Mr Tembo my brother, we are not against checks and balances. It is about the substance and timing. Why do you think HH and the high ranking in UPND are not responding to your accusations. I am of the view they equate you to a cadre mentality in the Zambian context. In a way you fail to be effective as your input is considered asmere political noise.
@ 63 The capture. You are mentioning people’s names while hiding your true identity under some fake name and you want us to believe you. Come out in the open and report these people to the law enforcement agencies. The truth of the matter is that you are a PF sympathiser and you are bitter about the loss.
There are not checks and balances here just empty noise….