This morning, we woke up to the following screaming headline in one of the daily tabloids, The Mast Newspapers – “HICHILEMA IS PERSECUTING BEMBAS, EASTERNERS” The headline was of course reinforced with a byline – using the courts and the police.
Ordinarily, if such sentiments were attributed to a lumpen or junkie from Chibolya, we’d have easily said, forgive them Oh Lord……for they don’t know what they are talking about; they’re probably high on ‘fwaka ya chingoni’ or inebriated with Chavuma water. But for such rationale to emanate from non-other than Sishuwa Sichuwa, a notable academician currently plying his trade at a prestigious citadel of knowledge such as South Africa’s Stellenbosch University is absolutely lurid, extremely flummoxing and definitely ludicrous!
Sishuwa Sichuwa, what has gotten hold of you? Are you smarting from the shock of seeing the opposition, particularly Fred M’membe’s Socialist Party lamentable failure to gain traction on our political landscape despite pumping in colossal sums of money from Socialist States and literally painting the country red with cheap party regalia and billboards?
Reacting to such assertions, Lusaka based prominent lawyer, Mcqueen Zaza opines as follows on his Facebook page, “Without a legal background, historical perspectives can misinterpret legal issues. In Zambia, individuals face court proceedings due to alleged crimes, not persecution based on province or tribe or politics. Let’s distinguish between criminal offences and political rhetoric.”
Zaza couldn’t have put it any better than this! There’s no way anyone in this country is going to be just randomly picked up by our competent ‘bwanas’ without any reasonable belief certain crimes have been committed; be it defamation of character, corruption, seditious practices, plunder of national resources, possession of proceeds of crime, hate speech, assault or indeed cyber-crimes.
In any case, why does this eminent historian fail to give practical examples of individuals being unjustifiably persecuted by the state?
As we all may be aware, most politicians either appearing in court or languishing in prison have been visited by the long arm of the law, which is of course blind to tribe, ethnicity, creed or race, after committing any of the said cases.
Examples abound; a fearless female opposition leader has been handed a suspended sentence for criminal libel, is she from the region Sishuwa refers to? A Zambian of Asian origin is currently in detention for brutally assaulting outspoken PF cadres FBI Mr. Ground and Chama America, is Bemba or Ngoni? And just in case we missed it, the so-called Bull Dozer has gone in for occasioning bodily injury on a helpless political opponent; we’ve no doubt everyone knows he’s neither Bemba nor Chewa! Mr. Binoculars is yet to have his day in court for seditious practices, while a former economic advisor to former President Edgar Lungu is currently appearing in court for corruption along with his family; they share the same province with Hichilema, God’s sake!
So, what the heck is Sichuwa ranting about? As President Hichilema would always love to remind us, when we steal, we don’t do it on behalf of the tribe or ethnic grouping; we’re on OUR OWN! Can we please just allow law enforcement authorities do their work without any encumbrances before we slowly slide into a Banana Republic.
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
Although a nepo model can be observed on the ground, all those jailed and facing jail have no clean hands and deserve what’s going on with them.
Let’s hope they are not being sponsored by “Zanu PF criminal enterprise.” During Lungu’s tenure, Zambia was being run from Harare. Lungu’s mentor Mugabe went to the extent of saying, if Lungu losses power then he his s t u p i d. What we are dealing with, now are the byproducts. We need to learn a lot from the Zanupf rigging, corruption, brutality, and killings, which is laced “liberation criminality.” Look at the instability in Mozambique and DRC. Zimbabwe has been turned into a “crime scene.” People are even afraid of being offered drinking water late alone meals because of poisoning. In fact, we need to suspend our membership of SADC or just have it disban it. It has become a circus.
Watch “WATCH LIVE: Mnangagwa rigs Namibia elections” on YouTube
But why are they unanimously from one region? Thieves dont reside in one creed
Kapinga should just zip up. Sishuwa Sishuwa is right. We are all seeing a tribal attrition of Bembas and Easterners. This government is out to tribalise Zambia. Look at all the accused arrested so far: they are from Bembaland and Eastern. My fellow Bembas please don’t retaliate now or in future because Zambia belongs to 72 tribes. The future lies with all 72 tribes-not any one tribe.
My wife is from Choma but right now she is in Chinsali leading a socialbusiness project and she is as Tonga as Hakainde. I won’t stand anyone hurting her. Touch her! Ala pakabe nkondo!
Some of us grew up on the copperbelt and chiefdoms played no role in our progress. We grew up with people whose tribes we did not know or ask about. Now we have leadership wanting to deliver us back to the Stone age!!
As KK said, if we want to progress we should march together with one heart. Tiyende pamodzi ndimtima umo.
If the PF had similarly persecuted the Southerners there would have been an outcry. People would be overtaking presidential convoys and other misbehaviours.
Pa ZED, these are the type of academicians we have, confused ones and wasted investments
Iwe when SS wrote such against the PF you called him a hero. SS is right…or maybe you have not read the article yet? Everything he’s said is correct. This government is ruthless.
Sishuwa Sishuwa is a marked man for calling a spade a spade. The judicial system should not serve as a blunt instrument for seeking revenge against the ruling party’s adversaries. Furthermore, appointing loyalists to key positions from specific regions undermines the principles of fairness, reducing others to mere tokenism.
With the aid of examples. Plse cite exactly what cases that Sishuwa could credibily be said to be accurate. Or else pls dont make noise. There is no truth in your statements.
Sishuwa for President!!!
A good academician is supposed to encourage integrity and credibility, but condemn stealing, corruption, to tribalism. But shishiwa seems at the top of defending and encouraging criminals
A good academician is supposed is suppose to stick to his trade. If not then he is not a good academician.
There so many academic journals that Sishuwa can write articles to. But those are peer reviewed. What is Sishuwa scared of? That his equally brilliant scholarly peers will tell him the truth? His discourse is really beneath someone with a PhD. An utter disgrace to the tribe called academicians.
#Hamulenga you never questioned him during the PF time, did you?
If you are what I think you are then you won’t see what Shishuwa is talking about. Let me venture in some appointments…Zaf and ZDF originally non what I think you are were appointed only to be replaced by what I think you are. Hate speach the who I think you are have called the non what I think you are but they have not been picked by police. If no WITYA have stolen it’s only fair that they face the law but so must the WITYA.
Stop smoking
Action speaks louder than words. We’re watching. If those that murdered Kungo were from the wrong region……. God Almighty please give justice for Kungo no matter how long it takes as his murderers are known. God Almighty please grant Mumbi Phiri a consent judgement worth millions of Kwacha
And no one from the current governors have mentioned it meaning there are two types of lives in zambia…Upnd valuable…. opposition… valueless.
Only when the tribal supremacists steal and get investigated…….
Ati tribal oppression……..
Theives will be investigated and prosecuted, no two ways about it………
Forwadee 2031
Yeas why hasn’t Mumbi Phiri been paid for wrongful detention yet UPND cadres have been paid? Should nt we conclude it’s because she is from the wrong province??
Shishuwa is lost on this one. No two ways about it.
Let him carrying teaching students
Not how we should run this country
I would rather read the scammers on here telling us how to turn a $$$ into millions
What did lungu tell us………
Out of 10 theives……..
7 of them……..
Shushuwa is against the investigations and Prosecutions of theives………
Forwadee 2031
No! He is against the investigation and Prosecutions of thieves from only one region. One eyed maintenance of the law. If we are all the same arrests should be made on those from Mazabuka those from Kabompo, those from Lundazi those from Mongu
Is Lungu god?
He told you not me
LT please bring Shishuwa’s article here we read and analyse what he wrote, what we have ny Mr Kaping’a is paraphrased to suit his opinion.
Nakulu, The article is very sober and rational with evidence to support his assertions. He is a scholar. He doesnt make statements without supporting evidence
Keep SS in the education sector NOT HERE
@Kapinga “In any case, why does this eminent historian fail to give practical examples of individuals being unjustifiably persecuted by the state?”
Read his article he has given examples.
I would also want to know why Nkombo was not arrested when he forced an illicit drink with 1000 percent alcohol down the throat of a Minor. The president looked the other way. When tribesmate Syakalima insulted Luapula people HH again looked the other way but now State House and police have very very very quickly announced that Police have instituted “investigations” into Sishuwa’s sentiments. And someone wants to say this government is non-tribal??
Kaping’a is a Jarabo masquerading as a social commentator who reacts without checking facts. The article has given all the factual details. In any case comparing the Professor’s standard to this Jarabo would be unfair to the Jarabo.
If you are defending Bembas you will be very quickly investigated. The moment Sishuwa sets foot in Zambia he will be led to Chimbokaila. And South Africa will lose a valued academic.
Kwena they have been fast. I wish they had been this fast in arresting the rogues who kidnapped those women found in Lusaka south. Oh I see. There was no UPND cadre among the captives!
The HaHas who are attacking SS haven’t even read the article….he has mentioned all the names of affected and none of these are to do with stealing. This thing called Kaping’a is not saying the truth. SS hasn’t mentioned scums like Lusambo but people who have been detained for expressing their rights.
Sishuwa we are tired of your rants! If you want to make a difference, step out of course your couch and get to work please:
Arrest the people who abducted JJBanda please who’s in control of the police???
Don’t forget the girls who were abducted… Romeo Upnd MP was implicated….. the girls were quickly indoctrinated and inducted in some service. Very amateurish.
Noo Sishuwa you are not our Spokesman. Do not try to stir tribal hatred . I am an Easterner and I have many relatives and friends from Eastern Province who do not share your sentiments.
Just like fake disgruntled jobless Umodzi Ku Mawa people you are trying to instigate hatred between easterners and UPND /Tongas. Stop it not all of us supported the thuggish aspects of PF rule neither did they share their looted wealth with us.
Leave Us Out of These cheap Politics of greed and envy.
You should also understand that ECLs nsengas are not the only tribe from eastern province.
TAKANA. FIGHT YOUR OWN BATTLES .WHEN WE HAD OUR OWN RB MOST OF YOU BETRAYED HIM AND JOINED THE PF THUGS.
LEAVE US OUT
Just shows our level of understanding in our country affairs
Praising this SS