We have seen this before. The loudmouths, the insults, the reckless bravado. The culture of political impunity, where thugs masquerading as party loyalists become untouchable. The streets ruled by cadres, not laws. We lived through it, we suffered under it, and in 2021, we fought to end it.
Yet here we are, watching Why Me—a man who was detained for vulgar language and public insults—resurface, embraced by the opposition, emboldened once more. His crude outbursts might seem like entertainment to some, but for those who remember the PF era, they are a flashing red warning light. Because this is how it starts.
Caderism: The Nightmare We Voted Against
Not long ago, Zambia was a nation held hostage by its own political actors. If you spoke against the ruling party, you risked a beating. If you owned a business, you had to pay cadres just to operate. If you wore the wrong party regalia in the wrong place, you were inviting violence. Cadres weren’t just tolerated—they were empowered, feared, and above the law.
And now, we see traces of that same arrogance creeping back into our politics. The idea that some people can insult, intimidate, and disrupt without consequence. The slow normalization of disorder. The flirtation with chaos, disguised as political activism.
The Warning We Cannot Ignore
The question is not about Why Me as an individual—he is just a face, a symptom of a deeper disease. The real question is this: If PF were to return to power, would the door open once again to the era of cadres ruling the streets? Would Zambia find itself trapped in Part 2 of the violence, the beatings, the lawlessness?
History tells us that when societies tolerate the small fires of political thuggery, they soon find themselves engulfed in flames. We must not go back.
Never Again
2021 was a moment of reckoning. Zambians rejected caderism, not because they loved one party over another, but because they refused to be ruled by fear. That victory must be defended—not just at the ballot box, but in our collective refusal to allow the return of political disorder.
Why Me is not just one man—he is a reminder. And Zambia must remember why it chose to move forward, not backward.
Sadly, there are just as worse thugs in UPND like those we saw in PF, may be even worse. Sadly we learned nothing from that era. What grade did the writer reach? Where’s Lubinda in this story? Pa Zambia ubukopo. Kwati bamilowafye. Teti ulumbule umuntu pa title and not have them in the story. DOLTS.
If you listen to the insults from the so called Ichibokolo there’s no difference between the two. Instead of just arresting such unrepentants, they must be taken to psychiatrist for evaluation.
Who is that ugly boy in picture? He is too ugly to be connected to Lubinda.
Indeed we chose to move forward but somehow backward we slide
A well thought out article.Die-hard PF cadres like Dejafoool would really want to rub out that part of PF government madness.Trying to put a blame on a current government that is doing something about it by prosecuting and regulating.He is the one who pooped but is trying to smear it on someone else so he can accused the innocent as having pooped
As a matter of fact PF should also be charged for crimes against humanity for the many murders against humanity. The Killing of General Muliokela and Colonel Mweene. It looked like an accident but there should have been a proper inquest.
You did well to mention Given Lubinda in the title, thus reminds us of who supports Why Me.
The writer is on point! PF should have distanced itself from this madness.