Africa-Press – Zambia. Yesterday, a group of opposition political parties without representation in both the National Assembly and local Government met to address the nation on what they termed as falling democratic and civil space in the country under the reign of President Hakainde Hichilema and his UPND administration.
I followed (from my dear Samsung handset) the grand press briefing of the so called 8 opposition political parties that had been ably advertised the previous day and the presence of Awisi Tasila was of greater interest to me knowing how his brain switches off whenever he sees a microphone.
I knew that something interesting would come out. All the 8 led by my near politically extinct cousin Sakwiba Sikota of the ULP party spoke their lungs out.
I didn’t know that the man still exists politically because the last time he was ever mentioned was before 2011 when he was MP for Livingstone and had notoriously decided to lead a break away party from the UPND after a heavy intra party election defeat by current Republican President Hakainde Hichilema in 2006. Post 2011, the man was only in court as an Attorney. We wait for the Registrar of Societies to tell us whether the man is still an office bearer. Lol
Of course, the whole circus was about how the UPND and President Hichilema have shrunk the democratic space, how civil liberties had been ruined (story for another day), how the economy is badly performing without taking stock of the genesis of the bad economy (of course without offering solutions, typical of Zambian opposition political parties).
Awisi Tasila who was the star of the opera led the wailing mourners with the cream of Zambian media watching in awe. I got bored and immediately started watching the trailer for yesterday’s MPALI episode.
At least uncle Patrick’s theatrics with Tombi made some measurable sense than the comedy of errors the politicians were subjecting me to. But somehow, I was forced against my own will and conscious to check what else was happening at the presser.
My oh my: Moved by the courage of Ellen G White, a journalist from Hope TV, a Seventh Day Adventist Church run channel asked Awisi Tasila a very candid and direct question on the huge debt contraction in his seven years of rule (nothing to do with the number of years King Nebuchadnezzar ate grass) and how if still in power they would have dismantled the debt.
His response left me and of course the entire country (except his gullible supporters) wondering why God could have unjustly given us this man to rule over this beautiful land of work and joy for Seven unbroken years.
In the first place his speech was not audible enough as he continued spitting all over. I hope my cousin Saki did not get wet. Then the response did not only make me sit up onto the edge of my seat but I had to hold my mouth in my hands lest my heart could skip out.
In my heart, I said this is what I was waiting for. The real Edgar has been unleashed and has seen the branded microphones. The man literary failed to give even a basic response to the question apart from saying its not me who is in State House.
The man literary failed to grab that split second advantage to convince us the gullible critiques that we made a mistake to remove him from the sweet office as he had a masterplan.
But no, he goes ahead to reinforce a globally known position that he is incapacitated to make any sound economic recovery plan for the debt he contracted leaving the country at near bankruptcy.
I have always known that the man’s level of decency and shame was at ZERO but at least I thought he would do it for the camera. Aweh Mwandi! If Zambians want to continue politicking at the expense of economic recovery and stability, I present to you AWISI TASILA and the WAILERS.
No economic turn around plan, no debt restructuring plan, no economic diplomacy, completely nothing except being vulgar and temperamental. I then realized this group without any representation doesn’t mean well.
Ask them how they intend to reduce the price of fuel or stabilize the kwacha. No politics attached, just economic plans. But if it is economic recovery that Zambians want for now and the future, my biased advice is hanging onto Papa Hakainde Hichilema and his team.
Things might look gloomy for now with the cost of living, inflation and kwacha seemingly running away, there is hope of a better tomorrow because the team is working and has put fundamentals rightfully in their place.
Not all is rosy for now as some people expected, but the ray of light is visible in the horizon. Let us manage our expectations. It is darker before dawn.
The international community believes in us again. Mopani and KCM are starting to pay. Dollars will be on the streets soon again. FQM is back investing, Luanshya mine is coughing back to life after more than 20 years, a huge mine to open soon.
The Smelters on the Copperbelt will soon cough and KOPALA will become KOPALA again. The farmer is smiling with high maize prices and expectant of his bumper harvest.
Tanzania is buying maize at $500 per ton. The sun will soon shine on the land of work and joy. But trusting Awisi Tasila and his band of WAILERS to save this country from collapsing is trusting the Devil himself to rid the world of all sins.
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