Africa-Press – Zambia. If you know President HH, if you really love him, if you care for his life, then you must tell him one thing, work and live in one secure place. HH’s dangerous naivete may prove very costly to his life! When the Bemba said, Chimbwi afwile amantanganana (a hyna died by splitting itself on the crossroad), they meant it. Amidst the tumbling economy and people’s disappointment of unmet expectations, President HH is risking his life with his daily commute. He may have a mansion and boast of his billions, but he has only one life. He has a family too. Caesar’s last words, “Et tu, Brute?,” (You too, Brutus)” exists in political science for a reason; politics has no permanent friends. I was called names, but whoever thought Sishuwa Sishuwa would join Kapya Kaoma in calling out HH? In politics, your friends today will be your enemies tomorrow. If HH thinks all UPND politicians and Bally worshipers are forever locked in, he must think twice. Politicians and cadres switch sides like sex workers.
To him, everyone in UPND is a friend. Maybe yes. But UPND Presidential hopefuls are countless should HH be harmed today. What does the leaked audio and now the intercepted military communication say about the HH administration? Who doesn’t know that VP Nalumango is the weakest UPND candidate to replace HH should anything happen to him? (God forbid). She would definitely be the President of Zambia; but not the presidential Candidate in 2026 under the UPND ticket. She will be replaced or even be forced out of power should UPND MPs pass a vote of no confidence in her leadership and ask for early elections.
Aside from the fact that HH himself had claimed to had receive daily Intelligence briefings “before” President Lungu did in 2015, and his worshipers saw it as justified then, I found the arrest of Chilufya Tayali for saying “even soldiers are complaining” not only hypocritical but illogical. HH should be thankful to this joker for exposing the state of his military. What Tayali said is true–they are countless soldiers out there mad with President HH. Regardless of what Bally worshipers want to say, the truth is, the economy is hitting everyone badly. Soldiers are not immune to economic shocks simply because they have guns and pledge allegiance to Zambia. They don’t eat guns and bullets, but food. Yes, HH is Commander in Chief, but he does not command what those soldiers put on their family tables. Like every Zambian, soldiers are feeling it; the economy is bad. And since desperate times call for desperate actions, soldiers always read the national mood and act accordingly. We saw it in Zimbabwe, Sudan and other African countries. The fact that Zambia’s previous attempted coups failed should not deceive us into thinking it will never happen again.
As wasteful and immoral as they are, President Hichilema might love the glories of his daily motorcades, but they also increase the chances of being harmed. He must take a leaf from President Kaunda and President Chiuba whose tenures were threatened by military coup at the time of national economic hardships. What saved them is the fact that they were heavily protected; which is not the case with HH. If HH plans to commute daily until 2026, an attempt on his life from deranged military officers or any person is likely. All it would take is to “block-in” the President on the New Kasama road with two heavy trucks [one after the President has passed and another where he is going]. This would block the Presidential motorcade; exposing the President to harm. Reinforcements would demand bigger machineries to remove those trucks. Another problem is that New Kasama being a residential area, the chaotic situation from other motorists and residents would affect military responses. Should the deranged soldiers or individuals have access to the President, the military will have no room to respond. It will be a catch 22.
The President must understand that military coups are generally done by frustrated and drunk junior officers. Senior officials join in after they see the fruits of junior officers. When Mwamba Luchembe attempted the Coup, it was at the time of economic crisis. When Captain Solo attempted the coup, it was at the time of another economic crisis. Since President HH’s movements are now established, anyone can easily get him at any time. This is my big concern. The negative sentiments and disappointment with the failed promises of the HH administration are well known to the military. He might pay his Commanders big salaries, but ordinary soldiers are his biggest threat. These are the ones Tayali is talking about.
His daily commutes mean lapses in the security details as the personnel get familiar with the protocols and relax over time. Moreover, agents become open to manipulation and to study by bad actors. If the President thinks the military or the police would be providing the same high security as they did on day one, he must think twice. It is one thing to provide it once in a while, it is another to do it daily for 5 years. If the CIA has some lapses, what makes him believe his OP is capable of sustaining such protection? The only way to safeguard his life is to be unpredictable. Maybe he should have days when he works from his house, and when he works from the State House. But even then, his staff will be overused; again providing opportunities for wrong actors. I want to see him removed by the ballot and not the bullet. He is a family man.
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