Africa-Press – Zambia. The raiding of Stopilla Sunzu and his household proves one thing; the HH administration lacks ubuntu. How else can Bally supporters explain such an embarrassing incident? Can wise Bally worshipers defend such actions? To make matters worse, you even term him Congolese. It is Bally’s Zambia!
When I first saw the headline, I thought this happened in France–so I concluded, it is racist. But upon reading it, I couldn’t come to terms–it happened in Zambia, the country he has proudly represented at the highest levels of soccer. After so many years of wearing Zambian colors, the UPND Dark Regime rewards him with social insults and humiliation. Is this what Bally worshipers meant when they shouted, “Bally will Fix it”?
It seems that President Hichilema’s Cabinet Ministers are out to prove who can beat a preschooler’s judgment. Like Patrick, stooge-like decisions make one wonder whether they are living in the Pineapple House under the sea, always waiting to hear what SpongeBob has to say next before they can embarrass themselves and the President. Why should the President fly to the DRC, meet its president, boast of the economic benefits of that visit to Zambians, and then claim one of your own national heroes is Congolese? Didn’t anyone in that Cabinet think this is bad PR? Or didn’t the Minister of Home Affairs, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, independently see the impact of such an action on the reputation of the President in the nation, and the world? It betrays all logic but not in the Bally country–it is the way of fixing it.
But the raiding of Sunzu borders on the violation of human rights. As Zambians, we have gotten used to law enforcement agencies abusing human rights. Our homes are private property which cannot be broken in without due process under the National Constitution. I am saddened that Human Rights organizations have not educated people of their rights on this issue. Unless under a State of Emergency or Warrant, as a Zambian, Sunzu was entitled to such rights. If the Court had granted a warrant for the raid, one would wonder why Sunzu was not given the dignity to hand himself in out of human decency. If the warrant was not issued, the raid was just illegal. Regardless, Sunzu has served Zambia all his life. Let’s say he is Congolese. He qualifies to be granted Zambian citizenship out of his service to the nation on humanitarian grounds. Which country on Earth would forget its greatest hero in the time of need? By undressing Sunzu, we have surely undressed ourselves!
It is appalling that Sunzu’s raid came during the Presidency of HH, the man who suffered similar situations during his time as opposition leader. One would have hoped that President Hichilema would be the first to ensure that such inhumane abuses are buried in the nation. If Sunzu can be said to be a foreigner, how many innocent Zambians have suffered the same fate under the corrupt immigration system? Xenophobia only bleeds violence, while immigration officials and the Police make millions from foreigners.
President HH must not forget that he vowed to protect all Zambians–not just UPND cadres. But one wonders how this could happen without proper investigations. Sunzu has been in Zambia for years. So why is the government claiming he is a foreigner now? Is this what we should expect from the HH administration? I am afraid I will be next–after all I am proud to be from Luapula where we proudly drink water from the Luapula river.
In the real world, the President would be firing the Minister of Home Affairs for this embarrassing incident. Immigration officials who were also involved in this incident must be fired–they are not above the law. Knowing how Zambia works, Sunzu was raided because he refused to bribe someone or he supported an opposition politician. Besides, under no circumstances would junior officers go to such a high profile personality like Sunzu without permission from above. So President HH must give us the explanation as to how, and why this incident occurred. Sunzu deserves an apology from the New Dark Regime!
As a nation, we need to stand up to this darkness that seems to cover our common humanity. We are losing ubuntu so fast and the Dark Regime is making us forget that we are not Zambians by belonging to the UPND, but to the beautiful nation which Sunzu made proud when he scored that winning penalty to lift the Africa Cup.
I mourned for Zambia when KK was declared stateless by the insecure FTJ Chiluba Regime. Today, I am ashamed to see Sunzu being called a Congolese by another insecure President! As for CAF and FIFA sanctions should he be declared Congolese by disgraced BallyCourts, only time will tell. A New Dark Regime indeed!
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