Africa-Press – Zambia. When I saw the video of President Lungu trying to call someone who was not picking up his call, I felt sad for him. It reminded me of a politician friend who was fired a few years ago. I was intrigued at how bitterly he complained at the fact that his, once always ringing, phone was now silent. His words were – a whole day can now go by without this bloody phone ringing. No body wants to speak to me.
I thought then, as I did with President Lungu, that if not well managed, there can be no emptier life than that of a Zambian politician. You see, we are a nation that thinks nothing about being hangers on, pretenders, leeches. If someone is in a powerful or influential position, we can make him or her genuinely believe they are God’s deputy and our bestest friend.
That ability to convince those in power that they are responsible for the very oxygen we breathe, is matched only by our capacity to ditch them as soon as they are no longer in high office.
Ditch them in order to immediately latch on to the next powerful or otherwise useful person. The grinning and tail wagging never stops. Mulling over President Lungu’s video, I wondered who is to blame when a powerful person has people, who once seemed prepared to lie prostrate before them, treat them with such disdain.
Is it the formerly powerful person, or the former worshipper? I guess both. Being able to receive or give the exultation that should be reserved for only Zambian mothers and fathers in law is a deep character flaw.
Similarly, finding out that someone you thought was a friend, was only so because of your status in life, says something unflattering about you and them.
This, by the way, is different from falling out with someone. That happens. But for someone I thought was my friend, to not pick up my call because I am no longer at a certain house number, or me them…… I honestly don’t think it possible. Ummmm. I remembered something. But I will live it here.
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
