{"id":19315,"date":"2022-03-28T20:06:08","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T20:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/isnt-edgar-lungu-entitled-to-an-opinion"},"modified":"2022-03-28T20:19:23","modified_gmt":"2022-03-28T20:19:23","slug":"isnt-edgar-lungu-entitled-to-an-opinion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/isnt-edgar-lungu-entitled-to-an-opinion","title":{"rendered":"Isn\u2019t Edgar Lungu entitled to an opinion?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Zambia. <\/strong><\/span>Why do we always seem to run for the hills at the sight of a jackal, mistaken for a lion? Are we so consumed by crises that we sometimes neglect to interrogate critical issues in our midst for political expediency?<\/p>\n

There is an acute shortage of drugs in health centers spread across the country. And the reaction from the state has been swift but furious. Disappointingly, it\u2019s been nothing but a diversionary of sorts. A few bureaucrats have been suspended for facilitating the employment of a radiographer, an act deemed illegal. Suddenly, the health minister uncovers a staggering number of non-existent rural health centers \u2013 supposedly created by the previous regime. Thanks to all manner of diversions, here we are talking about illegal health centers instead of drug shortages.<\/p>\n

This reaction by the health minister is totally unrelated to the crisis at hand. Let\u2019s jog our memory to pre \u2013 12th August 2021, doesn\u2019t this level of subterfuge ring a bell? That the President took it upon himself to spend an entire day at the health ministry speaks to the depth of the crisis. A cautious reminder: descent to failure is never sudden but gradual. At this rate, these mishaps and anthills will have morphed into a mountain, come the next election cycle. While 2024 may seem too far, fact is that the next election cycle will be a referendum on the governing party\u2019s record in power.<\/p>\n

Which reminds, Rupiah Banda\u2019s funeral was meant to provide a somber moment of reflection and unite the country, not until former President Edgar Lungu\u2019s verbal gaffe detonated a political hand grenade. Lungu\u2019s polite decision at the funeral gathering to accede to an interview \u2013 never mind the fact that he was ambushed by a journalist, elicited some consternation.<\/p>\n

Notwithstanding his calm demeanor and delivery, his response to a question regarding his views on the country\u2019s political temperature inadvertently pieced through the heart of the establishment. The rancor and epithets thrown in his way in the aftermath of his remarks smack of dishonesty if not hypocrisy. Put into context, whether Lungu was right or wrong in his responce is not the issue but the fact that we chastised him for his honesty is deeply troubling.<\/p>\n

His assessment that hypocrisy was slowly eating at Zambia\u2019s political fabric is an opinion to which he is entitled. For starters, the former President did not offer himself for an interview \u2013 a factor that makes it difficult to detect any ulterior motive in his remarks. To the contrary, he tried his utmost best to dodge the media so he could leave the spotlight to the incumbent President. Cornered, he volunteered an honest view \u2013 never mind whether we agree with him or not.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s mind boggling that we are lambasting him for raising a fundamental issue that has potential to erode national reconciliation and unity. What\u2019s so offensive about the big \u2018hypocrisy\u2019 remarks anyway? Shouldn\u2019t we be interrogating whether there is merit to his claim as opposed to shooting the messenger? Would our reaction have been any different if it was Nevers Mumba or Harry Kalaba that issued such a remark?<\/p>\n

Never mind the hate, are there extenuating circumstances that disqualify Lungu from commenting on issues of national importance? The challenge is that ours is a country in which we view critical issues through a narrow prism of partisan politics. The more things appear to change, the more they stay the same! It makes one wonder, aren\u2019t we conveniently ignoring the gist of Lungu\u2019s remarks for political expediency?<\/p>\n

If that were the case, there is a real risk that we could be missing out on an opportunity to address \u2018hypocrisy\u2019 which is the elephant in Zambia\u2019s political landscape. Just a thought.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Zambia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Zambia. Why do we always seem to run for the hills at the sight of a jackal, mistaken for a lion? Are we so consumed by crises that we sometimes neglect to interrogate critical issues in our midst for political expediency? There is an acute shortage of drugs in health centers spread across […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":19314,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6,8,16],"tags":[234,235,233],"class_list":["post-19315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-files","category-homepage-english","category-twitter","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-zambia","tag-zambia"],"yoast_head":"\nIsn\u2019t Edgar Lungu entitled to an opinion? - Zambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why do we always seem to run for the hills at the sight of a jackal, mistaken for a lion? 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