UPND EXPULSIONS CONFIRMS HICHILEMA’S INABILITY TO TAKE CRITICISM
Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND have expelled two party officials over what the UPND spokesperson and Minister of Information and Media, Mr Cornelius Mweetwa defined as “…using social media to launch attacks against the party”.
The expelled individuals are Mr Kebby Sikangila, a councilor for Kafue’s Chisankane Ward, and Mr Frazer Moonde, a member of the UPND National Management Committee (NMC).
According to Mr Mweetwa, the alleged transgressions, which earned the duo a kick from the party were that, Mr Sikangila had described the UPND as a “useless party”, while Mr Moonde called on members to rise against the leadership.
This is very unfortunate. This level of intolerance and heavy-handedness is dangerous, especially that its emanating from a party that prides itself as a liberal democratic formation. However, we are not surprised because such draconian measures corroborate with what we have been saying about Mr Hichilema as a person, and as a leader, and also about how he hates criticism, correction and cohesion. Mr Hichilema is a very strange human being! He only takes praise and adoration, and nothing else. It also validates our perspective that Mr Hichilema is prepared to do whatever it takes to annihilate and destroy anybody that is unwilling to be his bootlicker or praise singer.
There has never been a time in our country’s history that citizens and natural life has been so disheartening on account of having a leader who is intolerant, self-centered, arrogant and full of pride. Indeed, never have citizens seen our country driven to the cliff-hanger by a leader who only sees himself and his personal interests first, in everything that he does. There is no leader or administration that has desecrated the presidency or the leadership of this country with such pettiness, pride and intolerance like Mr Hichilema and the UPND have done so far.
We have never faced a shameless leader and regime that is resolved to govern through intimidation, and instilling fear in everybody including their own party members, who not so long ago risked and sacrificed for them to be where they are today. A leader and regime that is determined to pursue, gag and choke everybody, under the guise of safeguarding peace, discipline and order.
Like we have said before, under Mr Hichilema and the UPND, dictatorship has returned to Zambia with revenge.
Certainly, we have a regime that has calculated to suppress free political expression to prevent both their own party members, opponents and private citizens from holding them to account. Mr Hichilema is increasingly getting desperate because he has seen those droves of citizens, including UPND members, who are very frustrated and disgruntled, and have no faith, trust and confidence in his leadership. They can no longer manipulate and deceive the people, so, they want to dodge responsibility by silencing political rivals, UPND members and citizens through victimization, pettiness and intolerance. But this won’t work.
This government poses the greatest danger to the rights, freedoms and existence of citizens, including their own party members.
Our message to all citizens of this country, especially the frustrated and disappointed UPND membership is that Mr Hichilema and his government are not with the people. And logically, the people are also not with them. We are the people, who wield the real power and form the majority. So, we have the whole lot of what it takes to command the direction of our country.
We must not allow Mr Hichilema and his league to alter our lives with his pettiness, injustice, intolerance and victimization. Let us be peaceful in resistance but at the same time, we should not allow ourselves to be domesticated by a self-centered leadership that has failed by all standards.
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party
UPND EXPULSIONS CONFIRMS HICHILEMA’S INABILITY TO TAKE CRITICISM
