Opinion: [Alert] Remember to praise Edgar Lungu [especially on social media]

Well, if you are reading the Lusaka Times and other places of late. There are plenty of the people asking people to speak kindly of President Edgar Lungu and the Republic of Zambia. While this is happening, you can wonder; why do they do this?

Are the Patriotic Front of Lungu that weak and touchy, that it got to have self-praise in the social media and in the headlines at the newspapers? Can’t it stomach people addressing the problems of the Republic?

Well, we know that there reports of more that the state plans to ‘curb falsehood on social media’. That means revising the laws, so that people cannot say certain things on social media. This we have seen elsewhere.

We know that its on the plate of the government, as these two pieces are from the last few days:

Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has urged the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) and Police to bring to book people using social media to scandalize President Edgar Lungu and other innocent people” (Lusaka Times – ‘Lusambo wants ZICTA to arrest People Scandalising President Lungu on Social Media’ 20.10.2019).

President Edgar Lungu is disturbed by the continued abuse of social media by some unscrupulous individuals and institutions. Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Isaac Chipampe says the deliberate abuse of social media is tailored to divert people’s attention from various developmental works the government is undertaking” (Lusaka Times – ‘President Lungu disturbed by the continued abuse of social media’ 25.10.2019).

So, with all of this in mind. The state doesn’t want bad publicity, doesn’t want bad press. But what they really want is the image of what the PF see and what Edgar envisions on a daily basis. Because, no one should be malicious enough to question him or the actions of the PF or the President. No, no, not even if his making them indebted for centuries to the Chinese. If he doesn’t develop state institutions and only enriching himself and his cronies. No, no don’t say that online. That is all pure malice.

Don’t discuss the long hours of load-shedding, the crop failures and poor harvests and so on. Don’t dare discuss that and the lack of funds to import the needed food to supply the shortfall of production. No, no that makes the President looks dumb. Edgar cannot look dumb. His bloody brilliant, even when he trades the biggest jewels for short-sighted adventures and have hiccups with the repayment plan.

We cannot talk about that. The man is the wisest in the land. The man of the hour, of the day and of our life-time. Edgar Lungu to the rescue. Even if that means changing to Beijing time, eating spring-rolls and speaking mandarin to please the bill-collectors. They are calling and Chamillionaire wants his cut.

Well, Lungu better accept the stuff he has done. So, should the PF and all the cronies. If people are mocking him for it. He better accept that fate. Because, his making the republic drowning in debt. Lungu is not fixated in properly steering the economy nor developing properly. If he did, he wouldn’t have swallowed all of that debt without considering the implications of doing so.

That’s why his toyed with online and there will be more of that. Maybe not from his Republic. But the rest will know. We see you. Peace.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe: Press Statement on the Deliberations of the Monetary Police Committee (MPC) – (29.10.2019)

Zimbabwe: SHDA letter to Minister of Health and Child Care – Reference: Response to your letter reply to our letter regarding incapacitation at the hospitals dated 15 October 2019 (24.10.2019)

Zimbabwe: ZINARA – Re: Tollgate Exemption for Vehicles Carrying People to Various Centres Anti-Sanctions March (24.10.2019)

Zimbabwe: Sindura University of Science Education – Student Affairs Division – Re: Release of Students for the Anti-Sanctions Public Lecture and the Anti-Sanctions March (23.10.2019)

Zimbabwe: An Anti-Sanctions march intro oblivion…

“Whether something will come out it or not, our voice as SADC will be heard” – President Emmerson Mnangagwa

The Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) Anti-Sanctions marches are scheduled for the 25th October 2019. What has been stunning in the process is how organizers and ministers has entangled a web of weird acts. This has all been deliberate to get stunning numbers of people on the streets to march on behalf of the needs of private individuals, whose happen to be sanctioned by United States government.

However, they have targeted students and people who are studying for their exams O’ and A’ Level of Public Examination. That is happening on the 25th October 2019, the day that has proclaimed a public holiday. Meaning, that the rest of the public civil servants and others are free to attend, but these has to be left behind together with the lectures and teachers whose in-charge of holding the exams that day.

While the government has already asked all kinds of civil servants to attend and asked for their participation. They are all expected to go to the streets and defend cause. Not by will, but by orders and patriotic loyalty to the government.

We know the state are doing whatever they can do to get people to attend. There are even free trains to Harare on that day so people from Mutare and Bulawayo can attend it. The ZUPCO buses will also ferry people to the marches and not take their usual fee. Because, the state has to make perks for people to attend this.

To top it off, the government has asked farmers to donate fuel for the marches too. There is nothing in their way to exercise this march. Every avenue and part of the state is involved. To make it as big as possible. However, what the Youth League says about is damning and shows the true intent of the matter.

The ZANU-PF Youth League statement on the 21st October 2019:

“Addressing a media briefing, Cde Pupurai, said we are exposing our hypocrisy as a party, MDC demonstrations were barred citing that the environment is not conducive to hold demos, why are we doing it now? We are wasting millions of dollars on useless March instead of channelling those resources to providing clean water to the citizens. However the ZANU PF youth will stand for what is right for our country and our children. The revolution and our victory will be defended and no one will be allowed to tamper with it,” said Cde Togarepi. Cde Pupurai said while the constitution allowed peaceful protests, it also granted citizens the right to defend themselves against corrupt elements who have brought our beautiful country to its knees. Cde Pupurai said the March is nothing, but gimmick to cover up their corrupt tendencies. He said ZANU PF party had been hijacked by selfish individuals who want to die and leave our country destroyed” (ZANU-PF Youth League, 21.10.2019).

We cannot expect brilliance from the ZANU-PF, but there is some dim hope, as the Youth League at least has some sense in this manner. But don’t expect the President nor his associates to care about that. They are eating and plenty of it. They need a show to show force and strength, that they cause is golden. Just as the MDC are banned from showing up and demonstrate against it. Peace.

Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association – Press Conference (21.10.2019)

Zimbabwe: Press Statement by ZGC on Allegations that the Commission recomended a Dress Code Policy for Tertiary Institutions (21.10.2019)

Zimbabwe: Statement by the Ministry of Health and Child Care on the Privacy of the Patients in Hospitals (19.10.2019)

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) letter to Movement of Democratic Change (MDC) – Re: Notification of a Demonstration on 24 October 2019 (18.10.2019)