OCIDA WISHING ILL FOR THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE
14TH MARCH 2024
Even as I attempt to address a statement purportedly written by OCIDA and signed by His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Tresphore Mpundu to the American Ambassador to Zambia, His Excellency Michael Gonzales, I wish to make it clear from the outset that I exempt the signatory of this statement, Bishop Mpundu.
Given the advanced age of the Archbishop, it’s doubtful he would be so detailed and aware of the contexts and motives. We urge the authors of this letter to allow the Archbishop to rest and enjoy his retirement in peace.
The creators of this statement are well-known schemers and critics of President Hakainde Hichilema, and I dare say, critics of the Zambian people who have entrusted the President with the mandate to govern the country. They oppose peace, orderliness, and the rule of law, hence their spirited attempt to target and discredit the governance institutions and their leaders.
Even during the height of abuses under President Edgar Lungu, where many people were murdered and others maimed by state-sponsored political thugs and the police, including instances of targeting entire tribes, no one, neither OCIDA nor any civil society organizations, called for sanctions against Zambia.
The personal animosity towards President Hakainde Hichilema by the authors of this statement is deep-seated and reaching alarming proportions that threaten the peace of Zambia.
The document is a collection of falsehoods, generalizations, provides no specific evidence, and is utterly malicious.
The Zambian people are grappling with the burden of debt, having just emerged from a debilitating cholera outbreak, and are now facing the threat of hunger due to a severe drought. How can any rational individuals call for economic sanctions against a country already enduring so much?
Isn’t it coincidental that this OCIDA statement is emerging at a time when Zambia has been recognized by V-Dem as one of the top three democratizing countries in the world, following the autocratic rule of Edgar Lungu?
OCIDA must not drive this country into lawlessness by fostering division among its citizens. As they persist in their deceitful schemes, they should consider the importance of peaceful coexistence that Zambia has enjoyed since 1964.
Please set aside any personal animosity towards the President and consider the peace, unity, and future of this country. Your document, though shallow, serves as a precursor to dividing the nation. Stop dividing the people.
Clayson Hamasaka,
Communications Specialist
State House
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