Socialist Party Zambia – Page 3 – Socialist Party Zambia

Hichilema and his paranoid clique Featured

September 18, 2023 by Socialist Party Zambia in Opinions

The video circulating online showing Mr Mtolo Phiri, the Minister of Agriculture, issuing reckless threats over the FISP programme is most unfortunate and dangerous.

In the video, Mr Phiri is seen urging people to report anyone heard talking about the FISP programme in unfavourable terms to the police so that such people could get arrested.

But why must people be threatened with arrests by the government when they have a right to protest or complain against the authorities over the many issues causing them untold suffering and hardship? Why should government accuse citizens of attempting to “bring war” as Mr Phiri puts it, for merely debating or discussing an agricultural programme?

Why is it that threats of arrests, detention, treason, sedition and so on and so forth, has become the best defence for Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s government whenever it’s challenged or called to be accountable for its policies and actions?

Clearly, this corrupt puppet regime, which is headed by Mr Hichilema, does not want to be held accountable for its failures, crimes and abuses in the way they’re running the country. They want to have a free reign to do what they want and to have their own interests safeguarded without any distractions. They’re allergic to health political discourse and contestation of ideas for the benefit of our country and it’s people.

Going by their record so far, Mr Hichilema and his league have no intention whatsoever to change their minds about the wrong policies and notions they hold about the country, it’s people and it’s future. It’s evident that these are not true liberal democrats. They’re just quacks and ignorant democrats who wrongly believe that they have a moral responsibility to do what is necessary and best for themselves in order to perpetuate their greedy political agenda, even if it means going against the law and the Constitution. Theirs is an agenda to satisfy themselves first and foremost, and then the people and the country later through a little bit of trickle down approaches. They’re pretentious gluttons who are not even fully aware of the extent and consequences of the problems they’re creating, the unnecessary difficulties they are our people, especially the poor, through.

However, we are glad that the pretense or claim of being liberal democrats to the core is rapidly peeling away off. As evidenced by the constant threats of interrogation, arrest and detention by the police, they keep making each time their ideas or policies are challenged.

This regime has shown that whenever Mr Hichilema and his league are roasted for their own lies, deceit and lack of delivery; the police and prison cells are the best response they are able to provide. They have created a culture of hiding their inefficiencies in the abuse of the police. It’s obvious that they’re not people who fully grasp political debate or are willing to exchange ideas and later on find solutions to problems currently facing the country.

And we are getting more and more convinced each day that if they’re not careful, this regime will soon become a killing machine. What is even more dangerous about them is their reckless disregard for the law and the haste to make clowns of themselves through the unprecedented and predictable abuse of law enforcement, especially the police. They have weaponised the police in order to silence critical voices. They have literally criminalised dissent so that they’re not scrutinised or challenged.

They have anchored their political survival and influence on the abuse of the police and other law enforcement agencies. No wonder they’re not ashamed to use the police in prescribing the most unreasonable and ridiculous charges against the critics they don’t like. Their goal is to silence the critics through brutality, vindictiveness and pettiness.

But it will backfire badly in the end, especially if they don’t grasp the reality that power has limits too. Mr Hichilema and his league must realise that there has never been a regime in history that remained afloat through heavy reliance on the abuse of the police and the criminal justice system. People have always resisted these kinds of abuses in the long run and have always voted against such leadership.

It’s important for Mr Hichilema to know that as long as we don’t know where the country is heading and our people’s livelihood continue to deteriorate owing to their puppet and pro imperialist policies, we shall not keep quiet about the situation.

We understand the panic and fear in them. We also understand the pressure and confusion that is raging in this regime as it continues to push its disastrous policies but we urge them to be careful in the manner they are taking advantage of state systems and institutions.

Otherwise, they may go down in history as the worst government to have ruled this country. This is a possibility they are faced with today. The decision is theirs to take and we are not afraid of them. And we remind them: the exercise of power must be a constant practice of self limitation and modesty.

Fred M’membe

President of the Socialist Party

They have openly declared us their enemies Featured

September 18, 2023 by Socialist Party Zambia in Opinions

Minister of Justice Mulambo Haimbe has openly declared the Socialist Party and the PF as their enemies.

What does this mean? What does being their enemy entail? Why are we their enemies?

We thought we were simply competitors in what is supposed to be a competition to serve our people and the country, and not enemies who should be crushed, annihilated or utterly destroyed.

But Mr Haimbe’s declaration explains why we are treated the way we are being treated. It explains why lately, immigration officers at KKIA have had to seek permission from higher authorities to clear me to proceed to board the aircraft and fly out each time I’m traveling. Indeed, only enemies can be treated this way.

If any one had doubts, Mr Haimbe has plainly and truthfully explained why we are being given the treatment that is only fit for enemies – because we are enemies.

In fact, as we get closer to their departure from office in 2026, we expect worse treatment from them than we are currently receiving.

They’re stuck. They’re confused. They’re desperate. And anybody who calls them out on their lies, deceit and failures is considered an enemy deserving all manner of intimidation and threats that they are capable of silencing or locking up anyone that does not comply or agree with them.

Clearly, they don’t like us; they hate us and are ready to harm us. What type of democrats are these? What type of Christians are these? Because Jesus doesn’t allow us to be that way. In fact, He said we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Mt 5:44).

For us, we shall continue our struggle against poverty, injustice and inequality with love, compassion, respect and patriotism.

Mr Hichilema, Mr Haimbe and the UPND will never be our enemies. They shall remain our competitors until they’re defeated because we have a conscience and we look at things differently from the way they do. Zambia is bigger than all of us and there is absolutely no reason for political contestation to turn into enmity.

Fred M’membe

President of the Socialist Party

Only Socialism can help us eradicate extreme poverty Featured

September 12, 2023 by Socialist Party Zambia in Opinions

Mr Hakainde Hichilema is leading a huge delegation to China. Let them see and understand what socialism with Chinese characteristics has achieved in all areas of human endeavour for the Chinese people and all humanity.

Today in most of our poor countries poverty looks intractable – impossible to end.

In our time it is only China that has truly managed to eradicate extreme poverty. And it is important to try to understand how and why China managed to achieve it.

As Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research aptly put it,

China’s achievement “is neither a miracle nor a coincidence, but rather a testament to its socialist commitment”.

It is a result of the socialist work that has gone on in the country since 1949. It is a product of the work of the Communist Party of China’s targeted poverty alleviation campaign that took place under President Xi Jinping, which included the participation of 800,000 cadres in surveys carried out in 2014, the dispatching of three million cadres who went to live in poor villages for at least two years, and the 1,800 cadres who died during the fight against poverty.

This enormous transformation, led by the CPC, re-established the party’s moral authority and brought the issue of socialism and social justice to the centre of Chinese poverty eradication discussions. It drew from the campaign-style governance of the Mao Zedong era.

The programme created a new rural infrastructure to eradicate extreme poverty that included raising to a very high level the participation of villagers in public affairs through their village committees.

Clearly, it is the principle of socialism and the socialist infrastructure – especially the CPC – that enabled China to eradicate extreme poverty. It will therefore be very difficult for the Chinese path to extreme poverty eradication to be seen as a model to be adopted by other countries unless these countries also ground their programmes on a socialist footing.

Extreme poverty in China was not eradicated by cash transfer schemes, it was eradicated by a socialist commitment to take ideas, such as dignity, and realise them in the world. It is socialism and only socialism that can help us eradicate extreme poverty.

We therefore urge Mr Hichilema to take advantage of this state visit and learn more about socialism so that he can understand us better and what our cause is all about.

Fred M’membe

President of the Socialist Party

The DPP is shielding the careless, rabble-rousing Inspector General of Police from prosecution Featured

September 12, 2023 by Socialist Party Zambia in Opinions

As we have repeatedly pointed out, it is a well-known fact that throughout history, those who administer or control the criminal justice system hold the power with the potential for abuse and tyranny.

Since all criminal prosecutions can only be carried out by them or with their consent, they choose who to prosecute or to exempt from prosecution. Their cadres, supporters, and all members of their league get away with many crimes.

Therefore, the exercise of power must be a constant practice of self-limitation and modesty.

Director of Public Prosecutions’ Mr Gilbert Phiri’s decision to reject our application to conduct prosecution in the matter involving the Inspector General of Police Mr Graphel Musamba is most unfortunate and an abuse of the judicial process.

Yesterday, September 11, the DPP wrote to us citing public interest considerations as the reason to deny our request to prosecute Mr Musamba.

This decision by Mr Phiri exposes inherent bias, not only of the DPP, but that of the Attorney General as well and their allegiance towards the UPND government and those it subsequently appoints to serve in public offices, like Mr Musamba.

The closeness of the DPP and the Attorney General to the UPND is not in dispute.

Public interest considerations are a product of a request by the Attorney General to the DPP.

In broader terms, what they are seeking is to protect both Mr Musamba and the Commander- in- Chief, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, who is the DPP’s former client by the way, from potential embarrassment after the Inspector General of Police’s misconduct.

Without a doubt, this decision is a calculated attempt meant to act as a “political shield” against the potentially embarrassing circumstances that Mr Musamba has found himself in.

We note that Mr Phiri’s reasoning is carefully couched in broad and undefined terms like “public interest”, which when carefully looked at may amount to nothing but serving political interests.

They are not saying that we have no good complaint against Mr Musamba. They are simply saying that in the “public interest” it will not be good for Mr Musamba to be prosecuted. But is it really in the “public interest” for Mr Musamba to criminally defame citizens with impunity? Isn’t this placing themselves above the reach of the law?

At the same time, the DPP is, without reservations or public interest considerations, prosecuting all those who are believed to have defamed members of their league.

We are being prosecuted for defaming Deputy Inspector General of Police In-Charge of Operations Mr Milner Muyambango, but we cannot be allowed to prosecute the IG for defaming us? Is there fairness, justice in this?

Ms Saboi Imboela is being prosecuted by the DPP for defaming a State House assistant, Mr Clayson Hamasaka. Mr Munir Zulu is being prosecuted by the DPP for defaming some ministers.

This is how they are abusing their administration of the criminal justice system.

What are our options?

Fred M’membe

President of the Socialist Party

Hichilema must address the cost ot living before it’s too late Featured

September 11, 2023 by Socialist Party Zambia in Opinions

We welcome the bold, confident and honest observation from the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) on the cries of the general public regarding the continued increase in the cost of living in the country.

Last week, CCZ General Secretary Fr Joseph Chikoya issued a statement in which he said, among other things, that the 15 percent price increase of fuel will adversely affect the most vulnerable, especially low-income citizens, who are already grappling with the high cost of essential commodities, such as mealie meal, cooking oil and increased transport costs.

Fr Chikoya called for urgent interventions to be made to help cushion the lives of the most vulnerable Zambians by providing policy directions that will see a more manageable cost of living. He further noted that the cries of the general public were genuine and deserved the government’s urgent attention.

We agree with the Council of Churches in Zambia’s reflections on the prevailing hardship in the country, and we are deeply concerned about the impact of the cost of living, particularly on families and communities. The rapidly increasing price of essential commodities and services is causing severe challenges for our people.

They are already poorly paid and this, coupled with the unstable and ever escalating price of essential commodities and services, is melting their incomes at a very fast rate. In essence, the poor and vulnerable, who are the majority of our population, are suffering a double punishment from Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s corrupt puppet regime’s directionless and anti-poor policies.

Many of our people today are struggling to meet the rising cost of literally everything, especially mealie meal. There is no doubt that the increase in the cost of living is also having a huge impact on consumption patterns. And this situation is negatively affecting most families. It is making once decent families resort to formulating desperate coping strategies to make ends meet that in the long run ends up destroying them irretrievably.

The social crisis that many families in Zambia face today owing to the rapidly increasing and unbearable cost of living is; firstly, taking away their dignity and self-respect. And secondly, the unbearable cost of living and inability to provide is affecting the mental wellbeing of most family providers, which in extreme cases can lead to depression or death. It is becoming clearer each day that many families in our communities are unable to handle or deal with the continuing economic shock.

What is even more saddening, is that the interventions or efforts to address this desperate situation from Mr Hichilema and his corrupt puppet regime are highly disproportionate.

Instead of being desperate and in panic mode by holding staged public meetings in the urban constituencies of Lusaka, we advise Mr Hichilema to come up with workable interventions that will immediately assist the vulnerable to keep pace with the rapidly increasing cost of living. Additional rhetoric, lies, and promises of an egg, a potato, and so on – like he did at one of the public meetings last week – will not sort out the hunger and anger prevailing in most homes countrywide.

Let Mr Hichilema know that these low-level, pickpocket tricks he is attempting to fool our people with will not only backfire but will also fail to close the yawning gap of poverty and squalor that is increasing on a daily basis.

We therefore call for urgent action to help the suffering majority of this country before things get out of hand.

One bad term doesn’t deserve another, aleya!

Fred M’membe

President of the Socialist Party