By Miles B. Sampa,MP
Not sure which small chicken the big eagle from the sky intends to strike on but I have read this script or watched this baskop (movie) before. Seems our politics has a tendency to repeat itself.
2012 President Michael Sata-MCS (MHRIEP) was pushed by sycophants close to his office to ‘sort out’ not only some political opponents, but also some in the Judiciary that were seen to have been ‘bad seeds’ for one reason or another, real or perceived. MCS clenched his mighty fist and invited Judge Chikopa from Malawi to come and head a tribunal to ‘clean’ the justice system.
Turned out to be a big miscalculation made instantly and the tribunal hardly took off. It was interlocutary or preliminary submissions one after another before judge Chikopa tribunal could hear even one case. Soon there was injunctions upon injunctions against the tribunal and Judge Chikopa himself much to the annoyance of MCS and his inner circle. Then events over took events and mwine filimu (main actor) became ill and the rest is history.
10 years later we seem to have part 2 of the same movie now code named ‘Pungwa tasakamana’. The main Actor, inner circle but this time included in the annoyance with events out of the judiciary are the ‘praise & worship’ acappela singers. The corruption suspects and those in the judiciary percieved to be shielding them will be ‘sorted out by the pungwa’.
They will not see the mighty eagle land from the sky to lift them out of their comfort zones and take them above clouds (police cells or prison). The pungwa may actually have already landed on one political opponent uplifted from Lusaka through the skies to the prisons of Lukulu on the boarders of Angola. The Bird is that powerful and fact remains undisputed from past nest holders.
Yes all those suspected to have stolen from public coffers or were masters of corruption should be prosecuted without fear or favour. Those found guilty should be jailed actually so as to deter those in the current and future governments from engaging in the same vice at the expense of saving the majority poor and vulnerable in our society.
It is true that corruption in public service offices cannot be fought with kids gloves. Actually in some Asian countries, it is punishable by life or capital sentences.
Let’s however learn from history and not allow the corruption fight repeat itself in the negative way at the expense of majority well meaning Zambians and all arms of its government wings namely the Executve, Judiciary and Legislature.
Unlike ‘Mpali ‘on pay channel dstv, ‘pungwa tasakamana’ soap is showing free on ZNBC and I like many Zambians, are watching with keen interest to see how and if the eagle will capture the small chicks.
Ultimately Corruption must be defeated in Zambia and so far so bad since Independence in 1964.
Author is an MP for Matero Constituency and Chairman of APNAC (Africa Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption)
