HH Forgives The Lungu Regime
United Party for National Development (UPND) President , Hakainde Hichilema says he holds no grudge against the people who who had brutally arrested him and 5 others in a James Bond style operation on 10th April, 2017.
Delivering a spirited and emotional speech at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross ‘Thanks Giving’ event organized in his honour by City of Refuge overseer, Pastor Chileshe Kangwa, the buoyant and fresh looking Hichilema, in no uncertain terms made a key note speech highlighting a good number of issues pertaining to his release from prison and how he feels about the people who unfairly sent him to prison.
And in what most people would have expected to be a vengeful talk, Mr Hichilema instead took time to thank the God the Creator for allowing him to go through such a trying moment by quoting a Biblical scripture, Romans 8 versus 28 which says: “All things work for the good of those who love and fear the God.
On the dialogue that had been fostered by Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Mr Hichilema stated that as a Christian, he believed in an open, truthful and fair but genuine dialogue that would lead to a permanent and lasting solution which would result in the rebuilding of a torn country.
Mr Hichilema also took time to thank and pay a special note of recognition to individuals and organisations that played a pivotal role in ensuring his release from incarceration.
“I would like to thank His Grace Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu, Reverend Susanne Matale of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), Pastor Hakoombwa of the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA), Madam Sara Longwe of the Non Governmental Cordinating Committee (NGOCC) and Bishop Maambo of the Civil Society for Constitution Agenda (CiSCA).
“We recognize and appreciate your tremendous efforts to speak for the weak in society. We are also thankful to Embassies and High Commissions Accredited to Zambia for their silent but effective efforts in ascertaining our release, ” he said.
Convener of the Thanks Giving Church service, Pastor Chileshe Kangwa, who was also Munali Constituency Aspiring candidate in the ‘bloody’ 2016 General Elections, said that what prompted him to convene such a function was due to the realization that the imprisonment of Mr Hichilema had caused a lot of political tension in the country as well as divisions and that since the church had been in steadfast prayers for Hichilema whilst in incarceration, it would be better to thank God after had been sought for had been granted.
The original Thanks Giving Prayers were scheduled to be held on 23rd August, 2017, but could not as Police Commissioner for Lusaka Province, Nelson Phiri ordered his men to seal up the Cathedral statingthat Pastor Kangwa did not follow the laid down procedures of obtaining a police permit to conduct such an event, a decision which was later overruled by Religious Affairs Minister, Reverend Godfridah Sumaili after serious public outcry.
The release of the UPND leader seems to bring out a glimmer of hope to many Zambians as well as UPND supporters who believe that the forthcoming dialogue between Mr Hichilema and President Edgar Chagwa Lungu will help easy the tension the country is currently plunged in.