Prison Diary: Part 1 – Motion of thanks
Savoiur Chishimba
By Saviour Chishimba
I am grateful to the Almighty God who, from His holy dwellings, arose to set up a 24/7 hour watch over me and all the inmates during my incarceration as a political prisoner for 7 days and 7 nights. Nothing can happen to me apart from what my Heavenly Father has permitted for my perfection.
To my father; May God grant you more years for the wisdom you imparted to me in my boyhood. You taught me to NEVER ever fear any human being – you consistently said that the cornerstone of integrity and dignity is to never fear man when it comes to justice and the belief system which underpins humanity.
To my mother, Her Royal Highness Chieftainess Mumbi Mukulu of the Bemba speaking people of Nkolemfumu in Kasama (my mother is daughter of Bwalya Chitimukulu who was the daughter of Chitimukulu Kanyanta Manga The First); Blessed be your womb for having carried me for 9 months and for the motherly care. Your name is Mary and you wept over my incarceration in the same way Mother Mary wept over Jesus Christ. I recall my words to you before being thrown into prison, “…mum don’t cry over me because this is my destiny…behold your children out there – the people of Zambia…wipe out your tears…”. I saw you, through the small prison window, when you came as early as 5am and stayed on the lawns of the police station up to past 6pm. You set aside your God given royalty as one of the queen mothers of Ulubemba. Thank you mum!
To my siblings led by Rev. Sr. Dr. Charity Chishimba; you are great siblings. Thank you for all your sacrifices!
To Rev. Fr. Seketa; thank you for the visit and the fellowship we had in the presence of the LORD.
To my relatives, locally and in the Diaspora, who led a prayer chain…Aunt Eunice Hubbian, Mwansa Mwansa and Kunda Kunda who came from the USA and took time to pray for me in prison, among others; may God write a memorial for you.
To statesmen led by my mentor and freedom fighter Mr. Simon Zukas and Mr. Mike Mulongoti; God be with you. Sir (Mr. Zukas), the fruits that you brought were the tastiest ever!
To members of the press; thank you for the media campaign which highlighted my incarceration. Indeed, we are together in the new struggle.
To the UPP leadership; may God remember you for your courage to continue speaking for the voiceless. UPP is the only people’s grassroots movement for the change that our nation desperately needs.
To professional colleagues led my Laura Miti; thank you so much! The fruit juice you brought was the first I drank from prison and it tasted as if it was the first time I was drinking juice. Laura, I want you to know that I took that drink in tears – I literally wept for the first time and all inmates were surprised. They still don’t know why I cried…There are too many things we take for granted in life.
To the civil society led by Mr. Macdonald Chipenzi; may God remember you!
To Hon. Dr. Chishimba Kambwili, Hon. Garry Nkombo, Hon Patrick Mwalula Mucheleka, and other leaders; your surprise visit was a very big gift to me.
To the UPND youth; thank you for the visit and the supplies you brought!
To the PF secret disciples who disguised themselves when they came to visit me; thank you so much for your comforting words!
To a special inmate (name withheld) who cleaned my feet immediately my captors threw me into prison; you are blessed forever and the prophetic action you performed was not ordinary. When I was pushed into the tightly packed prison cell, my spirit dampened because it was the first time such a thing was ever happening to me. While all the inmates jubilated to welcome me in unison by shouting, “Welcome man of the people! Welcome Mr. President!”, my heart bled in anguish. I was shown where to sit on the floor and I sat down. I closed my eyes to raise a prophetic cry, in my heart, to the Father in Heaven, but the prayer was momentarily disturbed upon noticing that someone was touching my dirty feet. I opened my eyes, lo and behold, a prisoner was busy cleaning my feet which were dirty – my shoes were taken off at the inquiries and I had to walk, as per practice, to the police prison cell. This love from a detainee caused me to see the love of God. Authentic love is from people we least expect – no one has ever cleaned my feet. This act strengthened me and my village instincts of hardships were activated.
To other inmates; thank you for your sacrifices – you insisted that I should always have two “mbambo”, i.e. space to turn left and right when sleeping. This was a rare privilege and I will cherish it all the days of my life. I am also grateful for the preference you gave me when using the toilet – if there was someone there you always shouted, “quick ba President babwela iwe (be quick the President is coming)”. Being an open plan toilet arrangement, you (inmates) always looked away to avoid seeking my nakedness. This looks simple, but those who have been incarcerated before will know why I am thankful for the gesture of inmates who accorded me the respect. Surely, God will bless you!
To my children and their mother; may the LORD comfort you for the trauma you went through. My firstborn daughter, the strength of my loins, was so depressed that she stopped eating normally and remained in her bedroom much of her time.
To the many Zambians and non-Zambians who took time to pray; God saw your hearts and may He bless you for your love.
To the Government of the Republic of Zambia and all individual public officers and politicians who were behind my unlawful detention; I am not bitter against you because the only Righteous Judge is the Holy One of Israel, blessed be He. He is the God of Elijah who answers by fire and as such I cannot take it personal.
To the arresting officer and the Zambia Police; thank you for the care and professionalism though under very difficult circumstances. As the potential President of Zambia, in the waiting by God’s grace, I am fully alive to the poor working conditions under which police and security personnel work. The pathetic sanitary conditions of the police prison cells is not your fault. Whereas the arrest was effected by you, it was not your independent and professional decisions that held sway. I love you all and I will continue to pray for you because you too are facing the same economic hardships due to the corruption of the PF regime.
God bless our nation!
Saviour Chishimba
UPP PRESIDENT
#UPP: #Dignity & #Justice for #All!