Start Respecting Democracy, Dr Mumba Tells Pres. Lungu…for have crossed the red line of discourse

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) leader Nevers Mumba has urged South African President Jacob Zuma to tell his Zambian counterpart Edgar Chagwa Lungu to start respecting democracy as President Nana Addo of Ghana did when he visited the country.

“It is our fervent prayer that President Zuma will carry this message to President Lungu rather than opt for meaningless state banquet praise speeches, that our SADC sub region is known for. We therefore remain hopeful that His Excellence President Jacob Zuma will emulate his Ghanaian counterpart President Nana Addo who bluntly counseled President Lungu during his visit to Zambia to respect democracy, the rule of law and human rights. President Zuma will appreciate that today,Zambia is counting on South Africa, just like his country counted on the people of Zambia in the days of apartheid and racial discrimination against the masses of that Country,” Dr Mumba said.

He said President Lungu has crossed the red line in the history of Zambia’s political discourse, by abrogating all democratic tenets with impunity, charging that his dictatorial tendencies is well on course to erase last traces of democratic governance.

“His sustained efforts of flouting democratic norms is well displayed in persecution by prosecution of political opponents, trumped up criminal of those with dissenting views, long jail terms mostly without trial for those that refuse to do his bidding, and unleashing of Police and his militias to brutalise and tortureanyone who dares to think differently from him,” the MMD leader said.

He added: “President Lungu has not ended there but has gone further by ensuring that most of the free press has been closed, while the remainder is under constant threat of closure and its staff have been intimidated and sometimes arrested. Dr Mumba said President Zuma is in the better position to lecture President Lungu the values of democracy.

“As a matter of fact, we are reminded of his sideline press briefing in Durban a few months ago, where he stated that South Africa under his watch wouldallow freedoms of expression for all its citizens, and would not fall into a trap of dictatorship being experienced in other Countries where freedoms were endangered.

“You are free to visit and experience a Country where an angry leader sets his Police to beat up citizens and lock them up”.

He added: “We are keen followers of South African parliamentary politics, and appreciate its vibrancy and candour, which has in certain instances not necessarily favoured the President, but we have been moved with nothing but great admiration that he has still remained firm, resolute and accommodating to those with opposing views to his, despite several lawmakers’sometimes racous dissensions and walkouts on his State of the Union addresses.”