Prime
Threats won’t cut; learn from Zambia
Author: Joseph Ochieno.
What you need to know:
- This country belongs to us all, and we must strive to make it better for all of us, but together.
Earlier in the week, I got information from two sources – one extremely credible – that I need to take extra care of my security to the extent that I must move house.
Without much detail, I am, of course, aware that I am relatively lucky to be of national interest, hence the authorities. I even anticipated that these such stuff might emerge, except I always hoped – and still do – that we have not degenerated to that level and instructively, that we must not and if anything, that it is overdue that we begin to think ahead for once and, believe in better; in diversity.
Credit to police leadership and other security agencies that I alerted, the responses were generally appropriate and in one particular case, seemingly swift and decisive. The jury is still out.
Then as I settled my mind onto family affairs, a clip arrived from Zambia’s new president, Hakainde Hichilema, swearing-in top security chiefs. These columns warned of possible respect for the new president and envy of the Zambian people. Now it is official; I respect the guy and, actively and constructively envy Zambians and here is why:
“I never knew that I might end up in maximum prison,” he said, showering praises onto the new deputy director-general of the prison services, a one Mr Bwalya, who had just been sworn in by his detainee. The young Mr Bwalya when fully in charge, had ‘stayed reasonable’, served and acted to the best of his abilities in the cause of duty while he was serving an ‘oppressive regime’.
To the new reappointed deputy police commissioner, he said “do not come back to punish those who had persecuted you, but rather show that you are a better person; that you occupy a higher moral ground than those who persecuted you”.
That journalists have a role to play and like in these columns, not every headline or opinion piece is sweet news after all, “today they are journalists but tomorrow they will be presidents”, hence according to him, they must be protected and not intimidated, scared or blackmailed. I fully agree.
“We can’t use tear gas or live bullets on our people; not that law and order should not be maintained nor criminals must not be brought to book but, it should be professionally,” he continued.
“Citizens’ money must come back to the owners – the citizens. And to the incoming ministers, do not steal; do not throw the shoes of those who were there before claiming the corrupt are bad only to pick them up at night and wear them tomorrow.”
At this peak of my envy, I posed the clip in order to rush and pay a courtesy call on one of the senior police officers. At the reception area, I found duty officers and an equally senior officer seated. I said hello and thanked them for the good work they do. The senior officer acknowledged and immediately said it is not usual, possibly unheard of, for them to receive such messages of appreciation. It was sad, coming from such a senior official, but was the gentleman merely flattering me? He wasn’t, for I actually understood what he meant and why.
Trust me, I discussed this and more with his boss. This country belongs to us all, and we must strive to make it better for all of us but, together, looking ourselves individually onto the mirrors! Then I recalled what the late Prof Kenneth Ingham told me of Milton Obote.
“Kenneth, you people will go back to England and leave us here (in Uganda), we must and will have to learn to live together as one country in diversity (of peoples, opinion and interest),” Obote had told him, amid a pending crisis.
Returning to my clip, the Zambian president promised a new open radio programme to ask him questions without fear; “No one will visit or phone you after you ask a difficult question, for this is a new dawn – Freedom Day”. Ugandans, get back to the future; alternatively, you decide.
The writer is a pan-Africanist and former columnist with New African Magazine
