05/10/2024
FORMER PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU'S MORAL STANDING DOES NOT PERMIT HIM TO CLAIM VICTIMHOOD REGARDING HARASSMENT. HE'S A CONDEMNED CHARACTER.
Former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu 's moral standing to claim victimhood regarding harassment is highly questionable, given his administration's proven history of lawlessness, brutality, and human rights abuses during his presidency. The country was plagued by extrajudicial killings, torture, and unsubstantiated arrests of opposition members, mainly from the UPND and its leader, Hakainde Hichilema.
Under Lungu's rule, citizens can recall that the opposition faced severe restrictions, including the closure of opposition media outlets and the suppression of rallies. The arrest and incarceration of President Hakainde Hichilema on treason charges in April 2017 was widely condemned as "persecution through prosecution" by Amnesty International and other NGOs. The state of emergency declared by Mr. Lungu in July 2017 further restricted public meetings, movements, and imposed curfews, solidifying his authoritarian grip on power.
Considering this track record, it's challenging for Mr. Lungu to claim victimhood now. Mr. Lungu won't fool us into believing that he was a great leader. He was the worst in history and we don't wish him to come back on the throne of power. His administration's actions were widely criticized by international organizations and local groups, including the Catholic Bishops, which described Zambia as a "virtual dictatorship". So what makes Mr. Lungu think that he has a moral right to complain about the rule of law being used to follow wrong doers?
In fact, Mr. Lungu's actions were characterized by strong-arm tactics, typically employed by weak leaders like him who lack legitimacy and integrity.
His defiance of international criticism and refusal to address concerns about democratic erosion and human rights abuses raise serious questions about his moral standing to complain that he's being harassed by the UPND adm
