Levy has not been misunderstood

Levy has not been misunderstood
By Editor
Sunday October 14, 2007 [04:00]

It was interesting to see and hear how some government officials on Friday feebly attempted to clean up the mess created by President Levy Mwanawasa when he arrived from London on Tuesday. Upon his arrival, the visibly annoyed Levy announced that he had come back a changed man and was going to ensure that all those daring his government on the constitution-making process would be arrested and charged with treason because the National Constitutional Conference Act was now law. He said anymore nonsensical statements bordering on malice would attract a treason charge.

Of course, as a learned lawyer, Levy must have now realised that he allowed himself to be overtaken by emotions when he made that careless and illogical statement.

That is why Levy has now commissioned his lieutenants to allege that his threats at the airport were misunderstood because he meant to warn those who want to fuel violence in the constitution-making process and those who might entertain ideas of making the country ungovernable or indeed to effect change of government through unconstitutional means.

We want to agree with Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda’s observation that the government should not underrate or attempt to insult our people’s intelligence. Levy was very categorical in his threats and no amount of clarification will change the meaning of the words already spoken by Levy.

The best Levy can do, if he wants to promote peace and consensus in this matter, is just to withdraw those empty yet very dangerous threats.

Levy should be reminded that words resemble bullets. If they escape, they cannot be retrieved. That is why it is important for him to consider carefully what he says because words can hurt, can destroy or can build. And once they are released, words are not easily retracted.

It is cheap for anyone to suggest that Levy was misunderstood. If Levy did not intend to threaten all those criticising the NCC Act or threatening to boycott the NCC, then he clearly misrepresented himself and he should not blame anyone for this. He can only blame himself for this.

But knowing Levy the way we do, we do not think he misrepresented himself. He actually represented himself very well because that is what he meant to say.

However, like we stated earlier in the week, Levy’s outbursts were unnecessary. There is no need to threaten people with anything, let alone treason, on this debate about the constitution-making process. What should be encouraged are meaningful and well reasoned debates from all stakeholders. Rabble-rousers, from whatever quarter, should not be tolerated.

There is nothing treasonable about people threatening to boycott the NCC. Like Nelson Mandela once said, by and large, boycotts are recognised and accepted by the people as an effective and powerful political struggle.

We have not forgotten that even the MMD in 1991 threatened to boycott elections if the Constitution was not attended to. Similarly, mass action, in form of peaceful demonstrations, is a form of channelling people’s anger on anything.

But you see, like Mandela further observes, when a government seeks to suppress a peaceful demonstration of an unarmed people by mobilising the entire reserves of the state, the military and police, it concedes powerful mass support for such a demonstration.

It should be recognised that the will of the people is the basis of the authority of government. This is a principle that is universally acknowledged as sacred throughout the civilised world and constitutes the basic foundation of freedom and justice.

It is a mistake for Levy to think that he can unite the country as a single individual. Yes, he may be a changed person for now. But if he thinks that he will marshal reasonable consensus on this issue of the Constitution by resorting to threats of arrests of some people on trumped-up treason charges, then he is striving after the wind. His efforts will be a vanity.

Again, we want to remind Levy that a leader who relies on authority to solve problems is bound to come to grief. There is no need for him to continually remind citizens that he is in charge and he will deal firmly with those whom he thinks are daring his government. We have the police in place and other security agencies to deal with those who want to commit treason.

Much as we all are advocating for a good constitution, we are not in support of anything that can cause anarchy in the country in the name of seeking consensus.

If people are asking for a good constitution, why should they resort to illegal acts of wanting to change the government through unconstitutional means?
But Levy sometimes can be such an alarmist.

He is talking about some people wanting to cause violence or anarchy when all the opposing voices we have heard so far are merely threatening to boycott the NCC. Anyway, we are not surprised because many times Levy allows himself to be misled. That is why it is not good for a leader to surround himself with yes-men.

It is important that Levy surrounds himself with strong and independent personalities who can have the courage to give it to him as it is.