Maravi

Headed for a disastrous end

Headed for a disastrous end
Written by Editor

It is easy for an ordinary man or woman in Kaputa, Shangombo, Chadiza, Sinazeze or Chavuma to lie and get away with it. But it is not easy for Rupiah Banda to lie and get away with it. With such a large audience, it should be so much harder
for Rupiah to tell lies and get away with it.

His words and actions are subject to intense scrutiny by many commentators and observers, all supposedly acting to serve the general public’s desire to know what there is to know about their President.

And yet, despite all this scrutiny and commentary, and the large audience, Rupiah lies, and lies persistently. Why?

It is said that a real leader faces the music, even if he doesn’t like the tune. And the ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people. Honesty towards yourself. Looking into your mirror, any time all the time will guide you.

Rupiah has a serious problem when it comes to honesty, when it comes to telling lies. He is a liar. We don’t enjoy calling anyone a liar. But things have to be called by their names. Rupiah has lied about us, he has told so many lies about us. Why should we fail to call him a liar? Anyone who tells lies is a liar, especially if they do so persistently.

And today we are not the only ones calling Rupiah a liar. Father Augustine Mwewa, the treasurer general of the Catholic Diocese of Ndola, is calling Rupiah a liar: “President Banda is a liar. I am not speaking from without. Look at the lies that he has levelled against Zambian Airways and The Post newspaper editor Fred M’membe.” Fr Mwewa says all the lies that Rupiah has told about The Post and Zambian Airways were slowly manifesting and that he will soon be ashamed.

Truly, Rupiah’s lies are starting to be clear for all to see. But what we don’t know is if Rupiah has any shame in him that will lead to embarrassment when all his lies about us are laid bare for all to see. And does Rupiah in any way consider our characters and reputations as of no moment? Is it no imputation to be arraigned and to have our names transmitted to posterity with disgrace and infamy? We will not conceal our sentiments, that to be falsely, maliciously and recklessly accused by the President of this country of stealing US $30 million from state institutions is to us a matter of great concern. But we have the satisfaction, at the same time, to reflect, that the impression to be made depends upon the consistency, reasonableness, truthfulness of the charge and the motives of Rupiah, of our persecutors.

Had the charge been reasonable, even if not true, we should have felt ourselves called upon for a specific defence. But as it has been our good fortune, the Zambian people know us very well; we have served them in an honest and truthful manner for almost 18 years. And our defence must rest on our own conduct. The consciousness of innocence is also a sufficient support against our present persecutors. Had we been guilty of great enormities, they want neither zeal and inclination to bring them forward, nor ability to place them in the most prominent point of view. But as we are conscious of no crime, our own experience convinces us that none can be justly imputed.

But while we unequivocally deny any wrongdoing in the conduct of the affairs of Zambian Airways, yet we will not shrink from the responsibility which attaches to all that we have done; and should any one step taken by us be proved to be either corrupt or theft, we are ready to hold ourselves accountable. As we have repeatedly said, we believe that wrongdoing should not be condoned from anyone, including ourselves. We are not above the law. If we commit crimes, we should be made to pay the penance for it. And for us who understand very well the evils of corruption, of theft deserve to be punished more than those who don’t. But when this is done, it should be a product of honest accusations and arraignment. It shouldn’t be a product of lies, falsehoods and malice from Rupiah.

It is clear now that everyone in the nation knows that Rupiah is a liar; he has lied about us. And this is why Rupiah is today being challenged by a Catholic priest to take him to court for accusing him of being a liar. It’s impossible for Rupiah to take anyone to court for calling him a liar and succeed. The defence will be very simple because Rupiah’s lies are a matter of fact and they can be catalogued. So today, any Zambian can call Rupiah a liar without a meaningful and legally justifiable response from him.

It is not too late for Rupiah to change this situation. All he needs to do is to admit and confess his lies and seek forgiveness. After that, start a new life of honesty and truth.

It is not a healthy situation for our President to be called a liar every day and night and wherever he goes. But this is the situation his lies have foisted on himself and the nation.

It will be folly for Rupiah to ignore these charges of being liar. They will be repeated by many Zambians. And wisdom calls upon Rupiah to address this issue, to do something positive about it. He shouldn’t in any way try to attack those who call him a liar because what they are saying is true and they can back it with evidence. Moreover, no one should be victimised for telling the truth. Calling Rupiah a liar is telling the truth and this is why he is today being challenged by Fr Mwewa to take him to court for calling him a liar. And you do not lead by hitting people over the head when they tell you the truth – that’s assault, not leadership.

It’s not acceptable for this country to be led on the basis of lies and by a liar. Rupiah has to change and start to embrace the truth and abandon lies. He has to lead by example. It is said that example is not the main thing in leading others, it is the only thing.

Rupiah may be telling lies to keep his hold on power. But this is not the sure way of keeping power because power in the long term is best kept with truth and not with lies. Those who wish to tell lies, always find a lie to tell. Those who wish to lead a life without lies, always find the truth to tell.

It’s very clear that Rupiah is a disgraced man. His lies have made him lose the respect and trust of many people. Even those who earn a living through his appointments don’t trust him – they fear him, but they don’t respect him. And this is happening so early in his presidency – just after five months of taking office. How is he going to govern the country with this low standing in the eyes of so many self-respecting Zambians and citizens of goodwill up to mid-2011?

It is time Rupiah realised things are not alright and chart a new course, adopt new ways of managing the affairs of the country. If he continues on this path and does not want to change his ways, as Fr Mwewa has correctly observed, Rupiah is headed for a disastrous end.

Labels: LYING, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:11 PM