Maravi

Insults

Insults
Written by Editor

There is need for all politicians, especially Rupiah Banda, to talk sense to the Zambian people.

There is need to tell the Zambian people the truth; there are no gains in telling them lies. The Zambian people are wise – wiser than Rupiah thinks. It is better to lose power than to tell people lies and to suffocate them with cheap and sometimes silly language. It shouldn’t be forgotten that the Zambian people look to their leaders for compassion, for understanding, and for honest purpose.

It seems Rupiah doesn’t know that it is said that the greater you become, the more humble you should be both in your words and in your actions; there is need to be humble in everything you say and do, and people will appreciate it more than the threats, the showing off of how powerful you are, reminding them of who you are.

It is said that fools say whatever comes to mind; wise people think before they speak. No one can deny the fact that Rupiah’s mouth is full of vulgar language, it’s a bad and dirty mouth. Rupiah doesn’t know what not to say; he says anything that comes to mind without thinking. He seems to easily get carried away with excitement when he sees a group of people before him and says all sorts of silly things about his political opponents.

We have heard some people complain about us insulting the President, but we have never heard the same people complain about Rupiah insulting us. We have equally heard Rupiah insult Michael Sata. But we have never heard these same people who claim to have very high morals complain about Rupiah’s words, his insults and abuse of Sata.

Rupiah has insulted us several times. And we really mean insults. Here we are not talking about one being called a fool or stupid; we are talking about real insults. Rupiah has said we are sick people; we are morbid, queer and so on and so forth. Rupiah has even gone to accuse us of stealing public funds without any proof of this. Again, these same people who accuse us of insulting Rupiah have never come up to our defence; they have never complained about his insults against us.

When we have called Rupiah a liar, which these same people consider to be an insult, we have had more than enough proof and justification. But Rupiah has had none. When we have called any act of anyone foolish or stupid, we have had more than enough proof and justification for it. And moreover, a person like Rupiah is more than well protected under our Penal Code, and insulting him is a crime under our laws. If we have insulted Rupiah and accordingly have committed a crime, why haven’t we been arrested? After all, they are all just waiting for us to commit a crime and be “caught”!

The truth is that – and they know it – calling somebody who has lied a liar is not an insult; it is a fact, a truth. What else can one call a person who tells lies other than a liar? Yes, there are other alternative words that can be used but they still amount to the same thing, they still mean the same thing.

Rupiah has referred to Sata as a snake with red eyes and a red tongue. Rupiah insulted Sata in all sorts of way. These same people have not come to Sata’s defence; they have not questioned Rupiah’s conduct in any way.

Clearly, what they hate is not insults or bad language. What they don’t like is Rupiah being told off even if it is done in an honest manner with abundant facts and evidence.

Rupiah has called Hakainde Hichilema all sorts of names and has used insulting language against him. None of these moralists has come up to Hakainde’s defence or questioned in any way Rupiah’s language. Why these double standards? The truth is it’s beneficial to come to Rupiah’s defence – there are favours that can be extended to those who defend the rulers, the kings. It is said that when a man in power stumbles, there will be many people jumping up to try and be the first ones to steady him. But if a poor man, an ordinary or low citizen falls, no one will try to pick him up, even his friends will just watch and wait for him to pick himself up. It is also said that when a man in power makes a mistake, says something wrong, there are many people to cover up for him and explain away all the things he never should have said. But let a poor and ordinary citizen make a mistake, and he gets nothing but criticism. Sometimes even when he is not wrong, he is accused of having done something wrong simply because it embarrasses, humiliates and offends the powerful. Even if what he says makes good sense, is true, is factual, he still gets attacked for it. This is the case with those who criticise Rupiah.

We have refused to subject ourselves to the double standards of these friends of Rupiah who want to sound as if they stand on a high moral ground when they are nothing but defenders of Rupiah’s iniquities; when all they are trying to do is to protect him from honest but piercing criticism.

We are used to dealing with such hypocrites. And we learnt very early on in this business that we should be prepared for times when we will be put to the test, yet still remain sincere and determined. We have also learnt to keep calm when troubles come and accept whatever happens to us in the belief that even if we suffer humiliation, we should be patient. After all, gold is tested by fire, and human character is tested in the furnace of humiliation. How many times have those in power in our country and their minions or supporters tried to humiliate us?

It is said that “liars deserve to be cursed” (Sirach 28:13). And when a wicked man curses his enemy, he is simply cursing himself. It is not good to think up lies to tell about fellow citizens who you do not get on well with. It’s not good to tell lies at all because it never does anyone any good.

What Rupiah and his friends have been doing is to plough the ground to plant seeds of injustice, forgetting that what they are doing will just result in them reaping a bigger harvest than they expect.

It is not good or proper, fair or just for one to set one’s heart on being a judge, unless one has the strength of character it takes to put an end to injustice.

Anyway, fools say whatever comes to mind; wise people think before they speak. And foolish people are deceived by vain hopes and dreams get them all excited.

There is need for Rupiah to realise that if one sticks something in one’s eye, tears will flow; and if he hates a person deeply, he will discover his true feelings.

It is said that fumes and smoke appear before the flames do; insults come before violence.

We hope those who always complain of insults when Rupiah is strongly criticised will now feel ashamed and either take him on or simply permanently shut up on this score. We say this because before starting to insult in Kafinda area on Monday, Rupiah declared he was going to insult and indeed he did. He insulted us and Sata. Rupiah knew what he was doing; his insults were not accidental, they were deliberate and conscious.

But we must warn him: no one has the monopoly of insults. The insults Rupiah is hurling at others today will tomorrow greet him. And combining insults, bad language with lies may soon prove to be too much for Rupiah to manage when the same are used directly against him. Rupiah may soon have to reap the fruits of the insults he has planted, the hatred he is sowing and the intolerance he is nurturing. Tomorrow, Rupiah may not be in a position to defend himself from his own insults, his own bad words that will be thrown back at him. Anyway, this is what happens when people stop thinking and act as if their brains are suffering from constipation while their stomachs are afflicted by diarrhoea – words just keep on coming out without digestion and control; lies pour out in Rupiah’s ubufi bwakunya style and fashion. This is what thoughtlessness does to people and to nations. Let’s learn our lessons quickly and take corrective measures.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:10 PM