a heartfelt message to Zambians as elections approach Zambians recently woke up to news that President Hakainde Hichilema has been rated as one of the world’s top leaders. At first, I just laughed. Before commenting on the story, I decided to go and read the article in the right wing British newspaper that rated him to understand the criteria used.
I found none. Instead there were hollow rumblings about Hichilema having turned around the economy (my foot!) and ramping up copper production in the mining sector. I then understood.
Western foreign interests are cutting it big in Zambia’s mining industry and are celebrating the man who has not only given them huge tax incentives but also allowed them to do what no other president has done: freely conduct a geological mapping of the country’s unexplored underground mineral wealth so that the data generated can inform their next moves. Zambia’s economy has not changed. We are yet to start paying our debt since we defaulted in 2020 and the cost of living is now worse than it was when HH was elected.
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If anything, the economy has got worse. But media outlets of the foreign interests that our president is serving will want to tell us otherwise. I have a message for such publications and for mining companies like First Quantum Minerals: “Please don’t insult our intelligence.
We can see through you. Just enjoy the extraction that the man with an inferiority complex has enabled you and your kinsmen to loot from Zambia while it lasts.” Zambians know that for the West, as is for China, Zambia is only important for the rare metals that it has that are required as part of the just energy transition. This scramble for resources explains why the Chinese premier recently visited the country.
It also explains why the US president Donald Trump recently offered HH a deal to effectively sell the country for about $1.5 billion support in the health sector in exchange for exclusive access to the country’s mineral deposits. In Zambia, where we don’t have an independent judiciary, it is a matter of when HH will announce the formal signing of the deal before touting the improved US-Zambia relations as further evidence of the outside world’s faith in his leadership. Since the judiciary and parliament are now wings or extensions of the executive, no one will defend the public interest in Zambia.
When China and the US last competed for what HH now calls “a pretty girl” , namely Zambia, historian Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa wrote a short poem, published in October 2019, that is worth quoting at length. Zambia, My Love.Let me tell you something.If you looked at yourself the way others look at you, perhaps you would envy, cherish, and love yourself a bit more. Your mesmerising beauty just takes everyone’s breath away.
Zambia, My Love.Why is it that despite being said to be an ugly harlot, everyone loves to sleep with you? And you know what really breaks my heart, Darling? You don’t charge!
You remain the bitch that keeps giving!” We Zambians must not be fooled by the Telegraph. The UK publication is simply a propaganda front for the foreign commercial interests that our president is faithfully serving. In fact, HH is more of their president than ours.
This president is the worst. We want him out.”
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