Give HH a little break

IT IS clear that many are finding President Hakainde Hichilema’s way of doing things somewhat irritating, if not upsetting. But at least he did warn us that we would find his way of doing things abnormal.

Or maybe he should get his “surgical” gloves back on, things moved faster then.

But then we must be clear in defining slowness with regards the President. What is he slow in doing? For some who are crying out loud, he is slow in fixing their perceived political enemies - those who aligned themselves with the previous regime and used their positions to get at them.

And what they express as impatience is really anger that those who taunted them for years while they were in the political trenches are now seen rubbing shoulders and sitting at the same table with their Bally as they watch from afar like orphaned children. Yes, at this point sulking is allowed, and one can only sympathise with them.

Bally come and get your children, they want in!

But then we must also understand that HH is not a magician who must change things with the snap of his fingers, neither is he a dictator who can do whatever he wishes.

We should distinguish between being slow to action, inaction, inability to take action and being careful, methodical and systematic.

Is HH capable of taking action? So far he has shown that he is.

I want to believe that when HH preached change, he primarily was referring to systems and ways of doing things. This is not to mean that those who were sympathetic with the previous regime to the point of being tools must stay – NO.

But change should be methodical and systematic.

The danger that every leader who lands office on a popular vote is that they are expected to act according to the whims of the electors.

And the leaders themselves have to fight the temptation of keeping their approval rating high even to their own detriment.

We must also understand that every leader comes with his own style of leadership, and the sooner we learn HH’s way of doing things the less we will be frustrated with him.

The tragedy is that not many may understand or even appreciate, but that should not give the leader a heart attack.

Many never understood or appreciated Levy Mwanawasa’s style of leadership until after he had died.

Then came Michael Sata who was action-oriented and went about making sweeping changes, but not everything changed for the good, while some changes could not even leave paper.

I remember two permanent secretaries who never arrived at their new work stations because their appointment and revocation letters were signed with the same stroke of a pen.

Then came a mass recall of those in foreign missions; and the double appointments.

Yes Sata ruled the country almost by decree in his early day in power, creating new districts at a rate the Treasury could not keep up. We are still dealing the problem that that way of doing things caused.

What is important is to have systems that work. So repair the system first, and everything else will fall into place.

The problem is that we have become used to changing people rather than changing systems, and the trouble with that is that people don’t guarantee any permanence, good systems do.

The company boards may fall like dominos, but what will stand in their place?

Put even a decent man in a corrupt system and they soon get corrupted.

Let us not forget that there are some among those making these protests that exhibit the mentality of “it’s our turn to eat” rather than “it’s our turn to serve”.

It is the same attitude we saw with some in the PF when they won power a decade ago. What followed was akin to a gold rush as people went in to grab government contracts and positions in money-making parastatals.

And that is one of the main reasons why the Zambian people kicked out the PF.

As far as I know, HH was not voted for to give jobs to cadres, rather it was to turn the economic fortunes around and by so doing create the much-need jobs for all citizens.

He was picked over ECL to make good governance a reality and end rampant corruption that has enriched a few and left millions in abject poverty.

But if, as some people are suggesting, he should empower the ruling party's cadres to the exclusion of everyone, what then will be the difference with his predecessor?

And hasn't he told you to search your soul if you want to serve in his government?

It’s clear time for houses sprouting out mushroom-style is over; time to wire millions of dollars to foreign accounts is over; time for driving bourgeois four-wheelers bought using ill-gotten money is long gone.

So be careful what you wish because HH will not put a word for you when ACC or FIC come calling.

On the other hand, it is understandable why many citizens feel frustrated at HH’s “slowness”.

It is inaction and inability to take action that almost destroyed this nation.

They do not want any reminder of the previous regime’s irresponsiveness to issues they deemed important. When people were being gassed and dying, their President waited. When COVID-19 was ravaging citizens, their President waited.

That is not the type of leadership Zambians would want to have again.

And, yes, in the end, it is that inaction that cost Edgar Lungu.

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