Humphrey Siulapwa: Good bye Mr. President

Humphrey Siulapwa

On behalf of my wife, my family, the New Generation Party (NGP) and indeed on my own behalf, I would like to convey our deep and heart felt condolences, to the First Lady (Dr. Kaseba Sata), my friend Mulenga Sata, the Sata family, the Patriotic Front family and indeed all Zambians, on the loss of our Republican President, Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata.

In 2001, when you formed the PF Mr. President, I was already president of the New Generation Party, though by then, it was called the United Front for Development & Democracy (UFDD). You invited me to your house in Omello Mumba Road, in Rhodes Park. I was very excited to meet with you because you were the first high level profiled politician that I was going to meet and discuss national issues with.

For 3 hours, you shared with me your vision for Zambia and asked me to support you. I, however, refused to support you Mr. President, explaining that as a young leader I was very disappointed that you supported Dr. Chiluba’s third term bid, as a result, I was very doubtful that you would uphold the Republican Constitution when elected President of Zambia. At the end of our meeting, you told me two things which up to now still linger in my mind. You said “Do not fear to speak out your mind when things are going wrong in the county” and you also said “Well you have refused to work with me, if you become cantankerous, we shall meet you on the street.”

Little did I know Mr. President, that was the first and last meeting, I would have in my life time to discuss national issues with you. Yes, I think I was one of the longest and consistent critics you had in your ten year quest and campaign to be President of Zambia. I believed very strongly that you could not make a good President and that there was no way, even God could allow you to be President. At one time during interviews I even said “I cannot see God’s hand in your desire to be President”. Come that day, 23rd September, 2011, I was shocked, God allowed you to be President through the Zambian people. You defeated a sitting government and the incumbent, President Rupiah Banda, together with all of us who supported him, to become the fifth President of Zambia.
There are three lessons that I learnt Mr. President from your election and I would like to share these lessons with the Zambian people, especially, the New Generation, the young and upcoming leaders. My first lesson is that indeed God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. The criteria God uses to chose Presidents is different from the criteria we people use. Romans 13, is very clear, “ all leadership is from God”. My second lesson is that we must not fear to speak out when things are going wrong in the country. I wish to, however, add that we must speak out, criticize constructively, with respect for all people. The last lesson I learnt from you Mr. President is that indeed “winners never quit”. Had you given up the fight when the going was tough, you would not have been President.

On succession, Mr. President some people, including some leaders in your party, are saying that you did not choose your successor to take over from you, especially in light of your failing health in your last days. I beg to differ, I think you clearly showed us that you wanted Hon. Edgar Lungu, to take over from you if anything happened to you and you could not continue as President for whatever reason. I think those who are saying that you did not choose Hon. Edgar Lungu, it is because they want to be Presidents themselves or they have someone else in mind for the job.
You knew very well that Hon. Lungu was your Defense Minister and Legal Chairperson in your party when you also appointed him as the Secretary General and Justice Minister. As if this was not enough, during your last days, you appointed him as the Acting Republican President by handing over the instruments of power every time you left the country. They say action speaks louder than words and I think you spoke very loudly, as far this issue is concerned. Even, me as President of my small party “The New Generation Party”, if I gave all the above responsibilities to one person, it would simply mean that, that person was my chosen successor. Having said the above, I am not saying that I am endorsing Hon. Edgar Lungu. I still have to hear what vision he has for the country. I am not a member of PF, the PF members will choose who their Presidential Candidate shall be and Zambians will also decide who the next President shall be. My point is, though PF has a choice to choose another person to succeed you, they should not say you did not have a preferred successor.

Mr. president, as you noticed, from the time you became President, I withdrew from active politics, restraining myself from commenting and criticizing you, as expected of an Opposition Leader. The reason was simple, I criticized you for 10 years, from 2001 to 2011, such that by the time you were elected President, I had nothing new to say against you. I realized that the Zambian people knew you very well and they voted for you just as you were with all your strengths and weaknesses.

After loosing the elections, I decided to join my family (wife and children), in the United States, where I still am as I write this press statement. It was not to run away from some crimes I committed as some people assumed. In 2012, I briefly came back to Zambia, just to clear my name and I asked the Zambian people to support you and give you time to do what you can to develop Zambia.

I must say Mr. President that your winning of elections actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me and my family. It gave us an opportunity to bond together even more as a family. My wife occasionally jokes and says “President Sata is my hero, he made you sit down with your family.”

Not only has my family bonded together, God has also opened up business opportunities, which, had we won the elections and stayed in Zambia, I would not have known about. I must also say, when I came to the USA, I had time to think about my country, and how best we can address our problems. Leaving among the Americans and being exposed to the first world, and constantly thinking about the problems back home and in a quest to find solutions, I think God has given me answers to our problems back home. Our number one problem is poverty, and I believe God has given me the answer. At one time Mr. President, I called State House to speak with you and share some of the solutions, but as the system is, I was not given access to speak with and share the ideas. At the appropriate time, however, I will share this with the Zambian people. How I wish you were around to hear what I have for our country, the answer or how to tackle poverty.

To the Zambian people, I just wish to echo, what many have said, let us maintain peace, before, during and after we bury our President. We have been through this route before, we managed it, and we can do it again. We are looking forward to the PF to provide the leadership we so much need during this time and especially, during the campaigns. Most of us Zambians are worried because of the violence you have exhibited by matcheting each other, and other innocent people during the three years you have been in power.

Let us remember that, God already chose our President for this time, even before he was conceived in his/her mother’s womb. Violence will not help us as a country. We want the Presidential Candidates that will contest, to tell us why we should vote for them? What will they do for the people? Let us remember that our number 1 problem in the last 50 years, has not been a person, it has not been Presidents Kaunda, Chiluba, Mwanawasa, Banda or Sata, it is poverty. It is not even Fred Mmembe or the cartel as some people may want to believe, it is poverty. People have gone, and will continue to go but Zambia and the problem of poverty, if not addressed, will be with us always. The PF government must allow all those who want to contest to campaign freely.

We do not want to see what has been happening in the past where opposition Leaders are stopped from campaigning. If you do that, or you engage in violence, I can promise you that you will be the first political party to rule Zambia, not for one term, but for only half a term. You may think that Zambians are docile and you can manipulate them, not when you play or temper with their peace.

Finally, let me conclude by saying good bye Mr. President, Rest in Peace and may God bless Zambia.

Humphrey Siulapwa
New Generation Party
President