RECONCILIATION A MUST
IT is important that the nation moves away from living in a make-believe world that all is well when there is simmering anger and anguish among citizens.
It cannot be denied that there is a lot of animosity – which is subdued – across the political divide which can easily explode.
The nation must find a way for people to bring out this hidden animosity within them for the country to move ahead.
It is folly to believe that the country has healed after the August 2021 general elections which brought the United Party for National Development (UPND) to power at the expense of the Patriotic Front.
Yes, President Hakainde Hichilema might have ended caderism by removing political cadres from markets, bus stations who were notorious for violence and other illegal activities.
The bottom line however is that political cadres still decide who must operate at markets and bus stations. The only difference being that those under the new order are not as brazen as those they have replaced.
The ideal situation would have been for the various political interest groups operating freely than one entity displacing the other group.
This is what is obtaining even in the government, particularly the civil service where there has been widespread purge of people accused of belonging to the former ruling party.
It is against this background that we agree with Father Lastone Lupupa that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission be established to determine the numerous abuse cases for which many citizens are being subjected to persecution, vengeance, bitterness and vindictiveness instead of genuine prosecution of wrongdoing.
Fr Lupupa said the prosecution of perceived political offenders had often led to persecution, vengeance and vindictiveness and that Zambia was better advised to adopt the South African route which worked well in healing the nation after the Apartheid era.
Rwanda is also a good case record of how to handle a troubled past.
As noted by the Conversation, a South African thinktank, 1994 was a significant year for Africa. South Africa made a peaceful transition to democracy while on a darker note, Rwanda experienced a tragic and violent genocide.
Both countries initiated national reconciliation processes that captured the world’s attention. South Africa had the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC); Rwanda set up the Gacaca Community Courts.
The TRC was tasked with bearing witness to, recording - and in some cases granting amnesty - to the perpetrators of crimes related to human rights violations during apartheid.
The Gacaca Community Courts, based on a pre-colonial Rwandan approach to justice, were asked to establish what happened to the Tutsi during the genocide. Their job was to expedite the cases of those accused of genocide-related crimes.
Both processes were meant to contribute to interpersonal and national reconciliation.
Zambians need live in an environment that promotes all-inclusiveness as was promised after the 2021 elections.
As Fr Lupupa noted, “Zambians were highly expectant that the UPND would bring a new culture of transparent and open politics, which was not the case.”
It is however not too late for President Hichilema and his team to start the healing process by ending the vindictiveness and bitterness that often comes out in public by committing to start afresh.