Politicians must ensure their statements make sense – Milupi

UPND Alliance Chairperson Charles Milupi says politicians must weigh their statements to ensure they make sense.

Milupi was reacting to Mumbi Phiri’s statement that illegal arrests would continue if youths vote for politicians who are over the age of 60 again.

Milupi argued that the older one is, the wiser they are, because they have experienced everything.

Phiri recently condemned the arrest of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Kasonde Mwenda and two others after they attempted to protest at Parliament, arguing that if the youths made the mistake of voting for politicians over the age of 60 again, these problems would not end.

Mwenda was apprehended by the Zambia Police as he attempted to protest against the proposed Constitution amendment at Parliament.

Reacting to this in an interview, Monday, Milupi said those who break the law would be arrested.

“[Regarding] the arresting of people, let us spend time talking to our people so that they don’t deliberately break the law. Those who break the law will be arrested, whether they’re in the ruling party or the opposition. Debate is allowed, a lot of people have debated this issue, but don’t intimidate others. Let this be a free debate. One of the people here condemned the [Zambia] Congress of Trade Unions for supporting that, [saying], ‘let them focus on the conditions of service for the employees, not commenting on this one.’ How ridiculous can that be? The same person has not gone to those certain factions of certain churches and said, ‘concentrate on the spiritual matters of your members. No, don’t comment on this one.’ They haven’t said that. This is a free country. People can comment, people can support, people cannot support. But let us not use this to divide the nation. The nation is united at the moment,” he said.

Milupi said politicians should ensure their public statements made sense.

“Whatever we say as politicians, we have to weigh it to ensure that it makes sense. If we just speak, first of all, we look at the human being and then we say, how do we disrespect him? How do we condemn them? Then we use whatever we think is applicable to them and say, ‘oh no, if we do this to someone like that, it’s going to be terrible.’ Obviously, what she has looked at is that our President [Hakainde Hichilema] is over 60, and they say, ‘whatever happens is because he’s over 60.’ Just like in PF, they have looked at the acting president, Given Lubinda, and they say that, of course, he’s of mixed race. Because of that, they are now condemning him that he’s a white man. So they look at whatever they don’t want and they attach something, maybe how you look, whether you are bald,” he said.

Milupi said Phiri’s statement was “absolutely ridiculous”.

“In PF, for example, when I remember the first president of PF, he had a thing about those with bald heads. People have forgotten. We need to attach something to something. If you look at the age factor, the older you are, the wiser you are, because you have gone through everything, you have seen everything. We have some youth here, even here in Parliament, whose behaviour leaves a lot to be desired. Look at the number of people who get suspended here in Parliament. That’s a non-issue. They want to attach this vile politics to everything. President Hakainde Hichilema is above 60, so anyone who is above 60 is condemned,” said Milupi.

“President Hakainde Hichilema comes from this place. So anyone who comes from that place is condemned. President Hakainde Hichilema is a businessman, and all business people are condemned. That is absolutely ridiculous. Let us look at real issues and put those in the public domain. Then it will be respectable. For example, she herself will reach 60 very soon. If she’s not 60, she’ll reach it very soon. I used to work with her in ZCCM, so I know she’s not that young. It is absolutely ridiculous to state things like that. It’s like saying, ‘anyone who hasn’t done this sort of job, don’t.’ Just look at people, follow what they want to do for us, what they’re doing for us. Without that kind of condemnation, it’s unnecessary in our nation”.