27th January 2015
Operation Young
Vote (OYV) would like to congratulate President Edgar Lungu for emerging
victorious in the 20th January, 2015 Presidential Election which was
tightly contested. We also commend the runners up President Hakainde Hichilema
for the spirited contest. The other nine (9) contestants were an ingredient and
flavor to our ever growing democracy and must be equally commended. OYV feels
indebted to the Electoral Commission of Zambia for the great effort and conduct
of the poll from the preparations to the final whistle. Though one or so things
were not properly done by the ECZ, we note that under the prevailing
circumstances they did their very best. The election would not have been a
success without the peaceful involvement of the electorate who braved the rains
to ensure that Zambia had a new leader on that 90th day after the
demise of President Michael Chilufya Sata. The Observers and Monitors both
international and local did perform their work diligently within their limited
resources; this added the much needed value to the election and the electoral
process and democratic dispensation at large.
We at OYV and the
youth fraternity would be failing in our duties as we welcome you into State
House to mention the following:
1.
Your appointment of Hon Inonge Wina as your Vice President is
unprecedented not only to Zambia but the whole Africa and beyond; this is the
very first time a woman is being recognized at such a level in Zambia;
2.
Your appointment of Amos Chanda a young man as your Public Relations
personnel is encouraging. Amos Chanda is not only a young person but deservedly
qualifies for the position on merit. He is intelligent, has the expertise and
know-how, he is a strategist and given space he would perform greatly. We are
aware that you know that there are a lot of such young people in this country
whom you can appointment to many positions of decision making. It is time. By
so doing you would be investing in the future and Zambia would go a long way on the development path;
3.
Your choice of Hon Ngosa Simbyakula to head the Ministry of Justice is
yet another milestone – Our prayer is that in the same way he released the
Final Draft Constitution on your behalf as Acting Minister of Justice when you
were Acting Republican President on 23rd October, 2014, you will
allow him or you will do it together when you are the Substantive Head of State
while he is also Substantive Minister of Justice;
We however have
this advise to offer:
1.
The dressing
of a dog in UPND regalia/T-shirt bearing UPND leader HH’s portrait and carrying
it on top of a coffin in the National Heroes Stadium during the inauguration of
the President H.E Edgar Lungu is not only unacceptable but is also evil. This
act is actually worse than tribalism. We wish to implore our fellow Zambians to
all times try to be sober whether in celebration or grief, to always remember
that a human being regardless of status, affiliation, race, age, sex etc. represents
the image of God, because God made it and says so. Therefore no human being can
or should be equated to any animal worse so a dog.
This is shameful and God is watching.
As we
congratulate the PF and Edgar Lungu for the victory and knowing too well that
H.E Edgar C. Lungu fears God and would not tolerate such, we implore him, the
church, the PF and all well-meaning citizens to join us in condemning this act
in no uncertain terms. The act was not only inhuman but also evil and
unacceptable. Please Sir (Your Excellence) condemn anything that would block
you from the sight of God put you away from the presence of the Lord Almighty
if this journey is to be successful. God is God and every Human Being is the
Image of God.
Executive Director
