Lungu’s Government ‘Worse Than Colonialism’ - Bishop Mpundu

Former Archbishop of Lusaka Telesphore Mpundu has labelled President Lungu’s leadership of Zambia worse than that exhibited under British colonial rule. He has accused the president of showing no tolerance for opposition voices, as is required by Zambia’s constitution. 

In an interview Bishop Mpundu observed that President Lungu’s government had rapidly deteriorated into a brutal dictatorship - one even worse than the British autocracy imposed on Zambia before independence. 

In particular he complained of the government’s abuse of the public order act, as well as arbitrary arrests against civil rights activists such as the musician Pilato. 

“Fifty six years down the line, we still have that Public Order Act, this is very retrogressive, we are not supposed to be having things like that. This is a free Zambia, our leaders today, the Chagwa Lungu’s of this world, they are worse than the British, it’s wrong! We thought now we have a free Zambia where people can speak, young people want to speak to their President, arrest them; someone is singing, he is an artist, complaining, they should listen. Presidents and any leader should listen to everybody, not catch him. Several times Pilato is in prison and we have tried several times to rescue him, nothing. This is a dictatorial government, we deserve better,” the bishop said. 

He went on to deride the fact that the government was even undermining the Church to further its own advantage at the polls next year. 

“The government wants to divide, this is a policy of divide and rule, divide et impera. Even within one particular church, they divide leaders and those who are being led, they are fighting, that poses the advantage on the government, they are very happy about it. Divide and rule,” he said.