Jeff Mbewe
Competition is fertilizer of creativity and progress, if done with positivity and civility.
However, when done with negativity it conveys destruction and sometimes unfriendliness.
The statement attributed to Lusaka Minister Bowman Lusambo of dispersing the assertions of Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa, that he was almost attacked by some alleged PF cadres, speaks loudly of the possible competition between the two gentlemen seeking the same thing; relevance.
In his statement, Mr Lusambo starts by acknowledging the fact the story of Miles Sampa exists but with a wished-for parody of facts, “…His Worship the Mayor of Lusaka Councilor Miles Sampa to the effect that he was kidnapped by some known elements while undertaking his official duties in the City.”
Kidnapping
Mr Lusambo has distorted the narratives of what transpired, which we all saw, where some people aligned to the PF visibly ridiculed Mr Sampa with hostility. His scurf around his neck was torn.
In both his audio recording interview with BBC and his post on his Facebook page where he posed with a gun, Mr Sampa has not said anything related to kidnapping as alleged in the first paragraph of Lusambo’s statement.
Of course, the affix of the word kidnapping by Mr Lusambo in his preamble is not an oversight.
The Minister knows the true meaning of kidnaping, which is to illegally take someone away and make them a prisoner, especially in order to make their family or government give you money or allow you to do what you want.
For those who understand impression management and effective control of people’s perception, which is basically what propaganda, is; in order to control the perception of society.
One needs to scantly acknowledge information at hand, then distort it carefully and blending it with what is obtaining so as to avoid suspicions of information distortion but ultimately, to appeal to both the minds of informed and less informed.
Mr Lusambo has just done that. As I browse through social feeds – am sure even tomorrow’s newspapers will do the same – the headlines are; “Lusambo disagrees with Miles Sampa.”
The Lusaka Province minister has successfully shifted the attention and has controlled the impression; to his own benefit.
Being junior in rank to Mr Lusambo, it is less likely for Mr Sampa to reiterate his statement given that already he is receiving punches for posing with a gun, which has been termed as childish for a person of his position and forcing the Mayor to pull down the post.
Is Lusaka safe if you temper with the interests of PF cadres?
In his paragraph two, Mr Lusambo uses his tittle ‘As Lusaka Province Minister, I feel duty bound to set the record straight and allay any fears that Lusaka might be unsafe for residents and visitors alike’, to chip in his own image in the whole narratives.
Of course, Lusaka is safe but only in a given context. If Mr Lusambo himself dares to temper with what is in the interests of cadres of the ruling party, he will know that his statement sounds imprudent to citizens that have suffered, and continue to suffer intimidations, hostility and beatings of PF cadres.
Clearly, the minister knows that what he is saying is his own spin to assert relevance as ‘Man of Action 2’ in Lusaka after late Michael Sata.
The last part of his paragraph two, Mr Lusambo says ‘There is no case of kidnapping filed by anyone at any police station in Lusaka or anywhere else across the country.’
It is amazing why one would think there would be any case of kidnaping reported anywhere when what we saw was more like threatening violence.
Mr Sampa has clearly stated that he phoned the Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo who came to his aid after dispersing armed police officers where he was.
It would have made more sense if the dismissing of threats to Mr Sampa came from Mr Kampyongo and not Mr Lusambo on his own accord, not as a minister but as Bowman Lusambo former MMD diehard.
Bowman’s trademark of bootlicking
In the third paragraph is where the trademark of Mr Lusambo lays, “The country that His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu is governing…” Cleverly, in everything Mr Lusambo does, he extols the name of President Lungu.
This is what President Edgar Lungu, and many more African leaders enjoy. African leaders enjoy those who worship them.
Warning to Miles Sampa
The most important part, and Mr Sampa must pay attention to it, is the last part of Bowman Lusambo’s statements, “For us in leadership, we have a moral duty to portray exemplary traits that do not betray the collective trust and faith that our people have placed in us.”
Clearly, Miles’s interview with BBC has given credence to the claims the opposition have over a long period of time made, that the PF supporters are violators of law blatantly and are violent.
Regardless of his reasons, Miles has betrayed the collective convictions of his government.
While he may have felt threatened, he should have sort internal ways to resolve the matter unlike parade himself with guns on his Facebook, clearly, demonstrating a behavior of a playboy and agreeing with his party’s opponents that PF is haven of thugs.
Beyond all this is a silent rivalry between Bowman and Sampa; both want attention and want to earn the love of Lusakans.
There is anecdote that Mr Lusambo is eyeing to stand in Lusaka province in 2021 and there are also assertions that Miles is eyeing the same thing.
Both two gentlemen are out to overshadow each other given the recent stints they have made to keep remaining relevant.
If this competition will be done with positive intention and civility, the Lusakans will benefit but if done with acrimony, the two will eventually clash in a matter of time.
