Hear Luapula grievances, Mr President

PRESSIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has been, for the first time been told the truth about how gravely concerned the people of Luapula Province are over the jailing of Nickson Chilangwa and Ronald Chitotela.
It had to take the personal courage of Dr Chitalu Chilufya, the Mansa Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament to face President Hichilema and deliver…perhaps the most difficult, message, that the people of Luapula are not happy with the politics obtaining in the region.
Mr Chilangwa and Mr Chitotela are among the many political prisoners and Dr Chilufya’s plea to President Hichilema was unlikely expected but he made sure the head of State was made aware of the feelings of the people from the region.
We verily believe that it was not an easy message to deliver for Dr Chilufya considering that just about a month ago, he was paraded in Mazabuka to commend President Hichilema about his efforts in trying unite the country.
We wish to commend Dr Chilufya for boldly speaking out on behalf on his incarcerated and convicted comrades, Nickson Chilangwa and Ronald Chitotela of Kawambwa and Pambashe Constituencies respectively.
Hate him or like him, what Dr Chilufya did to tell the President about his companions is what we expect most PF MPs who have been fraternizing with President Hichilema on most of his travels across the country.
We expect the likes of Robert Chabinga, Anthony Mumba, Davison Mung’andu and others who are flirting with UPND to be bold enough and state things as they are, that the country is politically stressed, especially with the perception that President Hichilema and the UPND are out to kill and annihilate the PF, Zambia’s largest political outfit.
It is a known fact that Luapula Province has traditionally been a PF stronghold, with a strong base of members in all the 15 constituencies.
Mr Chilangwa’s seat was with lawlessness, without due regard to the rule of law declared vacant when his matter was still active in the courts of law and President Hichilema will be in the region soon, canvassing votes from the very people whose grievances have been presented to him by Dr Chilufya.
So to hear Dr Chilufya plead with the head of State that he hears the grievances of the people of Luapula and consequently find favour for the two lawmakers is comforting.
The two MPs have been denied bail pending appeal and in fact, the Electoral Commission has gone ahead to even set a date for the Kawambwa parliamentary by-election despite a stay by the courts of law.
It is not only the families of the duo that have been affected by the jailing but the people of Luapula as a whole.
No matter how credible their jailing could be, most people in the area view it as mere political persecution, meant to annihilate the PF and that they are being punished for belonging to the former governing party.
It will do well, Mr President to heed to Dr Chilufya’s plea.
The law allows you to do so.
As for the political ramifications of your pardon, Mr President you stand to gain.
Mr President, we want to stand with Dr Chilufya in his humble request that you hear the grievance of the people of Luapula.
We find it strange that these two men and others have been denied bail pending appeal as per law by both the Magistrate Court and the High Court.
The list of those incarcerated is long and include Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, Nixon Chilangwa, Wanziya Kampyongo, Ronald Chitotela, Kalumba Chifumbe, Davy Kaniki, Chabu Chitotela, Kunda Chitotela, Francis Muchemwa and Bowman Lusambo just to mention to a few.