HAPPY BIRTHDAY Hakainde HICHILEMA [The Case of Wine and Time]

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By Dr Canisius BANDA

PILGRIM

Wednesday, 1st June 2022

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Hakainde HICHILEMA
[The Case of Wine and Time]
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This is June, my man.
The month of your birth, mine too.

On the 4th it is your day.
On this day, spare a fond thought for Violet, your mother.

On this day, her day, give her a call of gratitude.
Mothers survive mankind, remember that.

I sincerely wish you a happy birthday, my friend.
I hope that, like wine, you are getting better with age.

Better.
Wiser.

I know that you are a good man.
Miyanda, your daughter, told me so.

But it is your Republican Presidency that occupies us now.
For you to be a good leader, allow God to guide you, by your listening to His people, the citizens.

Remember always that your reign is impermanent.
But how you treat the citizens will last forever.

Listen to the citizens always, my man.
Allow them to lead you. This way, you will succeed.

To illustrate your humility, I remember as we traversed the country in a helicopter, lobbying citizens for their permission to lead them, with Chakawa sharing buns for energy, you told me about the uselessness/redundancy of owning three or four pairs of shoes at a time, as you explained the Law of Diminishing Returns to me.
Retain that spirit, my man. Remain humble.

This spirit within you is the required instrument for your addressing the debilitating income inequalities in Zambia’s communities today.
The King, you see, ought to be the most humble in his kingdom.

Wash the feet of your followers, Hakainde.
Jesus did.

Be careful with the West.
For years, they have been a danger to our sovereignty, survival and prosperity.
In cold blood, they brutally killed some of our forefathers.

I saw you in church the other day as you paid your last respects to Attorney KABESHA’s wife.
You spoke befittingly well in defence of citizens, our culture and identity, your country.

But the West was not pleased, they didn’t like it at all.
I can still hear them secretly grumbling, squirming. They are watching you.

Avoid shouldering such responsibilities alone.
Let citizens carry such burdens with you.

It is NOT your decision.
It is theirs.

Your personal thoughts on the LGBTQI communities are not important.
It is the collective consensus of citizens that is your cushion.

Trust me, that promise you made that fertiliser will sell at K250 maximum will never ever happen in the life of your presidency. Though it’s late now, you might sell the jet.
Learn from your mistakes, my man. Make new mistakes each day, never repeat old ones.

Do not lie.
Invest in the truth always.

The truth not only liberates but it is also a sacrosanct building block of sound societies.
Seek refuge within it.

Learn who your true allies are. History will help you.
I see that your attitude towards Russia has improved. Trust me, Russia isn’t the horned Devil as is presently being cast/portrayed.

I remember, over a decade ago, telling you that you would be Republican President someday.
Perhaps I should have also tipped you on how to govern as well.

My omission, my fault.
Forgive me.

Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter now.
What matters is that you must listen to the people, their voices.

Secure their lives and that is the secret to securing your own.
Give comfort and comfort you will have.

Never take that which belongs to the community.
If you do, you too will be taken away from the community.

I am happy that you had a conversation with Xi JINPING, the President of China.
Talk to him again, again and again.

It is wise.
Everyone does, including Joe BIDEN and Vladimir PUTIN.

America owes Xi JINPING over USD 1 trillion, you see.
You, as Republican President, only owes USD 5.6 billion, loose change by Chinese standards. Trust me. You just might get lucky.

China never colonised a single African country, you see.
Anyone that tells you that China is deliberately placing African countries in a DEBT TRAP for purposes of colonising them is not your friend, is only envious and is only selling you a red herring.

As you commemorate your birthday, never forget that you are a black man, Hakainde; educated by UNZA, an institution owned by blacks.
Never forget that. It matters for you are governing a blacks’ country, a country referred to as a shit-hole by some foreigners.

These blacks, Hakainde, are still slaves today, you see.
They have tears in their eyes, tears occasioned by never-ending colonialisms.

These black people may not have the degrees that you have, may not even know much, transfer-pricing, quantitative easing, liquidation or stuff like that.
But this country belongs to them, it is theirs, warts and all.

Address the cost of living, my man.
For it may cost you your presidency.

The cost of living is hurting them badly.
Vavuta vinthu, they say,, their eyes devoid of hope.

UNZA today celebrates you as one of its graduates, once a poor, rustic lad.
And by dint of this, the people expect, Zambia ought to be in safe hands with you as its Republican President.

They are looking to you for their liberation.
That is why they educated you, ended your own indigence, armed you with knowledge. For their own emancipation.

The people of Zambia are worried that some of these people you are now associating with mockingly sold them items from windows on their own land. Denigrating, the called them boys.
They know your birthday, and are praying for you this June, hoping that you will not turn your back on them.

Regret nothing, my man.
Harbour no grudges.

As you commemorate your birthday, never forget the reason behind your wanting to lead.
Leave vengeance to God.

Your legacy should be the reason why citizens ought to be grateful to your parents.
Your legacy should be the reason why your birthday should continue being celebrated way after you have gone.

Happy birthday, my friend!
I pray that, as you age, like wine, you become better.

Yes, you may be a good man, as Miyanda says.
But when you let the people of Zambia lead you, you will become a better man, an exemplary president.

Do better than Jesus, my man. Beat His record.
He expects you too.

This then is my birthday message to you, my friend.
May God keep you, and may His favour be upon you.

Mine is on the 8th, only four days after yours.
I hope that you will remember to send me a pack of Chibuku Shake Shake, my favourite.

Even a tot of Kachasu wouldn’t hurt, after all, this is what we drink here in Mandevu Compound.
Remember us in the slums always, we are your masters.

We may brew Kachasu today.
But remember, the gold under your feet is ours.

Happy birthday, my man!
Cheers!
Salaam aleikum!

Dr Canisius BANDA
PILGRIM

Wednesday, 1st June 2022
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