SATA’s Light Moments Are Too Heavy For Others

The Editor,
When I read about our former president’s encounter in Zambia I really felt very bad and disheartened. I wondered really what George Bush did to Zambians to be offered such nasty and undiplomatic jokes and gestures. Why should George Bush really be ushered with such sarcasm from the head of state? George Bush may be the former head of state. But we Americans regard and respect him not only as a former head of sate, but also his age and as a human being. American former heads of state retain the respect by all Americans as they know they will contain wisdom which many US citizens can make use of. We understand that Zambia and America don’t hold the same principle towards former heads of state and that is why the President of Zambia regarded George Bush as a nonentity who doesn’t deserve his respect, thus he could humiliate him freely and publicly by erroneously labeling him, “a colonialist who has come to pay back what was stolen from Africa, Zambia specifically.” When I read this on a UK online media, I just trashed as an exaggeration. But when your local media houses captured the drama, we were shocked. Our former President has been undressed and humiliated. What makes this more serious is that this came from the President of Zambia. Please Zambians we’ve always respected you a lot especially your reception and political maturity which has sounded well across African continent and overseas. But what is surely transpiring is really disappointing. There are many Zambians who live and work in America and these have never been humiliated or degraded. We have hosted your former head of state several times without humiliating him. Your former President, Kenneth Kaunda stayed here in America at Boston University for sometime. Despite his previous undemocratic one-party reign, we respected him a lot and regarded him so highly. Recently, Rupiah Banda was also at the University for some time, we never humiliated him like the way our former head of state was treated. Besides that, the current President of Zambia Mr. Sata, came to U.S.A when still in opposition to use our platform to denounce Chinese investment, he was still treated with respect. Even some Chinese-Americans who were directly hurt his talk, decided to keep quiet. It is not that we can’t insult or humiliate or dehumanize, but respect and regard for human rights is paramount in U.S.A. George Bush could have committed certain unforgivable mistakes within and outside America, but he is still our former president and deserves respect. It is just like your former president Kaunda as I mentioned earlier, who for more than 15years led an autocratic and ruthless regime where people’s freedoms and democracy were non-existent. People suffered for a lot within Kaunda’s regime, but then you Zambians respect him a lot and take him as the father of the nation. We are not saying that Zambians should be puppets of American citizens or should start kneeling when they meet George Bush or any other US leader, but then we also deserve respect just as you do. Respecting someone doesn’t mean you sledge yourself with a stomach or crawl on the floor, but having regard for that person’ feelings in the way you talk or joke. It was even shocking to hear how the President justified his conduct and describe it as “a light moment” or ‘joke’ with George Bush. Thus he went further to threaten the former head of state, Rupiah Banda, who rightly apologized on behalf of concerned Zambians Is this the way you people joke in Zambia? So your “light moments” are surely done humiliatingly? Does Mr. Sata at his age and status produce such jokes to other people disrespectfully? Surely, you call humiliating someone as light moment in Zambia? This is really very unfortunate. What if we start victimizing and humiliating Zambians living and working in the USA or we decide to shovel them out and then we call that joking or having light moments with Zambians? Will you be happy with those jokes? Please Mr. President, consider your age and status in Zambia, people expect a lot from you especially on diplomacy. Your age and wisdom should control the level and type of jokes flashed to people more especially your fellow elders and former heads of states. If there aren’t any other ways of calibrating your jokes its better you stop such jokes or so called light moments. Your light moments are proving “heavy moments” and lack any slice of diplomacy and respect for others. You might seem to be very courageous today by producing careless jokes and light moments, but don’t forget that even other people especially those victimized by your jokes and light moments, are capable of joking back in a filthy way also called Mugabe way. Finally, if President Michael Sata didn’t want to meet G.Bush, he should have said so, instead of letting him in and then humiliate him. DIPLOMACY MUST EXIST EVEN IN JOKES AND LIGHT MOMENTS. (IN 21ST CENTURY, JOKES THAT POKE HUMILIATION ARE A DIRECTION TO TOWARDS DISASTER-ASK MUGABE) Zambians, we love and respect you, do the same to others. Clint Goodson.
The author is from USA who worked as a volunteer in Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania tackling HIV/AIDS related illnesses for two years. He did African studies at Boston University, hence did several research works in many African Lands.

Posted by Admin on July 16, 2012. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

35 Responses to SATA’s Light Moments Are Too Heavy For Others

Educated chap

July 16, 2012 at 11:59 am

Indeed our prssident needs to know when to pass jokes…….
shokoto nfyampa

July 16, 2012 at 12:07 pm

a very big yaaawn , american authour / zambian .
shokoto nfyampa

July 16, 2012 at 12:11 pm

American Author / Zambian Yaaawwwwn iweeee.
Tione

July 16, 2012 at 12:13 pm

He doesnt know when to put jokes aside contrary to the original Ukwa. All he’s good at is aligning districts so very soon there will be a new district in Lusaka covering Kamwala, Kabwata, Libala, Chilenje South, Woodlands, Nyumba stretching to the new areas of Chalala, libala south, etc.
sharp shooter

July 16, 2012 at 12:31 pm

He got hurt,GB.No ways grengo, Bush was more hurt and humiliated right there at home when YOU booed him during the inegral of oBAMA
nyatu

July 16, 2012 at 12:37 pm

utuchawa fyakale sata is ok muzuguanikode do what is right at a right time
sierra

July 16, 2012 at 12:46 pm

UKWA….chimbwi no plan
Patkao

July 16, 2012 at 12:53 pm

What of a person who threw a shoe at Bush when he was president in the middle east? Which is more painful, truth or being hit with a shoe?
friday masunga

July 16, 2012 at 1:41 pm

the joke was to much,
i felt bad too coz it was’nt necesary
for him to say all those words, all he
would said was thanks for the gesture and the
heart u have for the poor.
though he took it as a joke i dint take dat way.
shame
Nemwine webala

July 16, 2012 at 2:25 pm

Uyo cakalipa ayikulike. Leave my presdo alone jst coz musungu tukane nokupema thts y u slip wt dogs coz a whiteman hs td u 2 do so.
Wizard

July 16, 2012 at 2:27 pm

This Sata CNP is going crazy with his job and he is drunk with power. What a country we are going to have by the end of his term.Politicking is what is doing …What about the promises you foolish and pathetic liar the Satana of the 90 days…. What was it for?
1. New constitution
2.Free education
3. More money in the pockets
4. 3.5million Jobs
5.Windfall tax
6.Barotse land agreement
7.Housing for all civil servants
8.Free fertilizer
9. Upgrading shanties
10. Liberating the media
Now which of these has been fulfilled? zero….Sata man of action huh!?This sweet talking,no action man. Give him the whole term he wont deliver any of his promises. I pity him so much…..
shax

July 16, 2012 at 2:39 pm

@wizard.u r a man wth no direction together wth or of u disrispecting our president.become presidents so that u dnt crack such jokes.ubushilu!
sata

July 16, 2012 at 2:40 pm

so what??????????
sata

July 16, 2012 at 2:44 pm

just leave me alone u american,you are just a nobody and you wizard,those were jst fake promises so that you vote for me,i will never deliver because i suffered too much in the opposition,let me first enjoy myself for five years,then i will start working on some of my promises in the other term.
editor

July 16, 2012 at 3:05 pm

ba editor nangu mulembeshani sata aleteka ok.mind your own b.
sata

July 16, 2012 at 3:32 pm

thankyou editor,tell them.
man chilu

July 16, 2012 at 3:38 pm

Yawnnnn! Wat a waste of words,is bush complaining? Ifyabupubafye!
papak

July 16, 2012 at 4:30 pm

is he not a colonialist? does the truth hurt?
GunnerME

July 16, 2012 at 4:39 pm

You cant teach an old dog new tricks! However, Mr. Sata needs to know that he’s not only embarrassing us but himself & his entire family! He seriously must learn to carefully moderate his speeches.
Automatic Dick

July 16, 2012 at 4:45 pm

Which a author from America ? no one in America can take that joke as serious.
This is no other than RB and his minion pushing for this evil thing.
Sata and Bush are friends for a long time ,so Bush can never take it serious unless RB and other shallow minded like him(RB).
disgusted zambian

July 16, 2012 at 4:59 pm

nowonder our country will never develop,its because of you party carderes…the President was wrong…just accept…it doesnt have to take Bush to complain for you to notice the error.Respect is vital…God forbid our own are shown such disrespect in the U.S because of you ignoramus’
Paul

July 16, 2012 at 5:07 pm

That was taking jokes to far Mr Presiednt.Am disappointed.Show some respect.In Life,we always reap what we sow!
Umukankala

July 16, 2012 at 5:31 pm

ALLOH!! @ bali mumweneshamooo!! thoz promises u made to yo …how many hav fulfilled,you are also a politician.
jonto bingo

July 16, 2012 at 8:25 pm

Guys you must be blind to accept this article as having been written by an american read it again!americans do no write like this’this is all nosense ‘who do you want to believe this crap.
GunnerME

July 16, 2012 at 8:34 pm

A lot of people here (PF cadres being the most vocal) have been attacking HH for ‘seemingly’ criticising Sata needlessly, but what difference does it make when the same PF CADRES plainly choose to ignore the truth & defend a wrong in favour of Sata? A wrong is a wrong regardless of whoever commits it!
Ronniey

July 16, 2012 at 8:35 pm

Respect indeed!,wat do u knw abt respect?first hv a respect 2 yo own dogs at yo hom,datz wen nw u ar goin 2 gv otha pipo out dere,nt wat ur jst jomitn out 4 nothn.
zambiana

July 16, 2012 at 9:01 pm

nothing gud wil ever come out of george pig,oh i mean bush,if i ever get chance of seeing him i wil spit in his face
GunnerME

July 16, 2012 at 9:26 pm

I think we ve a lot more fools in Zambia than I thought! Levels of dullness are so high!!!
Bric Brac

July 17, 2012 at 2:15 am

The man is a clown, whoever takes him seriouusly is not serious themselves.. How many people has he antagonized with his stale jokes? Ask even Guy Scott, Give Lubinda, Ben Mwila…the list is endless. The cadres are cheering, ironically, most of his jokes sre similar to what Kaponyas at Bus stations.and now corridors will be heard screaming at anyone they presume is better than them.
Lombe

July 17, 2012 at 6:53 am

Ati “american author”, this is Zambian english naimwe, its so boring to read. I can’t even go half way. Boston University kwisa, I work with a lot of volunteers for a long time, non sounds this shallow! Find another lie, lie, lie!
Zambiana

July 17, 2012 at 7:11 am

So having worked in African countries made this american change his vocaburaly to low levels of a diploma holder te? That’s why he’s complaining on behalf of George, he’s must be more dull than the Zambians who were hurt when Bush did not even feel it. Muzungu worshipers! Even george bush goes mukunya just as you do ba makaka. How dare you smile at George’s Iraq killings and get wild at Sata for joking? George is a killer colonialist, take it or leave it! Kontos!
sata

July 17, 2012 at 12:28 pm

talk wat u want!! my jokes are just okey.
true zambian

July 17, 2012 at 1:17 pm

those of u supporting sata, U re SATANs en NOT ZAMBIANS U NEED TO KNOW WHAT RESPECT MEANS EN U TOGETHER WITH UR SO CALLED PRESIDENT UKWA CHIMBWI NO PLANI, NEEDS A DELIVERANCE…COZ UR MINDS ARE CORRUPT WITH EVIL THOUGHTS…
Muna

July 18, 2012 at 9:04 pm

In as much as our president has trabo telling humerous jokes, this article was surely not writen by an american. the english in this article is like that of a complaining retired civile servant
pa kanwa

July 20, 2012 at 1:41 pm

Get a press secretary or spokesman to do public presidential speeches.