*Rt. Rev’d. Dr. Musonda Trevor Selwyn Mwamba, President of the United National Independence Party (UNIP)
There is a feeling of pain and grieving in the Lungu family, in the party which he led, and in the nation. There is a feeling of hatred, anger and bitterness in people who feel that president Lungu was treated badly before he died threatening the peace and unity of Zambia.
In this kaleidoscope of feelings in Zambia, I encourage Zambians to unify in our collective thoughts and feelings, by honouring the life of our former president, Edgar Lungu. He had his strength. He had his weaknesses. He was one of us.
In our mourning two recollections from the past one from America and the other from South Africa come to mind that can help us navigate our feelings as Zambians and draw us closer to each other.
The first recollection is some decades ago in America. On hearing the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King Jr., on April 4, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy, who also was assassinated that same year on June 5 1968 – coincidentally the same date president Edgar Lungu died- delivered in Indianapolis, a brief yet profound and timeless speech.
It is apt wherever conflict, division, discrimination and hatred exist. It’s a hopeful message for our world and country. And pertinently appropriate to Zambia now.
Kennedy said: “Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice for his fellow human beings, and he died because of that effort.”
He said: “In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it is perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in…You can be filled with bitterness, with hatred, and a desire for revenge. We can move in that direction as a country, in great polarization-black people amongst black, white people amongst white, filled with hatred toward one another.”
He said: “Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love.”
He said: “…We have to make an effort to understand, to go beyond these rather difficult times.”
He said: “My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He wrote: “In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.”
He said: “What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black.”
He said: “So I shall ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King, that’s true, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love-a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke.”
He concluded: “We can do well in this country…the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life, and want justice for all human beings who abide in our land.
Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.
Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people.”
Robert F. Kennedy’s speech profound and timeless was a response to a tragic event, calling for unity, compassion, and a commitment to justice in the face of violence and division.
The second recollection from South Africa concerns President Nelson Mandela. Like Martin Luther King he dedicated his life to love and to justice fighting for the liberation of South Africa. He was a global advocate for peace, equality, truth, forgiveness, reconciliation.
South Africa was epitomised by Apartheid. A policy which bred racism, violence and discrimination and divisions, and death; in this evil environment Mandela preached forgiveness, reconciliation, non-racism, and unity.
Nelson Mandela was an effective political leader who helped people overcome the limitations of their prejudices and bigotry, racism, fears, and tried to get them to do harder, better, more important things than they would get themselves to do on their own.
He did so because in his words:
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Our two recollections one in spirit are invitation to people everywhere to be loving, sensitive, empathetic, and objective in how they relate to each other in our diverse and beautiful world. It’s immoral to expend our God given energies hating and fighting one another as individuals, as political parties, as nations. Let us learn to be loving and courteous.
Accordingly, in our Zambian context as we mourn our former president at this time, let us reflect on what kind of nation we are and what direction we want Zambia to move in.
As Zambians there is only one direction to move and that is towards love in addressing the economic, social, and political challenges.
Echoing the timeless words of Kennedy – as Zambians what we need is not division; what we need in Zambia is not hatred; what we need in Zambia is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who suffer within our country.
I believe we can work together to make our country better by rising above the base instincts of hatred and petty politics that has possessed us. I believe we can all rise to the lofty heights of love and mutual respect and compassion and understanding.
Zambia needs in its leaders and all who are entrusted in positions of power and authority and make decisions that affect the lives of many the spirit of love and wisdom and integrity and truth and service.
The love I speak about is that portrayed eloquently in the Bible , in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8; which says:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
This is the love we need in Zambia and in ourselves especially as we mourn and reflect on the life of president Edgar Lungu.
And in mourning the death of our Sixth Republican President His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu, let us do so in humility, and in the sacred awareness and reverence of the mystery of birth and death which belongs to God.
Let us do so with honour that is dignified and respectful before God and the good values that define us as Zambians of love and peace.
This is the spirit of our nation, One Zambia One Nation.
Let us dedicate ourselves to that afresh and say a prayer for the Lungu family, for ourselves, for our country, that under God we may learn to live together in love and peace.
We commend the soul of Edgar to God to rest in eternal peace and rise in glory.
