ECL MISLED – KAKUWA

By Fulman Mukobeko

FORMER President Edgar Lungu is being used as a pawn on a chess board by certain individuals who want him to re- contest the Zambian Presidency, says Lusaka- based clergyman and governance expert Richard Kakuwa.

Speaking in an interview, Dr. Kakuwa said people pushing for Mr. Lungu to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema in the 2026 General Elections might just be after his income.

Dr. Kakuwa said Mr. Lungu could have made a political comeback after praying and talking to God and not doing it on impulse.

He said based on spiritual grounds, if God had not spoken to him to return to active politics, it meant he had put himself in an awkward position.

“Personally, as an individual, and a concerned citizen, one would want to say he should have prayed enough to hear what God is saying from a clergy point of view rather than the voice of men, who only want to benefit themselves from his earned resources,” he said.

Dr. Kakuwa added that on a spiritual point of view, if God had not spoken to Mr. Lungu to return to active politics, it meant he was placing himself on a front line and things might not be as he had expected.

Dr. Kakuwa said he would have loved Mr. Lungu to retire peacefully and become a Statesman of the country.

“Whatever happens in the background, with time, things will be healing and building up towards acceptance as a Statesman of the country. I wouldn’t say he has done a wrong thing to return to active politics because I think he played his part,” he said.

Otherwise, some people may be looking at him as a pawn on the chess board and as a result, they would want to make money out of him. However, whatever he has in terms of income, it is better that he enjoys that and becomes a different voice into the Zambian political, economic and social existence,” he said.