By NATION REPORTER
THE narrative that President Hakainde Hichilema was booed on Sunday at Heroes Stadium is an agenda of the opposition, Ruth Dante from the UPND media has stated.
Ms Dante said even Mr Brebner Changala, the man who was a stern critic of President Hichilema condemned the “so called” booing.
“That is an agenda of the opposition. Don’t fall for it. The question is, who booed the President? I am actually very upset with that narrative,” she said.
Ms Dante said the media should not help push the agenda of the opposition by highlighting what it deemed “loose ends” of the new dawn administration but should instead help unite the country.
She has since challenged anyone believing that the President Hichilema was booed to produce video evidence.
“This is propaganda of the opposition but don’t fall for it. Don’t push the agenda of the opposition. Instead, unite the country. Assist the President to deliver and subsequently help the Zambian people,” Ms Dante said.
She said she actually was upset that such a narrative by the opposition could be peddled by the media.
And political analyst Martin Simwaba has charged that booing national leaders at public events undermines the principles of civility needed in a healthy democracy, as there are better and constructive ways to hold leaders accountable.
Mr Simwaba said both the booing od former President Edgar Lungu in 2021 and current President Hakainde Hichilema at National Heroes Stadium over the weekend is a worrying trend that should not be entertained.
Mr Simwaba said this is because booing undermines respect for national leaders, regardless of who it is and that by embracing constructive dialogue, leaders can be held accountable better, while upholding their dignity.
Yesterday, the Daily Nation quoted Mr Changala condemning the booing of the head of State at Heroes Stadium where he had gone to watch a soccer match between Red Arrows Football Club and Kabwe Warriors in the ABSA Cup final.
Red Arrows, a Zambia Air Force sponsored football club won the game and bagged K800, 000. Mr Changala said although Zambians were unhappy and angry over the high cost of living, booing President Hichilema was unacceptable.
He said President Hichilema was not only a head of State, but an elderly person as well and so subjecting him to jeering was wrong.
