A Few Things
It has been an interesting couple of weeks. After struggling for inspiration for close to a month, I found myself reeling under the sheer weight of my ruminations. Some of them being reflections on hilarious actions by interesting people, while others my usual observations about the presumably mundane and routine.
I, like many other Zambians, followed the parliamentary proceedings as Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba, after a barrage of points order, weighty explanations from the Speaker and walkouts laid before parliament the motion to lift former president Rupiah Banda's constitutional immunity from prosecution. I was amused at the number of opposition Members of Parliament who tried their absolute best to prevent the proceedings to the extent that the speaker was left with a sweaty face as explaining and overruling the points of order assumed a task as physically demanding as manual work. Throw in "the middle finger" flashed by Honourable Siliya and you have the stuff of legends. Its amusing the level to which honourable Siliya sunk although others argue that they have heard and seen worse like the time she boasted about her bum. Just surprised that she would resort to the middle finger when her oratorical skills are much better.
My opinion is that the whole immunity thing, in its current form is not helping matters. I can understand our desire to elevate presidents above the common man. It probably speaks to some deep-seated yearning for a superman who will make things right. Unfortunately such men only exist in works of fiction or the unpolluted imaginations of children. Presidents either former or current are human beings, they should never be elevated above the law in the first place. Whether or not Parley was right to lift RB's immunity does not really bother me and I do not have an opinion on that. All I know is that noone should have immunity from prosecution in the first place.
I have been doing a lot of travelling, particularly between Ndola and Lusaka. the travelling is showing no signs of abating as I have now been transferred to head office while my stuff is still in Ndola. On the subject of travelling and buses, the following greatly bother me:
I, like many other Zambians, followed the parliamentary proceedings as Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba, after a barrage of points order, weighty explanations from the Speaker and walkouts laid before parliament the motion to lift former president Rupiah Banda's constitutional immunity from prosecution. I was amused at the number of opposition Members of Parliament who tried their absolute best to prevent the proceedings to the extent that the speaker was left with a sweaty face as explaining and overruling the points of order assumed a task as physically demanding as manual work. Throw in "the middle finger" flashed by Honourable Siliya and you have the stuff of legends. Its amusing the level to which honourable Siliya sunk although others argue that they have heard and seen worse like the time she boasted about her bum. Just surprised that she would resort to the middle finger when her oratorical skills are much better.
My opinion is that the whole immunity thing, in its current form is not helping matters. I can understand our desire to elevate presidents above the common man. It probably speaks to some deep-seated yearning for a superman who will make things right. Unfortunately such men only exist in works of fiction or the unpolluted imaginations of children. Presidents either former or current are human beings, they should never be elevated above the law in the first place. Whether or not Parley was right to lift RB's immunity does not really bother me and I do not have an opinion on that. All I know is that noone should have immunity from prosecution in the first place.
I have been doing a lot of travelling, particularly between Ndola and Lusaka. the travelling is showing no signs of abating as I have now been transferred to head office while my stuff is still in Ndola. On the subject of travelling and buses, the following greatly bother me:
- Why should I be subjected to entertainment that I dont want. I have had to endure the five hours from Ndola to Lusaka at times watching some of the most absurd movies, or listening to some of the most drab music. From Nigerian movies that have four parts, painfully drawn out with melodrama,tears and dull conversation to so-called Zambian music which translates into some hastily stringed words spoken to some computer generated beat. Now, I will be the first to admit that there are many people who appreciate this sort of entertainment and I don't mean to cast any aspersions on them. All I ask is that I should get to choose whether I want to see a movie, engross myself in a voluminous book, listen to music or simply seat while watching the trees as the bus rushes past, you know like what happens on aeroplanes. Surely it is not too much to ask?, no?
- Someone should be able to know why Intercity bus terminus smells like the inside of a pit-latrine. It being the rainy season I was of the view that the wet in the station was as a result of the rain. I have come to learn the hard way that it is a motley mixture of urine, bear, water and sometimes faeces. Surely the station connecting to all parts of the country can be managed much better. Beginning with getting rid of the call-boys, prohibiting any sale of alcohol within the premises and requiring bus operators to maintain a modicum of sanitation or risk their being debarred from loading in the terminus. But then, it seems noone cares. At this rate, it wont be long before we begin to wade in rivers of urine and fecal matter just to get on a bus.
Lusaka presents for me a new challenge, one that I relish and which excites me. It was only that I realise how bad the traffic situation is, I started off at 06 hours from Avondale and only arrived at the office three hours later. Some way to take a new appointment huh?
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