Why praise Lungu for accepting defeat, one should always transfer power smoothly after electoral defeat- UPND

The AU has appointed immediate past Zambian President Edgar Lungu as Head of Election Observer in Kenya based on one criteria – accepting defeat.

According to the law, when a President loses an election, power must transfer as it should – peacefully.

Apparently, United Party for National Development (UPND) Information Publicity Secretary, Joseph Kalimbwe says people should never praise anyone for accepting defeat in Africa, as if it is an act of benevolence.

“By accepting defeat, Lungu didn’t do us any favour – he was fulfilling a constitutional mandate.

“But African democracy is constantly dealt huge blows by dictators who refuse to step aside after an electoral loss & so we’ve reduced ourselves to praising those who accept defeat,” he says.

Lungu lost the presidential election by about a million votes against UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema.

He then accepted defeat and transfered power peacefully, to which some are praising him.

Meanwhile, many African dictators are known for rejecting election defeat let alone transfer power willingly.

The late former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is said to have done so at one point.

Mugabe reportedly lost an election to late MDC T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, but took time to doctor the results and forced a re-run.

Tsvangirai pulled out because of violence and Mugabe won it.

Zwnews