ZAMBIA, AFRICA’S NEWEST DICTATORSHIP? Must We Defend What History Calls Evil? Happy All Saints Sunday, Zambia. We declared ourselves a Christian Nation. That is our chosen identity. Last week, a true son of Africa, Former President Ian Khama of Botswana, stood in his own Parliament and said what many African wolves in leadership are deadly […]

ZAMBIA, AFRICA’S NEWEST DICTATORSHIP?

Must We Defend What History Calls Evil?

Happy All Saints Sunday, Zambia.

We declared ourselves a Christian Nation. That is our chosen identity.

Last week, a true son of Africa, Former President Ian Khama of Botswana, stood in his own Parliament and said what many African wolves in leadership are deadly silent about. He questioned his government attending what he called “the inauguration of Africa’s newest dictator in Zambia.”

Headlines across Africa repeated it; FORMER BOTSWANA PRESIDENT KHAMA DESCRIBES HICHILEMA AS AFRICA’S NEWEST DICTATOR.

Let me be clear, I thank God for that voice.

What a Botswana statesman has seen while seated, many of us in Zambia have not yet seen while standing. That is why Africa thanks elders. As our proverb says, the fire that is guarded by elders does not burn the village.

President Khama has guarded fires before. He has seen how dictatorship starts. He has seen how it ends. And dictatorship never ends well.

So I am not here to defend Botswana. I am here to defend Zambia. And to thank Khama for loving us enough to wound us with truth.

Why are we more angry at the man who warned us, than worried about why the warning could be made at all?

A name sticks when the character matches it.

Every free nation is built on five pillars. Every dictatorship is built on their opposite:

1. Love vs Force: A free nation persuades. A dictatorship compels.

2. Truth vs Lies: A free nation is built on verifiable truth. A dictatorship is built on daily lies.

3. Law vs Lawlessness: Law protects the weak. When those sworn to uphold law bend it, or use Parliament to remove term limits to keep power, we must be deeply ashamed.

4. Freedom vs Fear: Free nations give citizens freedom. Dictatorships give them fear.

5. Life vs Blood: Free nations sacrifice for their people. Dictatorships sacrifice their people to stay.

Force, Lies, Lawlessness, Fear, Blood; fingerprints of tyranny. Love, Truth, Law, Freedom, Life; fingerprints of freedom.

Two identities cannot live in one house.

We cannot proclaim “Christian Nation” on Sunday and practice Force, Lies, Lawlessness, Fear and Blood on Monday, and expect the world not to rename us.

So this is my invitation to EVERYONE, including those in power themselves:

Let us prove that second name wrong, not by insulting Botswana, but by our character.

Let us be honest about what dictatorship truly is, so we never confuse it with leadership

Dictatorship is not just one bad man. It is a full system of evil. It is when power becomes personal, when the State becomes “me.” It is when term limits are removed so a man can rule forever. It is when Parliament stops debating and starts clapping.

When courts stop delivering justice and start delivering instructions. When police stop protecting people and start protecting power. When truth is replaced by propaganda, criticism is called treason, and citizens live in fear of their own government.

It uses Force to silence, Lies to confuse, Lawlessness to stay, Fear to control, and Blood to warn. That is dictatorship. And history teaches us that it never ends well, for the people supporting it, and even for the dictator himself.

POWER IS TEMPORARY. THE REPUBLIC IS PERMANENT.
LEST WE FORGET, HISTORY IS AN ADVANCED SCHOOL FOR THE WISE.

Rev. Peter K. Nsama.
1 November 2026.

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