NDANGWA MWITTAH, Lusaka

WHILE some staunch supporters of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) may have no issue wearing with honour the badge of praise singers, they may not welcome being wrapped with the term useful idiots. But for those who have followed social media discourse in recent days, it was a phrase used by Socialist Party (SP) president Fred M’membe, who is turning out to be a staunch critic of the UPND and President Hakainde Hichilema. In using the term, Dr M’membe went on to provide a definition of useful idiot. “In political jargon, a useful idiot is a term for a person perceived as propagandising for a cause without fully comprehending the cause’s goals, and who is cynically used by the cause’s leaders,” he posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday. “Useful idiot is a naive or credulous person who can be manipulated or exploited to advance a cause or political agenda.
“The phrase ‘useful idiot’ has often been attributed to Vladimir Lenin, but he is not documented as ever having used the phrase.” But it is a phrase President Hichilema used, tongue-in-cheek, yesterday.  “Good morning praise singers and CLICK TO READ MORE