Maravi

Sata lectures on democracy

Sata lectures on democracy
By Webster Malido
Sunday February 25, 2007 [02:00]

OPPORTUNISM and hero-worshipping have undermined Zambia's democracy, opposition Patriotic Front president Michael Sata has said. Sata said for democracy to take root in the country, it was important for politicians to be guided by firm principles. He said the style of politics under the leadership of Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba and President Levy Mwanawasa has not been so different in that it has been centred too much around opportunism and hero-worshipping.

"It is important to be guided by firm principles, such as holding on to a position, because you honestly believe it is correct, and not because of who is on the other side of the fence," Sata said. "Unless, we take this approach, we cannot build the democratic culture and institutions we badly need in our country. Thus, it will take more than the opposition 'bootlicking' those who have control over state instruments to solve problems that confront our country. "I for one, and the Patriotic Front members in general have been open, we have not only been criticising those in government, but have been putting forth our ideas, which we believe can save our country from failure, such as reducing taxes to rejuvenate our economy. What more are we supposed to do? Succumb to insults and intimidation?"

Sata said building democracy requires the commitment of all the citizens, both the party in government and those in the opposition. "If anything, the political party in government bears even more responsibility. It cannot be the other way round," he said.

Sata alleged that President Mwanawasa had continued using the tricks of his predecessor, Chiluba. "He has stopped members of the MMD from canvassing for the vice presidency. Similarly, while telling the MMD to find his successor from within or outside, he is not allowing those interested to canvass for support," Sata said. "By so doing he is eliminating competition through which one of the members of the MMD could be elected as the party's torchbearer in the next elections."

He said opportunism and hero-worshipping had destroyed democracy in most political parties in Zambia. Sata said vesting power in a single individual had also undermined democratic traditions in political institutions. "The solution lies in sticking to clear electoral rules, which are often clearly spelt out in the Constitutions of our organisations," he said.

Sata said President Mwanawasa had so far not distinguished himself from his predecessors in terms of political style. He said for democracy to be entrenched in any organisation, all its members, including the President, ought to conduct the affairs of their organisation, according to the constitution of the organisation or democratically agreed rules. "The President should not usurp power with the help of opportunists, whose only concern is to get a government job at any cost. Furthermore, as citizens we ought to learn to speak our minds and avoid hero-worshipping," Sata said.

Sata said credit should only be given where it is due. He said there was need for politicians to speak out against any unconstitutional conduct or mediocrity. "For instance, is it not strange that President Mwanawasa can go out of the country to attend a four-day conference and then disappear without the nation being told where he is, and the reasons for being where ever he might be," Sata said. "Such unaccountable conduct on the part of the country's first citizen cannot be tolerated in countries, such as South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States and indeed many other democracies around the world. "However, because of the Zambians' tendency to worship those who hold state power, this is not something that many can raise publicly."

Sata said similarly, those who hold power should learn to avoid rewarding opportunism at the expense of critical thinkers. "Levy Mwanawasa, in particular, seems to be so afraid of independent minded people. This is evident from the kind of people he has surrounded himself with in his Cabinet," Sata said. "They are mostly people who cannot give him candid advice, but what they think is likely to please him. Such conduct is retrogressive and will only lead to failure at the national level."

Labels: DEMOCRACY, SATA

posted by MrK @ 3:37 AM