Sata's immoral politics

Sata's immoral politics
By Editor
Monday October 22, 2007 [04:00]

The eighteenth century French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said that those who desire to treat politics and morals separately will never understand anything of either. While we understand that honesty and truthfulness have never been counted as important virtues by most of our politicians, it is also true that there are certain situations when it should be possible to be too high-minded about the issue of honesty and morality in politics; there are certain things that should never be superseded by opportunism, but by a deep sense of responsibility for the public interest.

It is incredible that a politician like Sata, who longs to lead our country, can reduce the importance of opposition politics to such levels of cheap and dangerous opportunism.

How can Sata be proudly telling the world that he undertook to do everything within his capacity to discredit The People’s Republic of China so that they concentrate on defending themselves against his attacks and leave Taiwan at peace?

Why should Sata be saying this today when all along in his justification of his incessant attacks on Chinese investment in Zambia, the fundamental line has always been the claim about Chinese investors’ poor attitude and treatment for Zambian workers?

And he is even bragging that his campaign has paid dividends and that it is time he also got the dividends and benefits of his work? As far as he is concerned, the Taiwanese government owes him a debt because “it is this positive campaign which has attracted my invitation to one of the most famous universities in the world”.

First, Sata should know that as a leader of a key opposition political party in the country, he is the least expected to be practising the kind of politics he is playing because it is not only dangerous to him as an individual but to our nation as well.

Sata might be entitled to his own views or opinion on any subject, including international affairs, but he should realise that even that should not be driven by sheer opportunism but by a serious sense of judgement about the wider public interest.

For someone in his position, it is not right to take a course that undermines the common good of the wider society or public.

Yes, he may have his personal preferences with regards to whom to associate with in international relations, but it is important that he does so with a serious sense of responsibility and this will require a clear and objective analysis of facts on his part.

It is both embarrassing and ridiculous for someone in Sata’s position to adopt a particular political stance on the basis of he who pays the piper calls the tune. It is clear from Sata’s letter that as long as there is unlimited financial benefit from his financiers, he will do everything within his means to perform according to the wishes of his paymasters. Going by Sata’s admission, it will not be wrong for anyone to suggest that his attacks on China and its investment in Zambia are motivated by personal financial gains and not on a question of principle.

It is apparent that Sata’s view on China is blurred by the dollars being splashed in his face and not by a genuine political stance or ideology. But Sata must be told in no uncertain terms that it is absolutely immoral for him to ride on politics premised on unbridled opportunism.

What is even worse is that Sata has the audacity to lie to his own sponsors about the facts relating to his travel to the United States. What kind of politician is he that he cannot be truthful and sincere even with the people he has been working for?

Can Sata really be trusted by anyone if he can hide the truth about his trip to the United States from his sponsors?

Being the experienced politician that he is, Sata should know that lies always catch up and no amount of political gimmicks can conceal the truth. He can come up with a thousand other lies to cover up his initial lie but they will never be enough to conceal the truth.

What our politicians must begin to understand and appreciate is that politics is a serious calling and its practice not only can, but it must, be reconciled with the imperatives of honesty, morality and truthfulness.

We need to get to a level where our politicians will start regarding politics as tool for achieving the common good and not for personal gratification.

It is clear that Sata’s political activities over the China and Taiwan debate border on political immorality on his part. The opportunistic politics being displayed by people like Sata need to be frowned upon because they have the capacity to erode the good ground on which we stand as a collective people.

What politicians like Sata need to learn is that the aim of politics should be to achieve what is best for the country and humanity in general, not for what goes into their personal bank accounts or pockets. This country does not need politicians who will speak or act in a certain manner just because they are in the pockets of someone.

While we are acutely aware of the fact that it will be impossible to completely eradicate politics of opportunism in our country because the survival of most of our politicians is based on opportunism, we believe that it is time that our politicians departed from politics of opportunism and dishonesty.

Our politicians must begin to realise that politics of values and morality are what is needed if we are to make progress as a nation both in terms of democratisation and on the economic and development fronts.