Maravi

Don't vote on tribal lines, urges chief Ndungu

Don't vote on tribal lines, urges chief Ndungu
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sunday September 14, 2008 [04:00]

SENIOR chief Ndungu of the Luvale people of Zambezi district has urged Zambians not to vote for the next Republican president based on tribal or regional lines but on credible leadership. And International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) president Bishop Simon Chihanahas observed that it will be retrogressive for Zambians to vote on tribal lines during the forthcoming presidential election.

Speaking in an interview from his Mize capital in Zambezi yesterday, chief Ndungu said ordinary Zambians were looking for a person who could unify the country regardless of tribal inclinations.

“On those who are campaigning for the Republican presidency, it is not that every tribe will rule this country. What is important is the capacity to deliver,” chief Ndungu said. “I would not want to say much on those who are saying they have 100 per cent support where they come from but the people of Zambia will vote for credible leadership and not on regional lines.”

Chief Ndungu said those politicians that would anchor their campaigns on tribal or regional lines should know that ordinary citizens would vote for a candidate who would take development to their respective areas.

“It is better to select a capable leader, because as you know here in Zambezi we have so much to do,” chief Ndungu said. “We want a government that will construct a bridge across the Zambezi River and any leader who will campaign on that will certainly win the hearts of the people of Zambezi.”

And Bishop Chihana urged voters to judge each presidential candidate and vote based on their leadership abilities, not on tribal interests.

“We also want to take this opportunity to appeal to our fellow citizens that they should not vote on tribal lines, personal hatred or other negatives and retrogressive reasons,” Bishop Chihana said. “And thus we advise that the Zambian people should cast their vote in the coming elections by looking at our political leaders and see if one has experience that the nation can benefit from in bringing about economic development.”

He further urged the electorate to ascertain whether one had right judgment in governing the people and making decisions before voting for that presidential aspirant.

“…And also if one has the nation at heart and indeed should be a Christian faith-based person,” Bishop Chihana advised. “Zambians must avoid voting for presidential candidates that have any corrupt past record, or have stolen from government coffers in any way and those who promote regional politics.”

Bishop Chihana said a president of Zambia must be a father for all tribes, the rich and the poor, and a protector of national interest and foreign investment.

Addressing people who welcomed him at Chipata Airport last Friday, Vice-President Rupiah Banda, who hails from Eastern Province and who is also the MMD presidential candidate, said he expected the highest number of votes from the province to offset any deficits he might have in other provinces.

Vice-President Banda asked the Easterners to vote for him, their own son. He also thanked the people of Eastern Province for having ‘created’ him.

“I am from you; I have my (late) mother here, my grandparents here, my brothers, my children, my grandchildren. I look round here, I almost know everyone, I am very proud of that and I am very happy to be in front of you now as a representative of the party in the forthcoming elections,” Vice-President Banda said.

He told the people of Eastern Province to ask other presidential candidates to return where they hail from, should they visit his province to ask for votes.
Opposition Patriotic Front president Michael Sata recently charged that Vice-President Banda is a known tribalist.

Meanwhile, Bishop Chihana argued that it would be extremely unfair for Zambia to go ahead with the presidential election without addressing the number of concerns relating to the untimely nature of the polls.

“Whilst we appreciate the fact that the government has announced the date for the presidential election, we want to mention that we are also equally concerned with a number of very important and necessary things relating to this untimely election to be in the way we expect it to be free and fair,” he said. “We therefore want to appeal to the ECZ to reconsider the set date to a further one.”

Bishop Chihana explained that the sensitisation period of the electorate was extremely too short to cover the whole nation particularly those in rural areas.

“The millions of the 2006 electorates have since passed away due to sicknesses, accidents, murders and this creates an obvious negative number of voters,” said Bishop Chihana. “The millions of youths that were not eligible to vote in 2006 are now of age to cast their vote…these are potential voters who must not be ignored by the state.”

Labels: CHIEF NDUNGU, IFCC

posted by MrK @ 4:07 AM