Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) Analysis:Questions for Hikainde Hichilema

Analysis:Questions for Hikainde Hichilema
October 23, 2008
By Mingeli Palata

With the Election Day fast approaching, it is important for Zambians to weigh in on all the contesting candidates so as make choices that will benefit our beloved country. As was well pointed out, my previous article only analyzed Rupiah Banda partly and Michael Sata but left out Hakainde Hichilema and Godfrey Miyanda. This led to some mistaking me for a UPND sympathizer.

Well I am not a UPND sympathizer, I strive to critique objectively as a matter of fact I have few questions to raise against Hikainde Hichilema and his party.

The name Hakainde Hichilema was unknown on the Zambian political scene until the untimely death of Anderson Kambela Mazoka. When Mazoka died, the need to quickly elect a successor was eminent. The funeral was characterized by a lot of politics with UPND members searching through the ranks of their party to find a suitable successor who would lead them to victory in the 2006 elections.

I recall that the succession was involving; names came up along with differing views from various members. Noteworthy were sentiments expressed by certain senior UPND members emanating from the Southern province propagating that Mazoka had to be replaced by a fellow Tonga. Those sentiments were then understood to have meant that our UPND colleagues set being a Tonga as prerequisite for any aspiring Presidential candidate. Weeks that followed, the name Hakainde Hichilema was brought up.

Some argued to say he was not a UPND party member or at least not an active one but that argument was quickly disputed when we heard that he supported the party underground and was close to the late Mazoka. Hakainde’s supporters gave his successful economic background and financial advantage in their arguments for HH. By the way all this was happening while the party had two Vice Presidents namely Sakwika Sikota and Robert Sichinga.

The nominations were then followed by a brutal election period that created a lot of rifts in the party with losing members like Sakwiba Sikota and Given Lubinda resigning to form their own political party; the United Liberal Party. Among the reasons that the aforementioned individuals raised for their resignation were vivid tribalism, electoral flaws and intimidation. Thus the UPND that was seen to be a party for all Zambians earned itself a tribal dent.

Enter Hakainde Hichilema. Seeing as most Zambians did not know the man, his supporters sold him as a successful (rich) economist and as the best man to turn Zambia’s economic and social misfortunes around. Listening to the man, it was and still is easy to tell that he brings unique and fresh ideas to the political landscape and possibly is the best candidate in this election. But unfortunately there are a few questions that he needs to answer.

With those tribal association set early in his political career, the weakest point Hakainde has is that very tribal dent. Please get it right. I am not saying that Hakainde is a tribalist or that Tonga people are tribal but when it comes to voters understanding the character of politicians, two things come in play; reality and perception.

HH may not be tribal but certainly voters associate him with tribalism especially bearing in mind the background given earlier in the article. Note that when those issues were raised early in his political career, HH either never opposed the tribal sentiments or did denounce them convincingly enough. So by actually accepting the party nomination to be a presidential candidate, Hakainde was seen to embrace those sentiments hence the tag.

For him to win back the hearts of all those keen Mazoka followers, HH needs to clear the air with regard to those perceptions.

His opponents have also questioned his source of wealth. Some say that HH was one of the people who were tasked to spearhead the privatization of state owned companies, an exercise which led to the collapse of Zambian industries and mass loss of jobs. What economic prudence did he exhibit in this process? If he really is the best man to take this country forward why didn’t he advice government against rushed privatization and the Structural Adjustment Programs?

If he is the good economist that we hear he is then he should have known the retrogressive effects of the IMF and World Bank policies, but why didn’t he resign on principle? Would we be wrong to conclude that HH is willing to do whatever benefits him as an individual regardless of the action’s adverse long term effects on the ordinary Zambian?
HH has to answer these questions.

Life has stages and certain offices such as the Presidency require great knowledge and experience. HH has never held any political office before not even a ward councilor or worse off a party ward chairman. He swung straight from the boardroom to the party presidency. It doesn’t work like that. In political office, experience and deep understanding of how government machinery works is paramount.

The presidency certainly is no easy task. We can’t afford a President training on the job. We can’t afford to experiment leadership with a man that has never held any political office what so ever. How then do we judge his abilities to be our countries’ commander in chief and chief executive officer?

Some may argue to say you may have all the experience but it could be experience in the wrong things. But just to qualify my position, look at how difficult it has been for HH to woo significant public sentiment at least much has Sata.

The UPND has perhaps the best technocrats and professionals to take this country forward coupled with the best ideas. But the truth is a few people understand how HH intends to create wealth for all Zambians. What is his magic trick? What is the core of his economic plans? What is the premise of the party’s manifesto?

Now get me right dear reader, HH may have answers to these questions but he has not been very successful at communicating to the average Zambian. The average person on the street does not understand what the UPND concept is as much he/she understands (for lack of a better example) the Patriotic Front’s concept of low tax and more money in your pockets or citizen empowerment.

I contend these gaps in HH’s camp such has the inability to rectify his image, address campaign issues and stale penetration among voters reveal his lack of experience. Little wonder most Zambians say he has been reserved for 2011.
Well; 30th October, all the best!

Editor’s Note: Look out for the next Analysis on Godfrey Miyanda

COMMENT - I think those are all valid questions that need to be answered - by all candidates, not just Hakainde Hichilema. Certainly we have heard tribalist comments coming from the MMD as well. And all parties seem to still depend on Neoliberalism for their economic guidance - a theory expounded by the very powerful IMF and World Bank. I would like to see any of the parties stand up against the IMF and World Bank, and state they want to tax the mines to the max, so 1/3 of the government budget does not come from 'Donor Aid'.

What we need is to put money from the mines into agriculture and infrastructure.

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 11:39 PM