Maravi

Rupiah, a chameleon

Rupiah, a chameleon
By Editor
Sunday October 05, 2008 [04:00]

ON September 19, 2008 Rupiah Banda said he would not insult or downgrade his opponents in any way during the campaign period.

Rupiah urged MMD officials in Northern Province to conduct an issue-based campaign: "We want a campaign that will be based on truth so that our children can emulate us for our truth and not for our lies or insults for each other."

He further urged party provincial officials to conduct a clean campaign which should explain what the MMD government could do for the people. Rupiah emphasised that the campaigns should be based on issues. And he thanked the people of Northern Province for being consistent in their political approach.

The issue of political consistency that Rupiah admired in the people of Northern Province reminds us of a reading from Luke 6:31: "Do for others just what you want them to do for you."

But what is it that this biblical maxim is teaching us?
It is said that " consistency is a key element of morality. If a given concept is morally good, it is good whether you are tall or short, man or woman" and so on and so forth. It is also said that "if a given concept is morally bad, it is bad whether it is night or day, week day or weekend, winter or summer". And most particularly, as Christ implies in Luke 6:31 quoted above, those concepts are good for Rupiah, for Michael Sata, for Hakainde Hichilema, for you and for us.

We say this because it is said that "without consistency - if we arbitrarily determine when or to whom those principles apply - they can no longer be considered moral principles. At best they can only be considered preference or whim. At worst, they are examples of our hypocrisy".

It is said that people forget the concept of consistency far too often when they get into the political arena. We are advised that it would be wise if people were to apply the teaching in Luke 6:31 more often as they contemplate current events and political issues.
We are also reminded that consistency isn't about law or legal obligations. Here we are talking about basic decency. Like in the issue of royalty, consistency is not above law, it is a sentiment, a moral obligation.

And when one looks at it carefully and critically, it is not difficult to discern that this is actually a pretty simple concept. And we hope and wish our politicians and other leaders would consider it more often and more consistently.
However, it is also said that " the problem with consistency is that it is often used to justify the continuation of a bad cause of action; it allows us to act without fully thinking things through".

Today we are wondering what has happened to the issue of Rupiah's political consistency on the issue of an issue-based campaign, a campaign that doesn't insult or downgrade opponents in any way, a campaign that is based on truth and not lies, a campaign that is clean and that explains what the MMD will do for the people, and indeed a campaign that admires the consistency in political approach of the people of Northern Province!

For the last few days, Rupiah seems to have abandoned his promised issue-based campaign and his promise not to downgrade his opponents in any way. In Senanga on Friday, Rupiah disappointed part of his audience by failing to conduct an issue-based campaign he had promised. Rupiah continued to refer to his opponent, Sata, as a snake. He denounced him as a shameless politician who did not command respect from many in the country: "He is a funny old man. He is the only person who is not respected of all mature men. He is kilimuzi, that is his other title, besides cobra..."

And the other day in Solwezi, Rupiah mocked Sata for having red eyes and a red tongue.
Again we are reminded of the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Equally, it is said that "if you can't take blows, don't throw blows".
It seems now we have an idea why probably Rupiah was advocating an issue-based campaign as opposed to that which focused on character and personality of the candidates. It is clear that Rupiah simply wanted to hide from honest and justified criticism of his character and personality under the banner of issue-based campaign.

It is now clear that Rupiah has no commitment to an issue-based campaign. He only wants it if it suits him and protects him from attacks on his character, personality and judgement. The week that Rupiah started calling for an issue-based campaign was the one in which his character and personality became serious campaign issues. This followed the charges of campaign corruption in Petauke where in the style and fashion of a 'sugar daddy', Rupiah was distributing sugar and mealie-meal bought by the government and urging the recipients to vote for him. Of course, Rupiah and his handlers tried to deny that he was campaigning at the time of dishing out sugar and mealie-meal. But the tape recording and the transcript thereof confirmed that he was actually campaigning. This was contrary to his message in Northern Province urging a clean campaign, urging truth and not lies.

This is the issue with consistency. Rupiah seems to have serious problems with consistency. He says things he doesn't mean.

One day Rupiah is emphasising issues and denouncing campaigns that are based on character and personality, the next he is campaigning on the same issues he opposes when they are directed at him, he is being personal and he is attacking his opponent's character and personality. The other day Rupiah is talking about a campaign that is based on truth and not lies or insults, but the next day he is telling lies and mocking others for having red eyes and red tongues. Again this brings us back to the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you have them do unto you." And we would add that what is good for the gander is good for the goose, what is good for Rupiah is good for Sata or Hakainde.

All these things bring into serious question Rupiah's character and personality, his sense of judgement and his level of honesty.

It is very difficult to defend Rupiah on these issues. It is not us who are introducing these issues. It is not us who have set these standards. They have been set by Rupiah himself. It is Rupiah who said the campaigns should be issue-based. It is Rupiah who said he wants "a campaign that will be based on truth so that our children can emulate us for our truth and not for our lies or insults for each other". We are merely trying to judge him by the standards he set for himself and others. But when we question his lies, his lack of truth, we are being accused of having unleashed a malicious and libellous campaign against him. One of his friends, in an extremely dishonest way and sensational manner, the other day accused us of being media terrorists because of our exposés and critical editorial comments on Rupiah's conduct, character, personality and judgement. Again, we don't know how this gentleman would have felt if in a counter-attack, we accused him of just being a professional mercenary seeking a job and other favours in the event of Rupiah winning the October 30 presidential elections! Again, we refer to the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you have them do unto you."

Rupiah's behaviour is really that of a chameleon. He keeps on changing his position and approach in a manner similar to the way a chameleon changes its colour. But a chameleon is even better because it knows how to blend itself with its environment without contradicting itself, where as Rupiah's contradictions are antagonistic to his environment. It is difficult to follow a chameleon because one minute you see it, the next, you have lost it. Again, this brings us to the issue of consistency. It was easy to follow or not to follow leaders like Dr Kenneth Kaunda because they were consistent, they lived by what they preached. And it was up to one to believe them and follow them or to mistrust them and stay away from them. Rupiah is full of sweet nothings; he says things he doesn't believe in and doesn't make much effort to practice them. It is not easy to follow such a leader.

It is easy for Christians to follow Christ because one knows what Christ wants, what His position is on every issue. Followers want to be like their leaders. If one wants to follow Rupiah, what will one want to be: a liar, a regionalist who wants other politicians to only campaign and be accepted and tolerated only in areas or regions where they come from!
The name Christian means: like Christ, follower of Christ. Now, Jesus Christ was humble, most pure, poor, meek: How can His disciple and imitator be proud, dishonest, angry, and greedy?

Alexander the Great once said to a soldier who also had the same name but was sluggish, mean and cowardly: "Either change your name or change your behaviour."
Here is a thought that converted a great knight who was rather worldly: Jesus Christ is crucified, and I want to satisfy myself; Jesus Christ is very poor, and I am ambitious for riches and gluttony; Jesus Christ is on the Cross, and I am lying on a feather bed. Ah! I don't deserve the name of Christian! I want to change my life; I want to follow the Divine Master.

How many Christians are there who have no more than the name and the baptism of Jesus Christ, while they live like pagans! What shame, what remorse! And why?
He who does not imitate Christ does not love Christ: love is imitation. The persons who really love Jesus are those who follow Him to Calvary, in His private life of obedience, in His humility. Imitation is the infallible character to distinguish the lovers of Jesus. What we are trying to say here is that leaders need to be consistent in their approach to life, in what they believe in and in what they preach; and they should live by what they preach - it can't be a question of 'do as I say and not as I do'.

The behaviour and conduct of Rupiah over the last few weeks don't inspire confidence, don't invite one to follow him because he is a chameleon who continually changes his position and behaviour. Rupiah has lied, has not been truthful. In his campaign, he preached truthfulness and not lies as a political virtue, and yet in his campaign he has been dishonest and discriminatory. Rupiah has preached an issue-based campaign that is devoid of the degradation and insulting of opponents, but he has gone on to degrade Sata and not only insult him but also insult his creator for giving him red eyes and a red tongue. This is Rupiah the chameleon.

Politics need people who are consistent and with high credibility. We must vote wisely on October 30 and only for people who are known for their honesty, ability, dedication and concern for the welfare of all. We say this because good governance only occurs when we have intelligent, honest and humble leaders who see politics as a vocation to serve the people, and not as a matter of life and death for those involved in it, a matter of government jobs for the politicians and their friends.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:15 AM