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(TIMES) Translating Mwanawasa legacy into prosperity for all Zambians

Translating Mwanawasa legacy into prosperity for all Zambians
By Samuel Nchembwe

I WAS pleasantly surprised on Tuesday night to discover South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) among my cable TV channels in the Washington DC area of the United States of America, my current home country.

Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Leslie Mbula, was on “Point Blanc” being interviewed by a rather brusque young host but he was not in the least bit fazed by her lack of finesse.

High Commissioner Mbula remained on point and I actually think that he did an excellent job of explaining the importance of the late president Mwanawasa’s legacy and why President Rupiah Banda was more than qualified to carry it forward and translate it into real economic and social benefits for the people of Zambia.

Mr Mbula explained that this would be achieved through able policy management at home, focusing on the economic empowerment of ordinary Zambians and on a foreign policy that would position the country for enhanced regional and global cooperation while strengthening its international competitiveness.

He emphasised that merely increasing salaries was not the answer to the development imperative at home. Development would take time and would only be achieved by making wise investments in infrastructure, health and education in addition to making finance accessible to local entrepreneurs.

Mr Mbula came across as a well-educated, articulate and mature civil servant and I was especially proud to realise that his audience was global and that people in the United States and elsewhere were witnessing Zambia’s intellectual competitiveness first hand, courtesy of SABC.

Mr Mbula’s testimony to the enduring relevance and vibrancy of Dr Mwanawasa’s legacy also portrayed another side to our late president: Dr Mwanawasa combined a strong commitment to the national interest with an uncanny eye for talent which enabled him to achieve an admirable balance between loyalty and competence in many of the appointments he made.

Bank of Zambia Governor, Caleb Fundanga is perhaps a prime example of the pinnacle of Zambia’s talent pool serving the national interest. In addition to prior accomplishments, Dr Fundanga—a famously independent and hardworking Mwanawasa appointee—has won several prestigious international awards for his central banking prowess during his tenure at the Bank of Zambia.

Another Zambian stands out for his excellence and dedication to duty. Sebastian Kopulande is an indefatigable businessman and public servant who has a reputation for hard-work and whose political acumen and policy management abilities are second to none.

Mr Kopulande, a Rhodes Scholar and a member of the MMD national executive committee (NEC), is a founding member of the party who worked closely with late president Mwanawasa from its founding in 1991 until the president’s untimely demise in August this year.

President Mwanawasa clearly trusted Mr Kopulande’s judgement as evidenced by the many sensitive responsibilities he entrusted him, including special assistant (Special Duties), senior private secretary and campaign manager. The late president drew on Mr Kopulande’s vast domestic and international policy credentials by seeking his advice at critical times and tasking him to write a number of important policy speeches for him.

As evidenced by his innovative, aggressive and highly effective media campaign in support of President Rupiah Banda during the just-ended presidential campaign, Mr Kopulande’s sense of duty to country is marked by intelligence, courage and a fierce loyalty to the MMD and to his superiors in the party structure.

Mr Kopulande is a results-oriented operative who delivers on his objectives. When Mr Kopulande resigned his State House position to focus on his business in 2006, Patriotic Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata sought to portray the event as an instance of anti-Bemba bloodletting by the Mwanawasa administration.

Mr Kopulande was quick to refute Mr Sata’s claims both orally and in writing through an open letter rebuking him for his “tribal politics” and duplicity. A quote from the letter is perhaps the best insight into Sebastian Kopulande, the patriot and public servant:

“…Let me advise that I do not believe in tribal politics and I should therefore, not be associated with it. I believe that this country faces numerous developmental challenges which should be addressed with full participation of all the Zambian people, regardless of their tribal, religious, gender, racial or political persuasion.

“Tribal hegemony is a departure from this philosophy and a recipe for factional conflict which can only spell doom for the future of our beloved country. The development process also calls for the free participation of the global citizenry through direct foreign investment in our economy and other sectors.

“Xenophobia therefore, will only impede progress and set our country up against the rest of humanity while keeping us out of the global socio-economic advances. Consequently, this nation needs a leadership of vision, integrity, selflessness, courage and commitment to take us to the next level of development…”

As observed by Mr Mbula’s interviewer on Point Blanc, President Banda faces a formidable challenge in seeking to continue the upward trajectory of the Mwanawasa legacy. Beyond the cooperation of those in the opposition, President Banda will need the tested and able support of a vice-president who is immersed in the “Mwanawasa Doctrine” and who also has the vision, integrity, selflessness, courage and commitment to help the president take our great nation to the next level of development.

Mr Mbula’s interview also fell on election night for us here in America. I was so proud to note President-Elect Barack Obama’s victory and the gracious concession speech that senator John McCain gave from his home State of Arizona. Senator McCain said, and I quote:

“…Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has
prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.”

Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen Obama — whether they supported me or Sen Obama. I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president…”

I could not help but wistfully think of Zambia’s own Michael Sata and his failure to accept defeat graciously.

Like President-Elect Barack Obama, President Rupiah Banda waged a respectful campaign and refused to be drawn into personal insults despite extreme provocation from some circles in the Press.

Similarly, President Banda has been magnanimous in victory to the extent of inviting his former opponents to work with him for the good of the country. My deepest hope is that Mr Sata and others in the opposition will follow the example of Senator John McCain and pledge to do all in their power to help President Banda lead the country through the many challenges facing it.

Like Senator McCain, I hope Mr Sata in particular, will find it in himself to wish the president Godspeed and realise that he is no longer his opponent but his president because he is president of the country that they both love and which looks up to each one of them for an example of level-headed wisdom in these treacherous times.

It remains to the opposition to work out their disagreements with the ruling party in an orderly and lawful manner. And they must be as supportive as possible in order to avoid any unnecessary pain or cost to ordinary Zambians as we press on to the next level of development for our country.-The author is a Zambian based in the US.

Labels: LESLIE MBULA, MWANAWASA

posted by MrK @ 9:26 PM