Corruption and the MMD

Corruption and the MMD
Written by Editor

Nobody can deny the fact that there are some very good people in the ruling MMD.
But equally, no one can deny the fact that there are also some very bad people, some rotten people, some very corrupt elements in the MMD. And it is these elements that have today carved this political party – they are in charge of this necessary political institution of our country.

There is no community or organisation that comprises only good people just as much as there is no community or organisation that is made up of only bad people. Wherever we go, we will find some bad people and we will also find some good ones.

But what matters is which of these people dominate that community or organisation. It cannot be denied that in the MMD today, hegemony lies with the bad, the corrupt, the greedy, the liars, and the manipulators.
This is why all these negative things, all these corrupt practices seem to dominate or permeate the activities of the MMD.

In a multi-party democracy, political parties exist to provide a basis for political association with a view to providing leadership and in some cases, forming government. Political parties are important players in the political system that we have chosen for ourselves.

We say this because their function is deadly serious: to provide a peaceful and fair method by which the citizens of our country can select their leaders and have a meaningful role in determining their own destiny.

The business of party politics is supposed to be an honourable undertaking and not a game for rogues and other undesirable elements of our society. When we see our politics reduced to theft and abuse of public resources, we need to stop and ask ourselves the question ‘what is wrong?’

We cannot afford to be indifferent to what is happening in the MMD. We say this because the MMD is a party in power today and its actions have an effect on all of us whether we like it or not. Whether we voted for them or not, they are every day making decisions on our behalf. We cannot afford to be indifferent to their misdeeds.

What we are seeing in the conduct of Jeff Kaande, the MMD deputy national secretary, should be and is a source of great concern. It is clear that the MMD is surviving on the basis of a corrupt system of bribe taking and protection money collection. It is very unfortunate that a party functionary in a multiparty democracy has the audacity to put on paper what people would fear to think. He is directing through the name of the party, a permanent secretary to facilitate payments to suppliers because they have promised to give money to the party. How can this be correct? How can this be the way to run a country? What are we reducing ourselves to? It is clear that unless something is done, unless we all heighten our vigilance, Zambia is fast becoming a confirmed kleptocracy.

We have always said that corruption and abuse of power is a deadly cancer, a tax on the poor people in our country. What the MMD is doing is an important illustration of what we have always said. The MMD cannot do without corruption.

Let us ask ourselves a question: if in order to get money from government for supplies made, the owner of the business first has to belong to or pretend to be MMD; second, he has to pay something to this party or its key leadership, how is this country going to develop? How is business going to be conducted? It means that to make a profit, the business people have to factor in the cost of corruption. And this cost has to be borne by the poor people of our country who are denied those resources.

The business of governing and providing service to our people is not an easy one. It is very demanding and very taxing. The people who have accepted this responsibility need to apply themselves 100 per cent or else nothing will be achieved. How are we going to build roads, bridges, schools and hospitals if all that the party in government thinks about is how to raise money for itself and for this or that through corruption?

It is clear that unless we deal with the problem of corruption and uproot its basis, development will be slow in coming to our country. From what we have seen just in the first 120 days of Rupiah Banda’s government, it is difficult to see where they are going to find time to govern and bring development to our people when all they seem to be doing is scheming how to make money for themselves, how to steal.

A leader who spends all his time thinking about his own comfort and benefit is of very little benefit to those he leads. This is what we see in Rupiah.

It is not pleasing to be reporting about corruption every day, to be exposing the wrongdoings of one’s friends every day. It is actually very depressing. We would rather be talking about who is growing the biggest cabbages, tomatoes or who has the best soya bean crop than exposing corruption every day.

At times, one may offend his friends by trying to live a righteous life. However, it would be far much more serious to displease God by neglecting one’s duty. Saint Paul says if he had pleased men, he would not have been the servant of Christ. God alone is our judge, and His judgment is what really counts.

Justice is the beginning of order and peace in the lives of individuals, as well as in society as a whole. If justice reigns, business is honest, fraud is repressed, the helpless and humble are defended, citizens obey, and rulers justly distribute the burdens and profits of life in society. Justice is a moral and supernatural virtue which inclines the will to give to everyone his due. Charity gives to one’s neighbour even what is not strictly due. When we talk about justice, we are also talking about the sacred bond of human society, the necessary brake of licence. This is because when justice rules, we find honesty in business and in politics. It is said that when the earth is at peace, even heaven, so to speak, gladly sends its light and gently influences us.

You cannot have a nation where to get a job, to get a contract, to be counted as someone or even to get paid what is owed to you by the government, you have to belong or pretend to belong to the ruling party, to the MMD. This is clearly in violation of our Constitution which outlaws discrimination on the basis of, among other things, one’s political views or persuasion. What we are seeing today is people being given exclusive access to public resources, common national resources, purely on the basis of their political affiliation or on who they supported in the last elections.

This is the worst form of corruption a country can have. We are a constitutional multiparty nation, and therefore to favour the businesses of individuals who belong to the ruling party against those who don’t is certainly a serious crime, a very serious violation for which Kaande and the MMD should be made to answer. This is a good case for the Anti Corruption Commission and other law enforcement agencies dealing with money laundering to follow and prosecute.

Although we do not enjoy exposing corruption and talking about how corrupt our leaders are, we have no choice. As long as the MMD continues to be so disrespectful of public resources, we will continue to expose them. This is our duty. We are not the only ones who have a duty, there are many others. In fact, every citizen has a duty to say no to corruption and abuse of government power. If we don’t, we will be resigning ourselves to a state of anarchy and lawlessness. But we also must say that there are people who are elected to parliament to provide a check on the excesses of the party in power. These need to double their efforts to protect the people who voted for them. As we have already stated, there are also some good people in MMD and their goodness should be made to shine. We are seeing very few in the MMD standing up to oppose and denounce injustice, corruption and other abuses. We are only hearing the voice of Jonas Shakafuswa and Moses Muteteka. Where are the others? The only time you hear them is when they are seeking political office or want to be elected for some position within the party or the nation. Why are they members of parliament if they are not prepared to fight for the people who elected them? Unless we all do our part, Rupiah and his corrupt friends in MMD will not stop doing what we have been seeing. They will just get worse.