Mulongoti’s remarks on democracy worry NGOCC

Mulongoti’s remarks on democracy worry NGOCC
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Thursday, April 30, 2009 3:04:54 PM

THE Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) yesterday said it is worrying that Zambia can have leaders governing the country who do not understand the tenets of democracy.

And Caritas Zambia has stated that civic society and the media are not exempted from participating in governance issues.

Commenting on works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti's statement that it is difficult to have a specific definition of democracy these days because non- governmental organizations (NGOs) and strange journalists were now governing together with the government, NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale said democracy was simply democracy and it meant governance of the people by the people and for the people.

"For us as of the NGOs and coordinating mother body in the country, we are actually worried that we can have leaders governing the country who do not understand the tenets of democracy," she said. "From this definition, it is very straightforward, democracy allows citizens to enjoy freedoms that are provided for within the laws, in this cases, referring to freedom of speech and association that are guaranteed in the Constitution."

Mwale said Mulongoti must realise that in a democracy, citizens had the freedom to talk and position the government as duty bearers.

She said non-governmental organisations and the media had a watchdog role to hold accountable government leaders.

Mwale said the government leaders were put into office by citizens and that they should be ready to be scrutinised because that was what democracy entailed.

And Caritas Zambia stated that it strongly believes that good democracy does not only involve government but every citizen's participation.

"Civic Society and the media are not exempted in participating in governance issues. In fact, their role is to contribute to governance of the nation. The honourable minister rightly points out that democracy is governance of the people, by the people and for the people. This definition is all-inclusive and does not discriminate any groupings, which he seems to be doing by stating that civil society and the media are involved in governance. Rather than view civil society and the media a parallel government, the government should begin, to look at them as partners in democracy and governance," they stated.

They stated that civil society was interested in ensuring that the marginalised get an opportunity to be represented and even benefit from the governance of the nation.

Caritas Zambia stated that the media on the other hand was there to ensure that every citizen was given a chance to express themselves on governance issues.

They stated that it would therefore not be right if civil society or the media did not challenge issues that were not correct in the governance system as they exist to ensure that democracy matures.

"Civil society is carrying out a lot of programmes in supplementing government's efforts in ensuring that the country develops. Therefore, the role of civil society cannot be reduced to politics as they also contribute to other issues such as HIV and AIDS, the economy and other social issues that have a bearing on the lives of the people," they stated.

Caritas Zambia stated that Zambia would not develop if those in leadership were not questioned even when they did wrong.

"And that is why churches, NGOs and the media puts government to task when they see that it has gone out of way in the manner in which it handles national issues," read the statement in part "One would wonder why the government is being jittery and this makes us conclude that perhaps there is something wrong that is going on. Let government embrace the spirit of transparency to avoid all these problems that it is currently finding itself in."

On Monday during the South African National Day, Mulongoti said it was now difficult to have a specific definition of democracy because NGOs and strange journalist were now governing together with the government.

Mulongoti said democracy was going wild in Zambia.