Preparations for 2011 elections

Preparations for 2011 elections
By Editor
Sun 29 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT

The election campaigns that our politicians and their supporters will embark on in the coming months will be a struggle for the souls and the future of Zambia.

We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are now confronted with the fierce urgency of now, in the unfolding life and history. There is no such a thing as being too late. We must work unceasingly to lift this nation to a higher destiny, to a new plateau of compassion.

The urgency with which Caritas Chipata is looking at the 2011 elections must move all of us into action and prepare adequately for the 2011 elections in all aspects. We urge all our people to make sure that they are ready to participate as candidates and voters in the 2011 elections. We urge them to make full use of their right to vote and consider it a citizen responsibility to do so.

The right to vote carries with it a corresponding duty: the duty to vote. Voter apathy is incompatible with one’s duty as a citizen. We are disappointed that many of our people have decided not to vote in by-elections. Some of the reasons they have given for not participating include: our previous votes have not made any difference. Our vote was a ticket for others to enrich themselves. Our vote was rigged.

They therefore, don’t see any reason why they should vote again. We remind them that voting is not only their right, but rather their duty. If they withhold their vote, Zambians run a risk of getting into public offices people who have no national interests at heart and who are going to jeopardise the future of their children. They should therefore exercise their right and take up their citizen duty.

When the time comes to obtain National Registration Cards for those who don’t have them or those who have lost them, they should go and do so. When the time comes to register as voters, they should again go and do so. And finally when the time to vote comes, they should go and vote for the right persons.

They must vote for people of integrity regardless of the region they come from, their tribe, language, political or religious affiliation. Zambia needs patriotic leaders; people who place national interest before personal ambitions. These are the things Caritas Chipata wants to inculcate in our people, in all the eight districts of Eastern Province. There is need for this to be replicated in all the other provinces and districts of our country.

This work is very important and we urge all our political parties and the political leadership that is in government to pay a lot of attention to the work Caritas wants to embark on to sensitise all our people so that they can take their duties to vote seriously and in a peaceful manner. We say this because the neglect of the duty of participating in the choice of leaders at all levels brings catastrophic results to the nation. It is a great mistake to shun this responsibility. And every citizen is called upon to play his or her part conscientiously, that is:

Those with leadership gifts should present themselves and be ready to contest and serve the people in accepting office as a trustee and service to the people and not as a stepping stone for enriching themselves. All those citizens who have reached voting age should register and participate in electing leaders who have the necessary qualities.

It should be understood that the neglect of participating in the voting and in the election of good leaders allows unworthy candidates to take leadership positions and brings disharmony in our country. To neglect to vote is to lose a person’s right and the nation’s right. Our political responsibility is not limited to vote and elect leaders but also to assist them and when necessary, to criticise them.

Political rights consist in the capacity of private citizens to participate in government. They exist for the public good and they are not strictly rights but rather privileges. The most important political right or privilege is the vote. Today the vote is a serious duty.

Whether our country will have good or bad laws, upright or inefficient administration depends on voters. A person who is able to vote but never votes is guilty of serious omission. Citizens who do not care for their duty of voting are an easy prey to tyranny.

Our duty as citizens urges us to use our right to vote. This imperative duty must be fulfilled carefully and we must choose wisely people who will take the direction of civil affairs. On the other hand, if a person has received the necessary talent by the favour of God, that person would fail in one’s duty for selfish motives if the person refused to take one’s share in public life and affairs. Any person who is qualified to become a leader, is guilty if he or she refuses the task.

The apathy of potential leaders can bring anarchy to the country, by leaving all the responsibility to inefficient and unworthy people. We have rights and duties as citizens and the love of our country urges us to act accordingly in all justice and charity.

We are grateful to Caritas for their decision to offer their own intervention, not to support or discredit any political party, but to bring light into our decisions by educating us on this important responsibility of voting and of doing so responsibly and peacefully and lead us beside still waters and restore our souls.

Let us take their teachings, their advice and their guidance seriously and use our votes for the good of Zambia, as opposed to the good of a particular political party, group or individual.

Let’s use their guidance so that when the time comes, we vote for the candidates who have proved themselves accountable to the electorate, for the common good; to choose representatives who are courageous in defending truth and justice for all, who are completely honest in fulfilling public and private responsibilities.

When that time comes, let us use our votes to make sure that the right persons are elected. Not to vote may mean the wrong person being elected. If one cannot in good conscience vote for a candidate that meets the required standards, one should not elect that candidate, whatever the consequences. Our National Assembly, our Parliament should not support have members who have let us down morally and intellectually.

If this Caritas voter sensitisation is carried out properly, we are confident that our people will be given a chance to vote according to their conscience, in accordance with the highest human values without allowing themselves to be persuaded or dictated to by those with money, by donations of mealie-meal, sugar, cooking oil and even fertiliser, by bribes, threats, self-interest and so on and so forth. They should vote freely.

We urge all our political leaders to make a positive contribution to fair and free elections in 2011 by addressing themselves to the real issues, to their manifestos, so that voters could judge what ideas the parties and their leaders had on problems that really matter: cost of living, unemployment, fuel prices and availability, corruption, poor services in education, health, government offices and so on and so forth.

Our political leaders would make a positive contribution to the 2011 elections if they would reject violence in the strongest terms. They should respect truth and their political opponents. They should learn to be tolerant with people who have different political opinions. People can differ without being accused of being this or that. They are several options in governing a country, and all have a right to express their opinions.

Our leaders would do well to join Caritas in educating their followers to be tolerant. It is only in that way that, after elections, Zambia will remain united and peaceful.

There should be no talk of revenge as we heard in last year’s presidential election from those who are today in government. Let them set an example which will win the respect of our region and indeed our whole continent. Let everyone involved have in their hearts the desire that all will benefit and not just the party which wins the 2011 elections.

To have peaceful, free and fair elections in 2011, certain conditions have to prevail in our country and in our hearts. There ought to be a conducive atmosphere. The major players have to agree on the conditions under which the 2011 elections will be held.

The contestants have to conduct themselves in a manner that does not put others at an unfair disadvantage. There ought to be transparency in the organisation of the elections. Those who have been suspected of electoral malpractices should not come anywhere near this process.

We therefore urge all our people to ensure that political parties keep to pertinent issues. They should demand that all political parties publicly denounce violence of any sort.

Constructive dialogue should be encouraged at all times on key electoral issues. All parties should have equal access to the public-owned media and as such, the attempt by the ruling party to use the state-owned media as their own should be discouraged because they don’t own it and it is one of the privileges or rights of incumbency.

They can fly around in the helicopters and planes owned by the government but they should not try to use the media in the same manner because the state-owned media have a duty to report political campaigns fairly and accurately.

In the light of these necessary conditions, we make a special appeal to the government and to the ruling party to realise that they have a serious responsibility. As facilitators of elections, they should ensure that the concerns of all key players are adequately addressed.

We also make an appeal to the opposition parties about the need for them to be open and constructive in participating in the electoral process and in addressing the issues we have raised in this editorial comment.

The 2011 elections will provide all Zambians with a unique opportunity to show their political maturity and their sincere aspiration for peace and harmony anchored in justice.

We therefore urge all our people to support the work of Caritas on this score.