Maravi

Rotten head

Rotten head
By Editor
Wed 25 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT

It is no longer possible for anyone to conceal the fact that there are serious problems in the MMD, the ruling party’s deficiencies have become full-blown for all to see.

To begin with, we would like to refer to a saying of Lenin, that the attitude – that is to say, the seriousness of purpose – of a political party is measured, basically, by the attitude it takes towards its own problems, deficiencies, mistakes or errors.

And in the same way, the MMD’s seriousness of purpose as a political party and as the ruling party will be measured by the attitude its leaders and members take towards their own problems, deficiencies, mistakes or errors.

Of course, their political opponents will always be alert to know what those problems, deficiencies, mistakes or errors are. And when these problems, deficiencies, mistakes or errors arise and are not subjected to honest and open self-criticism, their political opponents will take advantage of them and make political capital out of them.

When they are subjected to self-criticism, they may be used by their political opponents, but in a very different way because in the former case, they would not be corrected and in the latter they would be.

That is why those leaders and members of the MMD like George Mpombo, Simasiku Namakando, Gabriel Namulambe, Ng’andu Magande, Patrick Mwanawasa, Jonas Shakafuswa, among others, who have decided to take a forthright and serious attitude toward the problems, deficiencies, mistakes and errors of their party deserve respect and support.

The current situation the MMD finds itself in is something all of us are aware of, the characteristics of its whole development, of its origin, of the historic moment in which it took place; of all the circumstances characterising the process, of the forces which participated, of the different tendencies which struggled to make their point of view prevail. In short, all this is common knowledge.

Accordingly, we have submitted to a process of analysis this whole process, this whole situation. The problems that the MMD is today facing are not simple ones. They are not unimportant problems because, simply, they have to do with the political power in the MMD and the country as a whole; they have to do with methods of conducting politics and of governing the country; they have to do with issues of ethics, morality and attitude.

At the helm of all these problems, deficiencies, mistakes or errors of the MMD is Rupiah Banda. It will not be easy to deal with these problems because Rupiah is not only at the helm of the MMD leadership but he is also the head of state and government.

Being a man like any other and, like any other human being, prone to err, Rupiah has made great mistakes in his leadership of the MMD and the country.

We have reached the conclusion; we are convinced, that Rupiah, abusing the faith placed in him, in his position as acting president of the MMD and as President of the Republic of Zambia, has started to follow a path that is selfish and destructive, a path that has departed from serving the interest of Zambian people heart and soul.

Today Rupiah supports, promotes and defends the most detestable practices. Today Rupiah defends corruption and is the bulwark in the defence of Frederick Chiluba’s corruption.

We believe that Rupiah’s actions in these matters are not the product of oversight nor are they unconscious, but rather that they are deliberate and conscious. Rupiah has simply allowed himself to be blinded by personal ambition, greed, selfishness, vanity and power. And as a result of this, he has created a series of problems; in a word, he has created veritable chaos in the MMD and in the nation.

As a result of all this, Rupiah’s leadership has become infested with flatterers, fawners, with position-seekers.

Clearly, most of the problems the MMD is facing today stem from Rupiah’s deficiencies, mistakes or errors. And any attempt to address them without putting the blame on Rupiah, without the buck stopping at Rupiah will not yield favourable results, will fail. Rupiah is a failure, a disaster.

Things must be called by their names. This does not mean that we are speaking with hate, nor harshly about anyone, about Rupiah. We should analyse, censure, criticise seriously all these things.

It is logical to expect that the political opponents of the MMD will take advantage of these problems, deficiencies, mistakes or errors to sow confusion in the MMD and its government. Truly, political opponents take advantage of deficiencies, mistakes, errors; they take advantage of stupidities.

Rupiah thought he was the alpha and the omega and all power in the MMD and the country lay in his hands. This may be true but what lies in Rupiah’s hands is not real power; it is power in form only; a fictitious power. There is no real power in the hands of Rupiah. Fortunately, there is no real power in his hands! The real power does not rest there. The power of the MMD, of the nation cannot simply be usurped in that fashion. It cannot be circumvented in that way.

Through the use of deception, the attempt was made to create conditions suitable for permitting the imposition of a tyranny, of a straitjacket, of an apparatus for the serving of personal ends.

It is clear that what could have probably taken place, for some people, in an unconscious and spontaneous manner has aided the creation of so many problems for the MMD and the country.

This, in some way, reminds us of what Saint Just once said: “He who makes a revolution by half digs his own grave.” And the character and commitment of political leaders in processes of this nature is absolutely decisive because organisation decides everything. Rupiah has failed to organise anything.

He has failed to organise the MMD and even to organise the running of an orderly government. Rupiah has proved to be a reckless and dangerous leader who just gallivants around and talks harshly, without much reason, self-limitation and moderation.

What is happening in the MMD may help to teach us the true meaning of democracy. From this, we may learn that democracy is a growth in the confidence, in the power of ordinary people to transform their country, and thus transform themselves. We may also learn that it is a growth in the appreciation of people organising, deciding, creating together.

It may teach us that it is a growth of fraternal love. Rupiah has cheated himself into thinking everything revolves around him simply because by some accident of history, he found himself President of our country and leader of the MMD. Soon, Rupiah will learn that real power does not lie with him; it lies with the people and if they turn their backs on him, no amount of deception, manipulation, corruption will save him.

Rupiah has done so many wrong things in a very short time and he thought he didn’t need to explain anything to anyone. He seems to have cheated himself that a few lies about this one and that one will do. Rupiah’s most serious mistake or error has been the neglect of his people while focusing only on himself, his family and friends.

The Zambian people have lost track of what Rupiah is doing or where he is going. And he has taken no trouble to explain. It seems dangerous for him to explain anything because most of the things he is doing are wrong things and he knows it.

It is dangerous to explain, but still more dangerous not to explain. And he is going his tortuous way, over-confident that he only needs to speak and the masses would follow. But he is forgetting that a leader is only able to perform his tasks as a leader when he is able to avoid being isolated from the mass of the people he leads and he is able to lead the whole mass forward.

The problems in the MMD can be solved but only and only if there is honesty. Trying to blame Mpombo, Magande, Namakando and a few others for the problems the party is facing will not do because the principal problem is Rupiah. Without sorting out the deficiencies of Rupiah’s leadership and addressing his mistakes and errors, the MMD will continue on this path of self-destruction without brakes.

Rupiah doesn’t understand the MMD. And there is no need to pretend to know what one doesn’t know, we should not feel ashamed to ask and learn from others that which we don’t know. Rupiah must learn to pay attention to uniting and working with fellow citizens who differ with him. This should be borne in mind with all that he does.

We have come together from every corner of the country and should be good at uniting in our work not only with those who hold the same views as we do but also with those who hold different views.

The MMD today is like a fish with a rotten head. We all know what happens to such a fish. There is no way the MMD will stop the rot if it continues with Rupiah’s rotten leadership – it will continue to stink and people will keep away from it.

Labels: MMD, POLITICS, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:27 AM