Maravi

Shamenda urges politicians to be civil in politics

Shamenda urges politicians to be civil in politics
By George Chellah
Mon 14 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

FORMER Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Fackson Shamenda yesterday urged politicians to be civil in politics. Commenting on Heritage Party (HP) leader Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda’s call for politicians to create a platform of decency in politics, Shamenda concurred with the observations made by Brig Gen Miyanda last week. He said what Brig Gen Miyanda called for was part of the tenets of democracy.

“Those are the tenets of democracy, it started with Mahatma Ghandi… non violence and enforced by Nelson Mandela. Democracy is all about respecting the divergent views of other people and tolerance,” he said.

Shamenda noted that violence comes in different forms.
“Using strong language against institutions like The Post and their journalists, it’s violence itself. We have to learn to co-exist, we must use logic and reasoning to resolve the differences which we might have in opinion,” Shamenda said. “If you become emotional you lose the point you wanted to make. I am sure you have seen some of our leaders who in their emotional rebut have revealed state secrets because when you get carried away kuti wailetelela you can bring trouble upon yourself.”

He said with people like Brig Gen Miyanda and others raising such observations, it was indicative that the country’s politics were progressing.

Shamenda emphasised the need for politicians to work together.
“If you look at the political landscape, it’s the same people who where in UNIP who are now in MMD and it’s those from the MMD that have gone into PF and UPND,” Shamenda said. “We should realise that we are the same people. We will be surprised that after using very strong words against each other, we might find each other in the same cabinet. So we must be civil and decent like what Brig Gen Miyanda has said.”

During Radio Phoenix’s Let the People Talk programme, Brig Gen Miyanda urged politicians to discuss issues that are factual.

“We must create a platform of decency in politics, we should not just make basic accusations. We must also when we are criticising the government, let us make points that will even convince the people that yes, there is a valid point there. I am not saying what they are saying is not true,” Brig Gen Miyanda said. “So we need to insist that we discuss matters that are factual, matters that will help to win over the public in a proper way. Let’s not send lies in the public domain in the hope that, that will send sympathy.”

He said there was need to get the politicians to talk issues and not to insult one another.
“But it is not going to happen because the people enjoy it. If I had my way, that’s what I would say that if a politician comes and starts insulting somebody and usually somebody is not even there,” Brig Gen Miyanda said. “If they want to bring up false stories about the friends because the false stories win elections, by the way, I have experienced this.”

He demanded that the people of Zambia enjoy the wealth of the nation.
Brig Gen Miyanda said there would be no solution to problems until Zambians come right with God.

“…We come right with ourselves, become honest with one another. First and foremost, you cannot rule this country alone, it’s not possible. Mistakes have been made, the same mistakes in the past. After an election is over, the competitors are not enemies; they are citizens don’t shut down their companies, don’t use your power to find fake offences, charges against these people so that their companies can be shut down, you are shutting down fellow Zambians,” Brig Gen Miyanda said. “Fight political battles differently but let the economy run. Now how do we do that? I don’t know the answer because under KK this thing was there, victimisation of people who are not with you. In our time under president Frederick Chiluba this thing was there, under late president Levy Mwanawasa this thing was there.

“I can’t analyse the current one because he has just come in office. But I’m sure if we dig deep we are going to discover that there are people who are complaining that they are being victimised because they belong to other organisations.”

Labels: FACKSON SHAMENDA, POLITICS, ZCTU

posted by MrK @ 5:43 PM