Maravi

Leaders’ failure to listen will render them useless politicians – Nalubamba

Leaders’ failure to listen will render them useless politicians – Nalubamba
By Moses Kuwema
Fri 26 Feb. 2010, 06:50 CAT

SENIOR chief Bright Nalubamba of the Ila people of Namwala district has said failure by government leaders to listen to criticism would render them useless grey politicians.

Reacting to Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe's statement that he was pushing the government too far with his continued attacks on President Rupiah Banda and government, chief Nalubamba wondered why the government always took offence at criticism.

“If Munkombwe was elected or nominated to victimise and endanger his critics and not to govern the state, I am available to be his victim,” chief Nalubamba said.

“This government's only darling is appeasement. What a way to run a state! In 2008 when we went out of our way to support the candidature of Rupiah Banda, nobody threatened our lives then and when 15 chiefs went out of their way to denounce the PF-UPND Pact, they became credible candidates for brown envelopes.

“Is this the multi-party democracy Zambians fought so hard for, where it is criminal and dangerous to support the opposition that is supposed to be a government in waiting in a better run constitutional multi-party democratic dispensation?” Chief Nalubamba wondered.

Chief Nalubamba vowed that he was ready to put his life in danger in order to defend the poor and the truth.

“When governance is poor and corrupt, I and the poor suffer more than the bad and corrupt governance. My criticism is a monumental effort to persuade the Bandas President Banda and Munkombwe to do the right things during their terms as governors of this country so that as they went in their glory they can come out like Mandela, Kaunda and Nyerere,” he said.

Chief Nalubamba wondered what danger Munkobwe saw in criticism of any government.

“Are they planning to kill me because of my divergent views? God forgive them for they don't know that in criticism, rather than appeasement, lies fundamental aspects for good governance and development,” said chief Nalubamba.

“Appeasement is a liability or folly that ultimately makes your friend a greatest enemy soon, Rupiah Banda and Munkombwe will know who their greatest enemy is, the appeaser of open critic.”

Labels: CHIEF NALUBAMBA, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS

posted by MrK @ 4:10 PM