Maravi

Pressing the button for Rupiah

Pressing the button for Rupiah
By The Post
Tue 18 May 2010, 04:00 CAT

When we first reported that Frederick Chiluba was headed for Luapula Province to launch a political campaign for Rupiah Banda, our report was dismissed as misleading because Chiluba was going to discuss developmental programmes with chiefs and members of parliament.

But when George Kunda travelled to Mansa on Saturday, he announced that people should not be jittery about Chiluba’s visit to Mansa because they have engaged him as their consultant on politics.

And when Chiluba ‘officially’ opened the so-called developmental meeting later that day, he was purely political in approach. He confirmed that he is Rupiah’s consultant on politics. He said he goes to State House anytime, including during the day, and shows Rupiah where to press in order for him to succeed in whatever he does. Chiluba told the traditional leaders that he was sent to Luapula Province by Rupiah.

In all his talk, Chiluba attempted to decampaign Michael Sata, calling him all sorts of names and praised Rupiah. He asked the chiefs to reject all politicians that insulted traditional leaders, even if they apologised. Chiluba said this should be done in order to teach such politicians a lesson so they can emulate Rupiah, whom he said doesn’t insult but just concentrates on working.

It was, therefore, not surprising that in their resolutions at the end of the two-day campaign planning meeting, the chiefs resolved to rally behind Rupiah in next year’s elections. They also declared that any politician who insulted Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people would not be welcomed at any palace in Luapula Province unless he apologised publicly. They said they took this stance in order to protect themselves because for all they know, a person who insults one chief has insulted all chiefs.

But what are we trying to say in saying all this? The point we are making is that Chiluba has launched a political campaign to ensure that Rupiah wins next year’s elections. And in trying to achieve this, Chiluba is ready to do anything, including the impossible.

We are not in any way suggesting that Chiluba should not campaign for Rupiah. It is his business to support whoever he wants to. No one can stop him from doing that.

But as he goes about campaigning for Rupiah, there is need for him to be sincere and honest. There is no need for him to start confusing people. We know this is asking for too much from Chiluba because he survives and thrives on manipulating things and people. How else can he achieve his selfish goals if not by deceit?

Clearly, Chiluba tutored the chiefs in Luapula to come up with a resolution that any politician who insulted Chitimukulu should publicly apologise before they can be received at any palace in the province.

Without doubt, this is targeted at Michael Sata because, as it may be recalled, sometime last year during the Kasama parliamentary by-election, Sata picked up an argument with Chitimukulu.

This was after Chitimukulu announced that he doesn’t support opposition political parties and threw his weight behind the MMD candidate. Chitimukulu even proceeded to make some racial remarks against PF vice-president Guy Scott.

Of course, this stance brought Chitimukulu in direct confrontation with the politicians. Words were exchanged although we are not sure whether or not Chitimukulu was insulted by anyone.

This is the situation Chiluba wants to manipulate to confuse our traditional leaders in Luapula Province as he attempts to recruit them as Rupiah’s campaigners. If Chiluba is honest and sincere, he should be advising traditional leaders against taking such partisan positions because this exposes them to all sorts of things, including abuse.

The chiefs talked about respect; that they deserve to be respected by politicians and all other people. However, before our chiefs demand respect from their subjects, they should be self-respecting. If they do not respect themselves, they should not be shocked when subjects start to mock and ridicule them. The Bembas say ubufumu buchindika umwine.

When Chitimukulu took that partisan position in favour of the MMD, he basically reduced himself to an MMD cadre. He invited attacks and criticism from those who opposed the MMD. Was it realistic to expect that Chitimukulu, or indeed any other chief, would attack others without being attacked in return?

That is why our chiefs in Luapula should be careful to ensure that they do not allow Chiluba to put them in an awkward position, all because he has to secure Rupiah’s victory in next year’s elections. They say chiefs are like a river where anyone and everyone can draw water to drink without exception. Therefore, chiefs should welcome and embrace anyone regardless of their political affiliations.

Now, our chiefs who attended the so-called developmental meeting with Chiluba last weekend declared that they would rally behind Rupiah in next year’s polls and that before then, they will support his programmes and government.

We all know that chiefdoms are made up of people with different political and religious beliefs. So how are these chiefs going to relate with their subjects who belong to other political parties? If they are not going to welcome any other political leader apart from Rupiah, are these chiefs saying they have now turned themselves into MMD chiefs?

What about those subjects who do not subscribe to the ideals of the MMD? Will they be banished from the villages for holding contrary views from their traditional leaders? Where does this leave democracy? The freedom of association? Or are we going back to the one party state where everything centred on the party and its government?

These are the issues that our traditional leaders should have thought about before making such resolutions. But it seems that our chiefs were blinded by something. They were too motivated to see the reality. They even failed to read our Saturday lead story properly.

Together with George Kunda, these chiefs claimed that our story stated that Chiluba was stoned in Mansa when this did not happen. Chief Chisunka was waving our Saturday edition and denounced our journalist Chibaula Silwamba as having lied about Chiluba. But when you read that story, there is nowhere it states that Chiluba was stoned. The story merely quoted text messages that listeners to Radio Yangeni’s special programme sent in opposing Chiluba’s visit to Mansa.

However, we are not surprised that our chiefs saw something more than the story contained and accused us of being fictitious in our report. This is what happens when people lose self-respect. This is what happens when principles are thrown to the wind. This is what happens when values are lost. This is what happens when people choose expediency.

We urge our chiefs to reflect deeply on the new path that Chiluba is leading them before they alienate themselves from the people. They should remind themselves that whilst they can have some political leaning, they have a duty to the large communities they are supposed to serve beyond party lines.

We know Chiluba is desperate just like Rupiah. But our chiefs should take time to understand and appreciate what is making these two men desperate.

When Chiluba looted state coffers, he did not share his loot with our people in Luapula Province, or indeed any other province. But because he is in trouble for looting the country, he wants the support of our people from this province.

Yes, Chiluba is desperate and will do everything to fight for Rupiah’s victory. But those who do not want to see Chiluba for who he is and what he is up to, they will one day be consumed together with him. No matter how long it takes, evil cannot triumph over good. This is our consolation, that one day, Chiluba will pay the price. He can run for now but he will never hide.

Labels: CHILUBA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:15 PM