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Predatory system of leadership greatly undermined democratic governance - FODEP

Predatory system of leadership greatly undermined democratic governance - FODEP
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Sat 18 Sep. 2010, 04:01 CAT

FOUNDATION for Democratic Process (FODEP) executive director Charity Musamba has said Zambia’s predatory system of leadership has greatly undermined national struggle for democratic governance.

And FODEP has expressed concern that North-Western Province has the least number of registered voters of 244,815 in the whole country despite having a total population estimated at 583,350.

In a speech to commemorate International Democracy Day (IDD) which fell on September 15, Musamba said Zambia deserved a democracy with a human face. She appealed to national leaders to ensure that Zambia’s governance system strongly put human development concerns at the centre stage.

“In our view, this day provides us with a timely opportunity to reflect on the following crucial questions: Is Zambia genuinely moving towards internationally accepted model of democracy? Are the majority of Zambians truly enjoying the benefits of their struggle for democratic governance in Zambia? Is there a strong connection between our governance system and human development?” she asked.

“Underlying all these questions is an unhidden fact that if not jealously protected, Zambia’s few but hard-earned democratic gains will continue to suffer severe reversals evident in some of the retrogressive developments that we have witnessed in the recent past.”

Musamba noted that the country’s socio-economic performance had remained unimpressive with the majority people living in abject poverty.

“Economic and social disempowerment of the masses has prevailed within a context where only a small proportion of the population has access to public resources. This deprivation of masses has been sustained by a governance system premised on abuse of authority and public resources, corruption and pervasive system of patronage,” Musamba said. “Clearly, this predatory system of leadership has greatly undermined our national struggle for democratic governance.”

And launching the North Western Province voter and civic education programme for 2010-2012 in Kabompo on Thursday, Musamba noted that less than 50 per cent of the total provincial population registered as voters in 2005.

She said recent figures released by the Electoral Commission of Zambia on August 27, 2010 showed that the province had so far registered the least number of new voters which stands at 27,982.

Meanwhile, Musamba noted that next year’s polls were likely to be highly competitive hence the need for a robust civic and voter education programme to create a pool of informed electorate and citizens capable of making informed choices.

Musamba also expressed FODEP’s concern over electoral violence that rocked previous parliamentary by-elections in North Western Province.

Labels: CHARITY MUSAMBA, CORRUPTION, VODEP

posted by MrK @ 1:36 AM