Maravi

Take criticism as a steppingstone, Fr Chibuye advises Rupiah

Take criticism as a steppingstone, Fr Chibuye advises Rupiah
By Joseph Mwenda and Fridah Zinyama
Thu 28 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT

A Mpika clergyman has described President Rupiah Banda’s statement that African leaders must be stubborn and not listen to criticism as dangerous to the nation. And former Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) president Fackson Shamenda said it is unfortunate that such a statement could be attributed to President Banda.

Commenting on President Banda’s advice to African leaders during his recent visit to Malawi where he went to witness the launch of Nsanje World Inland Port, Mpika Catholic Diocese Fr Patrick Chibuye said stubbornness was detrimental to development.

“I find President Banda’s statement very worrying because there is nothing wrong with open criticism. In fact, criticism opens one’s eyes to see what he is doing wrong,” Fr Chibuye said.

He observed that President Banda ignored criticism because of the wrong belief of regarding critics as enemies.

“In Bemba we say ‘Umweo wamuntu waba mukutwi’, meaning a person’s life is dependent on a listening ear. So when people talk or criticise, there is need to sit down and analyse what they are saying,” Fr Chibuye said.

He advised President Banda to take criticism as a steppingstone.

“People don’t just criticise the President, they see something wrong first and then make a comment. Again in Bemba they say ‘Icushi pakufuka ninshi pali umulilo’ meaning where there is smoke there is fire. The President should take time to listen to the criticism either positive or negative and consider the positive criticism as a steppingstone,” Fr Chibuye advised.

He said it was not possible for a President to lead people without being criticised.
Fr Chibuye said it was sad that President Banda could advise other African leaders to be stubborn.
“Stubbornness makes someone blind to issues,” he said.

Last week, President Banda said African leaders must be stubborn if they were to develop their countries and improve their people’s living standards.

He said time was gone when African leaders would waste time listening to critics and doing what they critics wished at the expense of economic development and the welfare of the citizenry.
He said there were a lot of political critics in many African countries, including Zambia, who were bent on only opposing whatever good policies presidents were promoting with a view to derail economic development and win cheap politics.

President Banda said the best way to foster development was to give a deaf ear to such people and focus boldly on policies that would benefit the country and its people.

But Shamenda said it was unfortunate that President Banda did not want to take constructive criticism.
Shamenda said late president Levy Mwanawasa appreciated the criticism he received from the opposition political parties and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the country.

“NGOs are part of the governance structure and it is constructive criticism which builds a nation,” Shamenda said. “Ignoring them when they talk is going to be detrimental to the country’s development.”

Shamenda hoped that President Banda was misquoted.

“As a democratic nation, it is expected that criticism is there because even during a one party state, as a trade union we were able to criticise government and we were not arrested,” he said.

Shamenda said it was up to the leadership to explain what they were doing so that people could understand as opposed to ignoring criticism.

Labels: GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP, PATRICK CHIBUYE

posted by MrK @ 7:03 PM