Maravi

Blackmailing voters with development

Blackmailing voters with development
By The Post
Wed 09 Feb. 2011, 04:00 CAT

‘Copperbelt will not have development if people don’t stop voting for the opposition. Unless people changed the pattern of voting, the province will not develop. Copperbelt risks being removed from its position when it comes to development because it doesn’t have enough members of parliament from the ruling party. How can you have a minister from a ruling party and a lot of members of parliament from the opposition? Can development take place like that?’

This sums up the political outlook of Mwansa Mbulakulima, Rupiah Banda’s Copperbelt minister. What are the prospects of our country with a man of such a political outlook in charge of one of our most important provinces?

Truly, political leaders, due to their multiple tasks in the state apparatus as well as in their political parties, can fall, and in fact in some cases they have fallen, into a state of detachment from the masses.

As a result, they have been ignorant of the state of mind of the masses. They need a permanent barometer of the feelings and judgment of our people. They need continuous contact with the masses, not at an abstract level but in a very concrete manner. They have to improve their political linkages by engaging in much wider political activity, concerning themselves with the problems of the masses and transmitting them to the top political leadership of our country and to the people.

And to the extent that criticism is insufficient and superficial and to the extent that transmission channels are not fully utilised, it is possible that certain problems may not strike leaders’ sensitivities with the necessary rapidity. They are cheating themselves and each other that all is well. Things are not well. And it’s time they started listening to the truthful analysis of their problems like the one that was given by Lameck Mangani the other week. Reality has to be faced. And as Lenin had once observed, the attitude - that is to say, the seriousness of purpose - of a political party is measured, basically, by the attitude it takes toward its own errors.

And you cannot solve your weaknesses if you are not able to admit or acknowledge them. The MMD must begin by recognising the scale of their problems. They are continually losing elections on the Copperbelt and other areas of our country where the public is better informed because they have become associated increasingly with the most disagreeable messages and thoughts.

And this must be appreciated as a deeply felt distaste, rather than just a momentary irritation. They are linked to corruption, abuse of office, intolerance, violence, tyranny, harshness; they are thought to be uncaring about unemployment and poverty. They are thought to favour greed and vanity. And they are also thought to be arrogant and out of touch.

In a multiparty political dispensation, one cannot say that the Copperbelt will have no development if they keep on voting for the opposition. This is a disagreeable message and thought. We say this because development in this country is not distributed on the basis of political patronage; on the basis of how people voted. Government leaders like Mbulakulima should not threaten people with development sanctions if they voted for other political parties.

This is unacceptable intimidation of the voters. Real political victory should lie on the ideals being proposed, on the ethical values of the party and its candidates, on the respect of the freedom of choice of all citizens, and not on any form of moral pressure or intimidation of voters.

That is why we say that candidates should be evaluated on their capacity to implement both their party’s manifesto and their personal vision. Those who offer themselves for re-election ought to be evaluated against the record of what they have or have not achieved. Did they fulfil their promises? Did they offer quality service to all the people and not only those who voted for them into power? Were they available to listen to the concerns of the people and were they selfless in responding to the needs of all, especially the poor? Those who have not yet held office should be carefully evaluated in terms of their competence and their reputation for honesty and selfless dedication to the common good.

Therefore, in casting one’s vote, a citizen should never be swayed by personal profit, tribal bias, political affiliation, but solely by consideration of which of the conflicting issues or candidates is better for the nation. Candidates should be voted for strictly according to the good we think they can do for the nation. The interest of political parties should be kept subordinate to the public good. We should use our votes for the good of Zambia, as opposed to the good of a particular political party, group or individual.

It is the job of those in government to ensure that services are provided to all citizens regardless of which candidate or political party they voted for. When a political party is voted into power, the government it forms is not a private institution for the enjoyment of party members and their supporters; it is a government for all, including those who don’t belong or support the ruling party.

And there should be a thick line of distinction between the government and the ruling party. We say this because lack of distinction between the ruling party and the government creates a climate of political intolerance, leading to abuse of office and all other forms of corruption. The ruling party should not regard itself as the government and government as the state where any denigration of these institutions and their leaders is tantamount to high treason; where the ruling party, government and their leaders become as sacred as the state.

The proper role of government is to serve all the citizens. And there is nothing which makes people more appreciative of a government than that it should be able to deliver services. It does this by creating opportunities that benefit all citizens without discrimination. And in order for the government to function well, all the citizens should participate responsibly. Overall, citizens should be concerned with the way leaders lead them and administer public goods. That is why elections are very important. Free and fair elections in choosing leaders are absolutely necessary in a democratic process. It is sad when elections are marred with unfairness and intimidation. It is essential for the government and the political parties to respect people’s voice and choice. Respect for human dignity requires that elections are conducted well, fairly and without intimidation of any sort. Elections should never be a matter of coercion or blackmail since that would break the sacred character of democracy. Election time is a time to vote for honest, courageous, hardworking and selfless leaders. Elections are an opportune time to review our past in order to prepare for better political choices for the future.

Those in government are not there to serve their own personal interests and of those who voted for them. Their authority is exercised legitimately if it is committed to the common good of society. Therefore, they should govern with care towards all. In a democracy, where leaders are chosen by the people and for the people, such leaders should view themselves as being representatives of the people at all levels. These leaders should listen to the people, respect the people and work for the welfare of the people. Mbulakulima should respect the choices the people of the Copperbelt made. It was a free choice for which they should not be punished by denying them development.

What Mbulakulima is saying just goes to show how corrupt this MMD government is. They have personalised the government and its resources. Government contracts are going to MMD cadres and their supporters even if they don’t have capacity to fulfil them. An honest audit of government contracts will invariably reveal that most of the government contracts given to Zambians go to those who belong to the MMD. This is corruption. This is abuse of public office. Government is supposed to belong to all and its resources to benefit all our people without regard to political or other affiliation.

Labels: COPPERBELT PROVINCE, MWANSA MBULAKULIMA

posted by MrK @ 6:32 AM