Maravi

Rupiah, Sata agree on ‘Don’t kubeba’

Rupiah, Sata agree on ‘Don’t kubeba’
By The Post
Tue 23 Aug. 2011, 17:40 CAT

Free, fair and constructive elections would translate into a reality when voters take their responsibility seriously.

Voters have a responsibility to use their votes for the good of Zambia, as opposed to the good of a particular individual, group or political party. They also have a responsibility to vote according to their conscience, in accordance with the highest human values without allowing themselves to be pressured, dictated to by godfathers, by bribes, threats, self-interests and so on and so forth. We should use our votes to make sure that the right person is elected.

It is therefore our responsibility, as voters, to vote for candidates who have proved themselves accountable to the electorate for the common good and who have been courageous in defending truth and justice for all, and who have been completely honest in fulfilling public and private responsibilities.

It, therefore, does not make sense for one to bribe voters and expect to be voted for. It also doesn’t make sense for one to sell his vote to the highest bidder, the highest briber. And on this score, both our two leading presidential candidates are in agreement, at least in principle if not in practice.

Addressing supporters in Mfuwe on August 14, Rupiah Banda said: “So nukusengani kuti uyu munthu wamwazionera mweka mumsankhe, osati bala owela nthawi yama campaign tyala nandalama m’mathumba fulu. Ngati muliye musenge munthu ndalama zake wakupatsani niukawalala lini yai, tolani ndalama izo.”

Meaning, “I am asking you to elect this person that you have seen for yourself, not those who will come during campaign time with pocketfuls of money. If you didn’t ask for money from that person, then that person gives you just get, it’s not theft”.

And Michael Sata simply says “Don’t kubeba”, meaning get whatever money or gifts they bring you, they try to bribe you with but when it comes to voting, vote according to your conscience and don’t tell them. It seems there is general agreement that electoral bribes are bad, unacceptable and are a wrong way to solicit votes. But we still see so much of it.

The country is today awash with chitenge materials, T-shirts, bicycles, mealie-meal, sugar, cooking oil, money and so on and so forth. These things are being dished out to our people in a manner and at a rate we have never seen before. Is it because there is so much love in our country all of a sudden? Or is it because a new spirit of sharing has suddenly engulfed our country?

If this was the case, no one would complain. But it isn’t the case. This is not an act of solidarity. It is an act of corruption and electoral bribery. But why should a candidate spend so much money trying to bribe the electorate? How is he going to recover this money? And where is this money coming from?

Why should someone pay people to lead them? In fact, it is supposed to be the opposite; the people are the ones who are supposed to be paying the leaders they desire to lead them. The people are the masters and it is the master who pays a servant to work for him.

There is no doubt that those who bribe the most or the highest are not going to be accountable leaders when they win an election. They are engaging in corruption to get elected.

It follows that their rule will be one of corruption. It will not be possible for leaders who win elections by corrupt means, by bribery to be honest in their discharge of a public duty.

There is need to heed the advice Rupiah and Sata have given us. And it doesn’t matter what they themselves might be doing. Let’s just adopt a ‘do as I say and not as I do’ approach.

And this is the point Fr Gabriel Msipu, treasurer general of the Chipata Catholic Diocese, is making when he says, “…Others are dishing out a lot of money so that they assume leadership positions.

If people realise that I am the right person, do I need to dish out a lot of money for people to be on my side? Is that the best way for you, a voter, to base your decision that because I received such and such a thing from Msipu, then he deserves to be MP? That is wrong, that’s why most of the times we end up with bad leaders. That is not good.

When you and I are going to vote, what is the basis of our decision? I can tell somebody that I will vote for you and you will give me US$5 million. I will put it in the pocket and buy talk time, but I will not vote for such a person. Unless my heart says that is the right person.”

We should all be cautious of the crucial role which each one of us should play in choosing the leaders who will create the Zambia we want to live in. Good elections require intelligent and responsible participation from all of us as voters. Our vote can help eliminate the unworthy and improve the quality of leadership in our country.

In casting our votes, we should therefore never be swayed by personal profit, gifts or rather bribes, but solely by the consideration of which of the candidates is better for the nation and the good we think they can do. Voting is a duty that should be fulfilled responsibly by all of us with a view of the common good.

Elections should never be a matter of bribery or coercion since that would break the sacred character of democracy. Election time is not auction time where our votes are taken by the highest bidder, the highest briber or one with the deepest pocket.

Election time is a time to vote for honest, courageous, hardworking, selfless and God-fearing leaders. Elections are an opportune time for us to review our past in order to prepare for better political choices for the future.

It is sad when elections are marred with corruption, bribery and coercion. We should therefore vote wisely and only for people known for their honesty, ability and concern for the welfare of all.

Whatever gifts or bribes they bring, take. But when the time to vote comes, vote for who is best for the country and “don’t kubeba”.

Labels: MICHAEL SATA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 5:45 PM