Maravi

William and Rupiah's violence will backfire

William and Rupiah's violence will backfire
By The Post
Thu 08 Sep. 2011, 14:00 CAT

IT is very difficult to make sense of William Banda's statement on Radio Phoenix yesterday in which he admitted responsibility for the political violence that is today characterising our election campaigns.

When asked by Radio Phoenix if he was at the centre of the violence, William said: "Yes, I am at the centre, Rupiah Banda is on the centre of everything…"
William's brazen admission that he and Rupiah were at the centre of the political violence the country is witnessing is difficult to understand.

It is difficult to understand why William has become so brazen about political violence. William is now openly and without shame admitting being at the centre of this violence. This is something normal people will find shocking. William has brazenly admitted being at the centre of this violence, together with Rupiah!

But still, what does this amount to? What does this mean? Is this an exhibition of unbridled arrogance on the part of William and Rupiah?

What seems to be distinctly lacking in William is a sense of shame, remorse and restraint. Many people have spoken against William and his violence. On Monday, the Law Association of Zambia called for William's arrest. Nothing has happened. Not even a police call-out has been sent or issued to him. No statement - warn and caution statement - has been recorded from William. He seems to be untouchable. Why? Is it because he is in it with Rupiah and touching him would mean touching the President? Why this impunity?

We saw how the other week, Wynter Kabimba was summoned to the police and a warn and caution statement recorded from him for simply saying that PF cadres and supporters have the right to defend themselves when attacked and should do so if attacked. But for all this violence William has been at the centre of, even by his own admission, no warn and caution statement has been recorded from him. Why?

This should not surprise us because the police has over a long period of time now shown open inability to arrest MMD cadres who attack opposition supporters. The violence that took place in Chongwe was in full view of police officers.

The police watched people being attacked, property being destroyed. They know all those who were involved in that violence, in that destruction. But no one to date has been arrested. This is what gives William the courage and the arrogance to say what he said on Tuesday.

This arrogance, this violence is dangerous because if not stopped, it can only do one thing, and that is to breed counter-violence. And if this happens, then the whole country will be on fire. It should also be realised that the MMD and its supporters and cadres are in the minority. The majority of our people belong to the opposition.

We have advocated the use of violence only in self-defence. What this means is that if everyone is only to resort to violence in self-defence, then no violence will take place.

There is need to protect every life because human life is sacred, a gift from God to be valued at all time sand under all circumstances. Of what value is this development that they are bragging about or lying about every day if there is no respect for human life? We are asking this question because one cannot claim to be concerned about development when he has no respect for the lives that are supposed to be benefitting from it.

One cannot claim to uphold the sanctity of life if he is not even ashamed to publicly admit that he is at the centre of political violence. Only an animal has no remorse or shame in injuring, maiming or killing another. Those who involve themselves in the violence William says he and Rupiah are at the centre of are no better than animals. The violence they are engaged in against political opponents is something that puts them next to animals.

As we have stated before, what seems to be distinctly lacking among the leadership, cadres and supporters of the MMD is a culture of tolerance, civility and humility which places the humanity of others before self and accepts that all citizens have a right to participate in the shaping of their destiny directly without fear of reprisal.

It is not possible for us to have a meaningful multi-party political system without a culture of tolerance, of respect for our political opponents.

Political opponents are not enemies that should be harmed or killed. Intolerance of political opposition leads to nothing but tyranny and dictatorship.

What we are witnessing is frightening political degeneration. What do signs of political degeneracy and decay look like? Political degeneracy and decay have many manifestations, and these are some of them.

Tolerance is very important in politics and generally in life. Any type of politics that does not recognise this runs every possible risk of tyranny in the name of politics. Moreover, a political system that recognises individual freedom and dignity can never allow the political violence that we are seeing today and is better placed to promote meaningful political participation.

That is, the right of individuals to self-determination in the pursuit of their constitutional rights in an open society not subject to monopoly politics.

Tolerance is likely to encourage meaningful political participation and discussion, that is, the right of individuals to engage in critical and informed debate on personal, local, national and other broader issues which affect the individual and his social space without fear or favour. And such discussion should promote rational voting, that is, the right of individuals to choose their representatives at various levels of government, under an institutional background which entrenches human freedom and dignity.

Rational voting cannot take place in an electoral system that is propelled by violence.

The MMD leadership, especially this one of Rupiah, has established a reputation for intolerance that is difficult to match. People are being intimidated, threatened and harassed in all sorts of ways for taking independent political positions. Citizens must belong to them or be condemned. They are not even ashamed to attribute enmity where it may not exist.

They thrive on the use of unsuspecting idle youth of low literacy who they intoxicate with tujilijili and all sorts of alcoholic drinks and then unleash them on the population to create a state of fear and force everyone, out of insecurity and exclusion, to be with them, to vote for them.

This is not the way to govern. This is against the rule of law which requires equality before the law or equal protection of the law. You cannot have free and fair elections under this atmosphere of violence, threats, intimidation, blackmail of everyone who is not with or for Rupiah and the MMD. This impunity, this violence, will backfire on Rupiah and the MMD. But the whole nation will eventually have to pay the price for all this.

William and Rupiah's violence can be stopped and must be stopped. They are in the minority in their violence because the great majority of our people hate violence.

Labels: CHIEFS, CHIEFTIANESS NKOMESHYA, CORRUPTION, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, RUPIAH BANDA, WILLIAM BANDA, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 4:46 PM