Gossip, slander on social networks worry Ng'oma
By Allan Mulenga
Thu 26 Dec. 2013, 14:00 CAT
THERE is a worrying trend where some people want to speak ill of others using the social media, says Dr Alex Ng'oma. In an interview yesterday, Dr Ng'oma, who a University of Zambia political science lecturer, said it was regrettable that some individuals had resorted to scandalising others when social networking.
"There is an unfortunate trend where some people, for trivial reasons, are misusing the social media, posting very bad comments about others. I find that very unfortunate and very regrettable. All of us, as human beings, it is important to remember that we have to do unto others exactly what we want them to do to us," he said.
Dr Ng'oma urged Zambians to respect one another.
"It is not in order for any person whatsoever to say bad things about other people, things that one would not want others to say about themselves," he said.
Dr Ng'oma advised social media users to guard against injuring others.
"I am personally concerned and I would urge every Zambian to reflect on this. The social media is not there for people to hide behind not being known and denouncing others," he said. "It is important for us to learn from our friends, especially in the Western world. They don't denounce each other anyhow. They always remember that even if you have to say something about another person, you have to be diplomatic; you have to choose your words carefully."
Dr Ng'oma wondered what kind of society was being built, where some people tended to misuse the social media to pull others down.
"This is definitely not good for our country; it is not good for our society and so it is important to reflect on that," he said.
Dr Ng'oma said all human beings deserve respect regardless of their status in life.
"It is natural indeed to disagree but we must disagree respectfully. We must be civilised enough to be able to put our differences across in a very respectful manner," said Dr Ng'oma.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, GOSSIP
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FODEP condemns opposition's unmerited criticism of govt
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 08 May 2013, 14:00 CAT
FOUNDATION for Democratic Process (FODEP) president Alex Ng'oma says the opposition political parties must avoid creating a permanent state of conflict as a way of discrediting the government.
Commenting on justice minister Wynter Kabimba's statement that those who remain in opposition after losing an election must accept defeat and should not pretend that they won the elections, Ng'oma said it was unacceptable for the opposition to constantly discredit the government even when they do positive things.
"It is important for all the people to understand that in any electoral cycle, there can only be one winner, either in the name of a political candidate or in the name of the party. Those that come out victorious must be congratulated and given an opportunity to function as winners since they have the mandate in their hands to serve the people of Zambia. On the other hand, those who lose elections and go into the opposition must also accept the reality that they have lost the elections," said Ng'oma.
Ng'oma said the opposition must learn to support those that have been given the mandate by the people of Zambia to function properly.
He said the tendency of undermining the government of the day by discrediting everything they do was detrimental to democracy.
"It does not work to the best interest of the people that are being represented. There has to be, after elections, what I would call unity of purpose to support those that have won and give them the chance to function to serve the people of Zambia," he said.
Ng'oma said the opposition in the country appeared to believe that for a person to get to State House, they should constantly attack the party in government by discrediting everything they do without being objective or realistic.
"That is the kind of political game being played in this country.
Zambian opposition should take a leaf from American politics, where if a candidate loses an election, he appeals to his supporters to support the person who has won," said Ng'oma.
Responding to a presentation by South Africa-based Professor Michelo Hansungule during the Law Association of Zambia second annual law conference at Zambezi Sun Hotel in Livingstone on Thursday, in which Hansungule was advising the ruling PF against fighting the opposition, saying that would hinder the development agenda, Kabimba, who is justice minister, said leaders should not steep into the spirit of impunity but ought to be cautious and break it.
"The impunity of trying to intimidate others can revisit you or can grow into a culture. We ought to tame that as leaders. We also have to ensure that those who remain in the opposition after losing must also accept defeat. Don't pretend that you have won. We must ensure that the losers accept that they have lost and the winners must not oppress the losers but include them in the governance system," said Kabimba.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, FODEP, MICHELO HANSUNGULE, OPPOSITION, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Dora should not waste time defending herself - Ng'oma
By Allan Mulenga
Tue 26 Mar. 2013, 14:01 CAT
DORA Siliya should stop wasting money and time defending herself for raising a middle finger in Parliament, says Dr Alex Ng'oma.
Commenting Siliya's defence that she gestured in an insulting manner in Parliament because she was provoked by Bwacha PF member of Parliament Sydney Mushanga, Dr Ng'oma, who is University of Zambia political science lecturer, urged Siliya to be accountable for her action.
"Dora Siliya should be accountable for what she did. She is in Parliament not to pursue personal agendas or behave in a way she likes, but to represent the masses back there in Petauke district who cannot represent themselves in Parliament," he said. "She cannot go to Parliament to insult other people with the middle finger. We expected her to understand that Parliament is our honourable place where you are expected to behave in a respectable manner."
Dr Ng'oma said as an adult, Siliya should learn to control her emotions even under provocation.
"Adults should display maturity even when they are provoked. They must control their emotions and follow the laid down procedures of lodging complaints in Parliament. So, on that score Dora Siliya has failed. I can give her a D+," he said.
Dr Ng'oma said Siliya who is also MMD spokesperson should exercise humility and seek forgiveness.
"It does not help to be arrogant and defensive by hiring other people to speak on her behalf just because she has money," said Dr Ng'oma.
Siliya's gesture has received widespread condemnation from different sectors, including the Church, with some youth organisations threatening to block her from entering Parliament during the next session should the Speaker not expel her from the House.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, CORRUPTION, DORA SILIYA
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FODEP urges Namulambe to fulfil pledges
By Fridah Nkonde
Tue 05 Mar. 2013, 14:10 CAT
FODEP president Dr Alex Ng'oma says all leaders must be people of their word. Commenting on newly-elected Mpongwe member of parliament Gabriel Namulambe's pledge to deliver development to the people, Dr Ng'oma said there was need for leaders to fulfil their campaign promises.
"When leaders promise, they must deliver. They should not abuse the trust of the people that vote for them because those people depend on them to make a difference in their lives," he said.
Dr Ng'oma said there was need for Namulambe to go back to Mpongwe to say "thank you" to all the people that voted for him.
"…People voted for him because they trusted his word," he said.
Dr Ng'oma, who is also a political science lecturer, said there was also need for Namulambe to bear in mind that people voted for him because they were convinced that his promises were made in good faith.
"It is not only Namulambe who is supposed to go back to Mpongwe and say thank you. All the leaders are supposed to do the same. They are not supposed to desert their constituencies.
We are talking about Namulambe today because he is the one who is just from winning an election. He should spend his time trying to fulfil the promises he made during campaigns and he should ask the people of Mpongwe to support him. If he does this, even if he was to encounter some challenges, he would have the courage to go back to his people and look at how best he could do things in future," he said.
Dr Ng'oma said it was evident there were some leaders who deserted their constituencies once they were voted into power, and that there was need for such people to know that people had the power to throw them out of office during an election.
He said Zambians were expecting Namulambe to help President Michael Sata in fighting corruption, adding that there was need for him not to engage in any corrupt activities.
Dr Ng'oma said there was also need for Namulambe to join hands with those that he defeated in the Mpongwe by-election for him to develop the area.
Namulambe, who defected from the MMD to the PF, reclaimed the Mpongwe parliamentary seat in last Thursday's by-election and has promised to work hard to develop the constituency.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, BY-ELECTIONS, FODEP, GABRIEL NAMULAMBE
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'Zambia's democracy is failing to mature'
By The Post
Wed 02 Jan. 2013, 16:20 CAT
Dr Alex Ng'oma, a political science lecturer at the University of Zambia, says Zambia's democracy is failing to mature because many political players do not understand its principles and ideals. Dr Ng'oma also says that Zambia has "a democratic system without democrats".
Our experience over the last two decades of multiparty democracy has taught us that people may be born with an appetite for personal freedom, for democracy, but they are not born with knowledge about the social and political arrangements and conduct that make freedom and democracy possible over time for themselves and their children. Such things must be acquired.
They must be learned. Education is a vital component of any society, but especially of a democracy.
As Thomas Jefferson wrote: "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilisation, it expects what never was and never shall be."
In contrast to authoritarian societies which seek to inculcate an attitude of passive acceptance, the object of democratic education is to produce citizens who are independent, questioning and analytical in their outlook, yet deeply familiar with the precepts and practices of democracy.
Democracy is more than the sum of institutions. A healthy democracy depends in large part on the development of a democratic civic culture. Culture in this sense does not refer to art, literature or music, but to the behaviours, practices and norms that define the ability of a people to govern themselves.
A totalitarian political system encourages a culture of passivity and apathy. The regime seeks to mould an obedient and docile citizenry. By contrast, the civic culture of a democratic society is shaped by the freely chosen activities of individuals and groups.
Democracy is not a machine that runs by itself once the proper principles and procedures are inserted. A democratic society needs the commitment of citizens who accept the inevitability of conflict as well as the necessity for tolerance. It is for this reason that the culture of democracy is so important to develop.
Democracy is not a set of revealed, unchanging truths, but the mechanism by which, through the clash and compromise of ideas, institutions and individuals, the people can, however imperfectly, reach for truth. Democracy is pragmatic. Ideas and solutions to problems are not tested against a rigid ideology, but tried in the real world where they can be argued over and changed, accepted or discarded.
Democracy depends upon a literate, knowledgeable citizenry, whose access to the broadest possible range of information enables them to participate as fully as possible in the public life of their society. Ignorance breeds apathy. Democracy thrives upon the energy of citizens who are sustained by an impeded flow of ideas, data, opinions and speculation.
Democracy rests upon the principle that government exists to serve the people; the people do not exist to serve the government. In other words, the people are citizens of the democratic state, not its subjects. While the state protects the rights of its citizens, in return, the citizens give the state their loyalty.
Under an authoritarian system, on the other hand, the state, as an entity separate from the society, demands loyalty and service from its people without any reciprocal obligation to secure their consent for its actions.
The essence of democratic action is the active, freely chosen participation of its citizens in the public life of their community and nation.
Without this broad, sustaining participation, democracy will begin to wither and become the preserve of a small, select number of groups and organisations. But with the active engagement of individuals across the spectrum of society, democracies can weather the inevitable economic and political storms that sweep over every society, without sacrificing the freedoms and rights that they are sworn to uphold.
Active involvement in public life is often narrowly defined as the struggle for political office. But citizen participation in a democratic society is much broader than just taking part in election contests. Whatever their level of contribution, a healthy democracy depends upon the continuing, informed participation of the broad range of its citizens.
Democracy, in our view, is therefore a process, a way of living and working together. It is evolutionary, not static. It requires cooperation, compromise and tolerance among all citizens. Making it work is hard, not easy. Freedom means responsibility, not freedom from responsibility.
Democracy does not demand that citizens be universally virtuous, only that they be responsible. It is said that "man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary".
And the role of political parties in all this is extremely important. Political parties may be as varied as the societies in which they function.
The political work that they conduct is often elaborate, usually time-consuming and sometimes silly. But their function is dead serious: to provide a peaceful and fair method by which the citizens of a democracy can select their leaders and have a meaningful role in determining their own destiny.
It is therefore very important that we pay a lot of attention to the organisation and functioning of all our political parties. These may be seen to be private clubs, but their importance to the governance of the nation goes far beyond the aggregate interests of their leaders, cadres, members and supporters.
And we shouldn't forget the fact that politics is about how society organises itself; how those entrusted with authority and leadership exercise their authority to meet the needs of the people; how citizens exercise their freedom and power to elect persons into leadership positions and how they exercise their right to demand that the leaders fulfil the wishes of the people.
Succinctly put, politics is about social relations and governance of a society; it is about serving the needs of all people and bringing about development for all.
This being the case, competent and honest citizens are encouraged to participate in party politics so that they do good in society. Politics needs people with credibility, people capable of upholding the common good. Therefore, a person chosen for political responsibility as leader must learn to serve before taking on a leadership position. True leaders do not seek power, but have a passion to achieve the best for those who are under their responsibilities.
And judging by the record of the past, the two most decisive factors affecting the future consolidation and expansion of our democracy will be economic development and political leadership. Economic development makes democracy possible; political leadership makes it real.
We therefore urge our political parties to pay a lot of attention to their work and their organisation. It is not possible to have the strong democracy without strong and well-functioning political parties. And it's not easy to have democracy in the nation while the political parties that run the politics of the country are devoid of intra-party democracy.
It is necessary to remind all our political parties that politics is for the good of the people and the country, and not for the political survival of any individual or political party. If the spirit of the primacy of the common good were to animate all our political parties, their leaders, cadres, members and supporters, we would not witness the daily wrangling, bickering and power struggling which leaves the public dismayed and disheartened about politics and its conduct. Undermining politics, political parties, undermines governance. And we all know the consequences of what happens when governance goes wrong.
We therefore remind our political leaders, their cadres, members and supporters of the noble goals of political activity.
Politics aims at the promotion of the common good and the service of all the people. And therefore, political discourse or debates should concentrate on programmes to improve the life of the nation rather than personal aggrandisement or the satisfaction of personal ambition. Politics is a genuine way of being at the service of others for the integral development of the country, and it should therefore be guided by good values of respect for human dignity, human rights, common good, social justice, solidarity, integral development, special concern for the poor and non-violence in resolving conflicts.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, DEMOCRACY
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Rupiah has no right to talk about corruption - Ng'oma
By Allan Mulenga
Tue 30 Oct. 2012, 14:20 CAT
RUPIAH Banda does not have moral standing to talk about corruption, says Dr Alex Ng'oma. Commenting on former president Rupiah Banda's statement that the anti-corruption fight should not be selective, Dr Ng'oma, a University of Zambia political science lecturer, said Banda should have "walked the talk" when he had the instruments of power.
"It is extremely disjointed if Rupiah Banda can begin to talk about corruption today when he doesn't even have the platform on which to talk about corruption, when he had all the instruments of power to be able to fight corruption," he said.
"He should have walked the talk when he was in government. When he had the resources; when he had the instruments of power to really combat corruption, he chose to look the other way. Because after all what we have now is 100 times better than what he tried to do."
Recently, speaking at the Crans Montana forum in Geneva, Switzerland, Banda said people must always be aware that the fight against corruption in Africa and on other continents could itself become corrupted.
"There are cases in which the authorities use anti-corruption as an instrument to pressure their political opponents, pursue personal grievances, or even use it as an instrument against investors and business competitors," he said.
"The anti-corruption fight should not be selective. The real fight against corruption- the substance over the form- should be supported by a robust legal framework and must be carried out by truly independent judiciary, anti-corruption agencies and law enforcement that uphold the rule of law that can carry out efficient prosecutions."
But Dr Ng'oma said of all the presidents that Zambia has had, Banda could rank the lowest in the fight against corruption.
"The best he can ever do is to live a quiet life...Try and be neutral, rise above all these issues because he ignored them when he had the time," he said.
Dr Ng'oma urged Banda to take a leaf from what Dr Kenneth Kaunda.
"Dr Kaunda has risen above partisan politics. He is there to try and play the role of father of the nation giving guidance to Michael Sata and to the nation; not just criticising unnecessarily. Mr Banda should have walked the talk when he had the means to do that," he said.
Dr Ng'oma said Banda should not sound like a champion of corruption when he led the most corrupt government in the country.
"Now that he has reached a point where a lot of people really believe that the MMD was the most corrupt government we have had, that is when he wants to run around to sound like a champion!" remarked Dr Ng'oma.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, CORRUPTION, RUPIAH BANDA
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Ng’oma urges ECZ to finalise electoral code
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 31 May 2011, 07:10 CAT
Dr Alex Ng’oma has appealed to the ECZ to quickly make the Electoral Code of Conduct that will be used in this year’s elections available.
And Dr Ng’oma has questioned the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s (ECZ) failure to immediately address breaches of the electoral laws that forbids traditional leaders from endorsing presidential candidates.
In an interview, Dr Ng’oma, who is Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), said in an interview that credibility and fairness of the elections was premised on proper adherence to the country’s electoral laws and guildlines.
“We have actually seen that campaigns have kicked off and have begun to gain momentum, and it is important for ECZ (Electoral Commission of Zambia) to finalise and approve the Electoral Code of Conduct that should spell out the do’s and don’ts in this year’s elections,” Dr Ng’oma.
He said that although FODEP had welcomed the move by ECZ to review the code of conduct, it regretted that the exercise was a wasted one as the new code was based on the electoral laws provided in the draft constitution under the failed National Constitutional Conference that failed in Parliament.
He said this meant that Zambia would go to the polls with the old Electoral Code of Conduct, describing the situation as rather unfortunate.
“This is the challenge that we have. This means that the new electoral code which would have given the commission more power to enforce it cannot work. The old one on the other hand is weak when it comes to enforcement,” Dr Ng’oma said.
He said there was need for the electoral players to exhibit goodwill and integrity in the process, to avoid any incidents that would agitate the Zambians prior, during and after the elections.
“FODEP is sending a very strong appeal to the ECZ to ensure that what is written in the code of conduct is adhered to by all political stakeholders. We need level headedness, considering the fact that the country may be going into the elections with ‘malfunction’ document and avoid things that will be detrimental to the elections,” he said.
And Dr Ng’oma said that it was unfortunate that lapses had already been seen in the manner ECZ was handling measures to ensure a level playing field for all political parties ahead of elections.
“We find it very strange that our royal highnesses are breaching the electoral code of conduct. The failure to stop that by ECZ is promoting lawlessness in the electoral process because it is illegal for chiefs to endorse a presidential candidate,” Dr Ngoma said.
He expressed sadness that the government had failed to condemn the act of chiefs to openly endorse candidates of their preferences because this was in their favour.
“Lawbreakers must not only be prosecuted if they are not in favour of the party in power. There should be a fair and objective prosecution of electoral cases,” said Dr Ng’oma.
Recently, Anti-Voter Apathy Project executive director Bonnie Tembo complained about the delay by the Ministry of Justice to finalise the Electoral Code of Conduct.
Tembo said there was need to finalise the code because some of the clauses which were included in the reviewed document bordered on the new constitution which failled to go through Parliament recently. Tembo said it was important to have the code now so that all stakeholders could familiarise themselves with it.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, ECZ, FODEP
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Poverty, ignorance and our elections
By The Post
Fri 13 May 2011, 04:00 CAT
It is clear that a lot of work needs to be done to raise the political culture of our people if democracy is to work in this country. It is also clear that while the desire for freedom may be innate, the practice of democracy must be learnt.
Whether the hinge of history will continue to open the doors of freedom and opportunity in our country depends on the dedication and collective wisdom of all our people themselves – not upon any history’s iron laws, and certainly not on the imagined benevolence of self-appointed leaders.
And contrary to some perceptions, a healthy democratic society is not simply an arena in which individuals pursue their own personal goals.
Democracies flourish when they are tended by citizens willing to use their hard-won freedom to participate in the life of their society – adding their voice to the public debate, electing representatives who are held accountable for their decisions and actions, and accepting the need for tolerance and compromise in public life.
The citizens of a democracy enjoy the right of individual freedom, but they also share the responsibility of joining with others to shape a future that will continue to embrace the fundamental values of freedom and self government.
Democracy and freedom’s apparent surge in our country over the last two decades by no means ensures its ultimate success. That people naturally prefer freedom to oppression can indeed be taken for granted. But that is not the same as saying that democratic political systems can be expected to create and maintain themselves overtime. On the contrary.
The idea of democracy is durable, but its practice is precarious. While this fact is cause for neither pessimism nor despair; instead, it serves as a challenge. While the desire for freedom may be innate, as we have already pointed out, the practice of democracy must be learned.
For this reason, the observations made by Dr Alex Ng’oma, the president of the Foundation for Democratic Process, that there is need for non-governmental organisations to focus their civic education more in poverty stricken areas where the majority of the people are prone to political manipulation deserves favourable consideration. It is true that most Zambians cannot enhance their human development and remain independent from political manipulation due to high poverty levels.
It is also true that some politicians have taken advantage of this to manipulate the poorest of our people in a bid to influence their choices of leaders during elections. Food stuffs, farming inputs, bicycles, chitenge materials, T-shirts, mealie-meal, sugar, salt, money and so on and so forth have been used to influence the poor on how they should vote and whom they should vote for.
This being the case, there is need to raise the political culture to a level where people in our rural areas, in our poor communities, would vote for a political party or candidate not because they have been given material things, they have been given foodstuffs but rather because they believe in the policies being floated to them by a particular political party or candidate.
This will require a lot of work both on the political and economic front. This will require good political leadership. It will also require meaningful economic development. These are the two most decisive factors affecting the future consolidation and expansion of democracy in this country.
We say this because judging by the record of the past and by what is going on in our country today, the two most decisive factors affecting the future consolidation and expansion of our democracy will be economic development and political leadership. This is so because economic development makes democracy possible; political leadership makes it real.
With poverty, it is very difficult for most of our people, for the great majority of our people living in abject poverty to set themselves a political agenda. And elections in which the great majority of our people, the poor people, cannot set themselves a political agenda cannot be said to be democratic.
We know that there is no regime in the world, even the most autocratic, that has ever claimed not to be democratic. Even the worst tyrants have attempted to claim popular support by pinning democratic labels upon themselves.
Poverty is often, if not always, accompanied by ignorance. And where there is ignorance, people are taken advantage of. Informed public opinion is the most potent of all restraints upon misgovernment.
Those who want to take advantage of the people always try to keep the people in ignorance so that they can easily manipulate them, abuse them, exploit them. It’s only the people themselves, the electorate that can protect their rights. And the electorate is the ultimate custodian of its own freedom.
And from this perspective, democratic government, which is elected by and accountable to its citizens, is not the antagonist of individual rights, but their protector.
It is to enhance their rights that citizens in a democracy undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities. Poor people, ignorant people, cannot be expected to meaningfully, effectively and efficiently undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities.
And broadly speaking, these responsibilities entail participating in the democratic process to ensure its functioning. At a minimum, citizens should educate themselves about the critical issues confronting their society – if only to vote intelligently for candidates running for high office.
The essence of democratic action is the active, freely chosen participation of its citizens in the public life of their community and nation. Without this broad, sustaining participation, democracy will begin to wither and become the preserve of a small, select number of individuals and groups.
But with the active engagement of well-informed individuals across the spectra of society, democracy can wither the inevitable economic and political storms that sweep over every society, without sacrificing the freedoms and rights that they are sworn to uphold.
Clearly, democracy is more than the sum of institutions. A healthy democracy depends in large part on the development of a democratic civic culture. A totalitarian political system encourages a culture of passivity, apathy and ignorance. The regime seeks to mould an obedient and docile citizenry.
By contrast, the civic culture of a democratic society is shaped by the freely chosen activities of individuals and groups.
As Dr Ng’oma has correctly observed, education is a vital component of any society, but especially of a democracy. And as Thomas Jefferson once observed: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilisation, it expects what never was and never shall be.
In contrast to tyrannical societies which seek to inculcate an attitude of passive acceptance, the object of democratic education is to produce citizens who are independent, questioning and analytical in their outlook, yet deeply familiar with the precepts and practices of democracy.
We say this because people may be born with an appetite for personal freedom, but they are not born with knowledge about the social and political arrangements that make freedom possible overtime for themselves and their children.
Such things must be acquired. They must be learned. But such things are very difficult to acquire, are very difficult to learn in societies or communities where people are very poor, are ignorant and illiterate. Therefore, to move forward, they have to overcome poverty simultaneously with ignorance and illiteracy.
In a democracy, it can fairly be said, democracy enables freedom itself to flourish overtime. Where there is an enlightened citizenry, the power of those in power to abuse people is reduced. And government is best when its potential for abuse is curbed, and when it is held as close to the people as possible.
And we have already pointed out, voting in the election of public officials is the most visible and common form of participation in today’s democracies, and also the fundamental. The ability to conduct free and fair elections is at the core of what it means to call a society democratic.
One cannot say there are free and fair elections in a society where the voters can be bribed with mealie-meal, sugar, salt, fertiliser, seed, bicycles, chitenge materials, T-shirts, caps, money and so on and so forth to vote for a particular political party or candidate. But we know that where people are very poor and ignorant, this type of manipulation is common and easily takes place.
We see it in this country whenever and wherever there are elections. We have seen even the President of the this country distributing sugar and mealie-meal to the electorate to a point where we had to nickname him ‘Sugar Daddy’.
As the election date draws near, you will see those with deep pockets, especially those in government, distributing relief food – maize, rice and so on and so forth – to the electorate. And these poor people, these hungry people, out of fear of being seen to be ungrateful, will vote for them.
This is the type of “free and fair elections” we have in this country. This is how the poor of this country are abused, exploited and betrayed. This has to stop before we can have meaningful democracy in this country, before our people can truly and freely choose their government.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, DEMOCRACY, POVERTY
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Poverty is Zambia’s greatest enemy, says FODEP
By Kombe Chimpinde
Fri 13 May 2011, 04:00 CAT
POVERTY is Zambia's greatest enemy to social and human development, says Dr Alex Ng'oma. Dr Ng'oma, who is Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) president, observed that most Zambians could not enhance their human development and remain independent from political manipulation due to high poverty levels being experienced.
He said
some politicians had taken advantage of the continued high poverty levels to manipulate the poorest in a bid to influence their choices of leaders during elections.
“Sometimes no matter how much we try to educate communities, they still remain prone to manipulation such as the giving of foodstuffs and farming inputs during an election period,” he said.
Dr Ng'oma said until poverty is eradicated at national level, Zambia would continue to have challenges in conducting civic education, especially among voters.
He said there was need for the country to reach a level where people in rural areas would vote for a political party not because they had been given material things but rather because they believed in policies being floated by a particular party.
Dr Ng'oma, however, said there was need for non-governmental organisations to focus their civic education more in poverty stricken areas where the majority of people were prone to political manipulation.
Dr Ng'oma, who is also a lecturer at the University of Zambia, recommended that intensive civic education be done not only during election periods but throughout the year in order to create awareness among possible voters.
“We have begun carrying out civic education in Western and Southern provinces. We have not been able to go to other parts of the country due to lack of adequate funding,” said Dr Ng'oma.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, FODEP, POVERTY
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MMD should be removed, says Dr Ng’oma
By Brina Manenga
Thu 10 Feb. 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE MMD government has not been responsive to the needs of the Zambian people and that warrants their removal from office, says Dr Alex Ng’oma. In an interview, Dr N’goma, the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) president, said it was unfortunate that the government had not listened to the demands of its people.
“As FODEP it is our belief that the national agenda should be people driven rather than being driven by the politicians the way it is at the moment. There are a lot of things in the country that have gone against the will of the people,” Dr Ng’oma said.
“If you look at the privatisation of Zamtel and Zanaco, people were opposed to that but government went ahead and privatised them. The majority of people opposed the removal of the abuse of office clause. They wanted to appeal against the acquittal of former president Frederick Chiluba, but government sat on everything.”
Dr Ng’oma said the shelving of the 50 per cent plus one threshold was testimony that the government did not respect the wishes of the people.
“Whatever it is that the people in office want to do they will go ahead whether the Zambian people oppose or not. Our appeal to government is that it should be a government for the people. It should listen to the wishes of the people for us to live in harmony,” said Dr Ng’oma.
“These are some of the examples to show that this government has taken the people of Zambia for granted. People should not be surprised if voter apathy continues because government is not doing what is in the best interest of the people. People will distance themselves from government because they think their wishes are not being appreciated.”
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, FODEP, MMD
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Ng’oma urges level playing field for politicians
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sun 06 Feb. 2011, 03:59 CAT
A political analyst has called for a level playing field among political players ahead of this year’s general elections. Dr Alex Ng’oma, who is also Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) president, said elections in any democracy were a competition for people’s votes and it was vital for the best person to be elected fairly.
“Elections are about competition and any competition requires rules to support a level playing field which is necessary for the achievement of free and fair elections. This is because when the field is leveled there is equal chance for all contesting and a clear winner,” Dr Ng’ona said in an interview.
However, he said this could not be achieved without proper fundamentals to act as a guideline to the process and the period leading to it.
“For instance, now it is very worrying that other aspiring presidential candidates and their parties have to wait for the President to announce the elections when he deems fit. This is a disadvantage not only to the other players but the voters if the President decides to call for elections at his own time,” Dr Ng’oma said.
He said apart from enshrining the date of elections in the electoral Act, it was imperative to have an electoral body that would constitute an elected cross section of representatives.
“We need an autonomous electoral body constituting various stakeholders. This requires that proper electoral laws are enshrined before the elections. It is in the same vein that government should heed the calls from people to amend the Constitution and include the contentious clauses such as the 50 percent plus one, the swearing of the president within 90 days, the election of the vice-president as a presidential running mate,” Dr Ng’oma said.
Dr Ng’ona urged the government to heed calls for reforms to pave way for free and fair elections.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, FODEP
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Zukas explains why he rejects NCC’s degree clause
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sat 20 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
Zukas said the 'degree clause' was taking the country back to the Welensky days.
VETERAN politician Simon Zukas has said he rejects the National Constitutional Conference's presidential degree clause because it is targeted against popular PF leader Michael Sata by a government that fears competition.
And UNZA political and administrative studies lecturer Dr Alex Ng'oma has argued that Zambia will not have a constitution that stands the test of time if people continue to look at faces during the formulation process.
During a Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD)/ Press Freedom Committee (PFC) of The Post-organised public discussion on the presidential degree clause in Lusaka last Wednesday, Zukas said the requirement was taking the country back to the Welensky days.
“We need this degree qualification in order to set a target for our youths that are being educated so that they can aspire to get a degree if they want to reach the top post in the land,” Zukas said.
“However, I think that there are…less complicated ways of encouraging children to improve their academic qualifications. From that point of view, I will reject that the condition that candidates for the presidency should have a degree. Well, maybe a degree would be useful, but a degree in what? I think that a degree in integrity, in ethics, in conflict resolution, that might be just useful to have as a qualification for a presidential candidate. I consider just a degree not good enough.”
Zukas said a president with a degree could end up being the most efficient plunderer of national resources. He said Zambia was being thrown back to the Roy Welensky days when the purpose then was to keep people out of the voting system.
“I see history repeating itself in having a clause that is targeted towards an individual, a likely candidate for presidency who has popularity with whom we are afraid to compete,” Zukas said.
He said this was the case with the parentage clause that was included in the 1996 Constitution, whose sole purpose was to keep out Dr Kenneth Kaunda from the election.
“This (presidential degree clause) is being targeted against Mr Michael Sata because of his popularity and because of certain governments fearing competition. So on that ground, I reject it,” Zukas said.
But a policy expert, Dr Weston Mafuleka, said being popular was not akin to suitability for the presidency.
“I am an academician and I will not take part in the rivalry between and among people that are fighting for power,” Dr Mafuleka said. “My views are based on what I think is best for the country.”
Dr Mafuleka said he supported the presidential degree requirement because a president was supposed to be a fulcrum.
“I think the president is a generalist,” Dr Mafuleka said. “He is somebody who is broadly read.”
Dr Mafuleka said Zambia had undergone qualitative change in terms of knowledge and skills in the 46 years of independence. He urged Zambians to utilise the human resource that had been churned out from public universities that were started by the founding fathers who never went far in their education.
“They have done that job and let them also allow their children that they have prepared to get into those functions,” Dr Mafuleka said. “Think of a president as a chief diplomat even without delegating the functions. If he is insufficiently enlightened, he will be outwitted by his opposing interlocutors.”
Dr Mafuleka said a first degree was part of capacity building for a future president of Zambia.
“He is the only one who claims the whole country as his constituency,” he said.
Dr Mafuleka said concerns that the degree clause was discriminatory could not stand because all forms of democracy were discriminatory.
In his presentation, Mung'omba CRC commissioner, William Harrington said he does not subscribe to the notion that anybody with a degree could make a good president.
“The clause is not necessary and it is a cause of conflict and it is discriminatory,” Harrington said. “Not everybody is going to attain a university degree because of the circumstances but age is a natural phenomenon.”
He said it was assumptive that everybody with a degree could know everything.
“Zambia's education system is not developed enough to warrant such a clause,” Harrington said.
He said the degree clause was yet again a betrayal of the desires and aspirations of Zambians.
And Dr Ng'oma said the problem with the current constitutional process was that it did not have the interest of all Zambians at heart.
“What I see in our country is a situation whereby if I do not like you, I will look for something to throw at you,” Dr Ng'oma said.
“It is a big mistake in my view to entrench in the constitution that a presidential hopeful must be a holder of a first degree.”
He said it would be unfair and unwise to accommodate such a clause in the constitution.
“We actually look at faces. If it is a person you hate, we quickly come up with something that will stop that person to get involved in active politics,” said Dr Ng'oma.
Labels: ALEX NG'OMA, NCC, PFC, SACCORD, SIMON ZUKAS
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