Integrity and leadership
By Editor
Wednesday September 17, 2008 [04:00]
Five weeks before the 2006 elections a friend of ours, retired Col Nobly Chime, circulated a two-page circular to some church leaders and a few friends.
In that circular Col Chime stated:
“Zambia as a Christian nation has been declared a poor country! It is plain for all to see the majestic endowments that the country has been blessed with and yet many Zambians are living in abject poverty and in deplorable conditions without any hope in their sights! Why?
“The need for men and women of integrity in leadership at the political front cannot be overemphasized (Titus 1:6-9; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; and Proverbs 11:1-13). Without integrity in our political leadership, hypocrisy shall reign and mediocrity shall prevail no matter how hard the church prays! It is said that ‘action speaks louder than words’.
“True leadership is godly and hence builds, improves, multiplies, enriches, heals, prospers and generally aims to ‘give life more abundantly’. True leadership is moral and it invokes the presence of God and His blessings and protection.
“The objectives of this circular are: Firstly, to secure your support for inculcating integrity in the leadership and secondly, to seek your personal and most valuable intervention in the Zambian political arena, in order for the electorate to place integrity at the pinnacle of criteria for awarding their vital vote to a candidate: ‘Yes’ to integrity and ‘No’ to hypocrisy.
“The church in Zambia has been rather passive at best and negative or aloof in the area of leadership and its practice in the nation. Romans 12:1-2 advises that we break away from conforming to the worldly ways by renewing our mindset and doing things in a manner that shall bring about God’s good, acceptable and perfect will upon Zambia and her people. Among the many misleading and worldly norms that we need to break away from are: Firstly, keep the church out of politics – the Bible mentions God as having raised Solomon to best political leader ever!
“Secondly, politics are dirty – if politics culminates into leadership, and leadership should be moral, how then and why should they be ‘dirty’? Evidently, we have allowed too many men and women who engage in dirty practices in the political arena. ‘Dirty’ politicians should be purged and only ‘clean’ ones elected.
“Thirdly, do not personalize campaigns but only discuss issues – political leadership is about public service and must be practiced with just resolve for the benefit of the people (Deuteronomy 16:18-20). How can the electorate know whether a candidate is qualified for moral leadership or not when his ‘life is secretive’? Why should a leader be so secretive if his life is upright and does not have ‘skeletons’ to hide? If true moral leaders should lead by example and render themselves role model status, why shouldn’t they be exposed? What is there to hide other than evil intent, which ultimately hurts Zambia and her people? Expose the character of the candidates!
“Unless the character of the aspiring candidate is exposed for what it truly is, it shall be futile to teach people ‘leadership qualities’. The presidential, parliamentary and local government elections are just over five-weeks away (and five Sundays)! Is it enough time to bring the truth to bear upon Zambia and give this nation a future and a hope? (Jeremiah 29:11).
“I pray that God shall bless you and inspire you into action for the sake of His people, the majority of whom are misinformed, ignorant or misguided, or combination of these. Remember: when good men do nothing about it, evil flourishes and you are God’s steward to shepherd His people into His will (1 Peter 5:2-4). May God richly bless you. Amen.”
This is what our friend, Col Chime, wrote on August 20, 2006. So we are not the only mad people if what we had been saying on this score is bad. We have someone in Col Chime who will go with us to Calvary when the time comes for us to be crucified, to be nailed to the cross for talking about the character of emperor Rupiah Banda.
It is clear that we can’t run away from these issues, these values, these virtues if we want to construct a leadership that will be able to move this country forward. We can run away from them now but at one time or another we will have to confront these issues. It will not be possible to govern our country in a manner that is beneficial to all our people if we do not address these issues in our selection of leadership. It is better to peacefully deal with these matters now than to confront them in future.
Character is a very important issue in leadership. A leader is a custodian of a community’s interests. Therefore in choosing a leader, a lot of attention should be paid to his or her character. One must be very foolish when he is going far away to leave his wife in the custody of a man who is known to be a womaniser. Equally, one would be very foolish to ask her friend or relative of very loose morals to look after her husband while she is away. Such a friend or relative will feast on your spouse.
Similarly, one must be very foolish to pick a well-known cattle rustler to be one’s herdsman. If you wake up one day to find all your cattle gone, nobody should feel sorry for you.
Therefore, character cannot be separated from the other important issues in an election campaign. And it is difficult to understand why Rupiah and his followers and supporters are opposed to or are extremely uncomfortable with discussing issues of character. If Rupiah’s character is good, why should they be scared to display and discuss it? If one’s character is good, why should one stop people from discussing it? Isn’t it a plus for people to discuss your good character and give you credit, especially if you are a candidate in an election?
The truth, however, is that when one looks at the characters of these people, one can see their true shades and stripes kilometres away.
What we would agree with are complaints of malice where there is justification. There is no need to be malicious in discussing a candidate’s character, there is need to be factual when doing so. It is said that the truth will set you free. But it is also said that the truth hurts. The truth will only set you free if you are willing to be honest and to repent. The one who should change, the one who should repent is you and not the truth. There is no need to attempt to change the truth because what needs to be changed and what can be changed is your conduct and not the truth. The truth can’t be changed to suit you. When issues are raised about one’s character, the only meaningful way to respond to them is by truth. Any other way will not do.
There is need to give favourable consideration to the issues raised by Col Chime in his circular of August 2006 because the issues he raised then are still very valid today and they will continue to be valid tomorrow. We ignore them at our own peril.
Labels: INTEGRITY, RUPIAH BANDA
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Nevers calls for upright leaders
By Noel Sichalwe
Tuesday April 08, 2008 [04:00]
THE future of Zambia and Africa is in the hands of morally upright leaders, Victory Ministries president pastor Nevers Mumba has said. Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 20 students from Victory University College on Sunday, pastor Mumba said the founding fathers of Africa were imprisoned and killed to sacrifice for the future of the continent. Pastor Mumba said the current challenge was to provide an educated and experienced leadership that had self-respect and ready to face the challenges ahead.
He said the crusades and conferences were good for Christians but that there was need to build capacity among leaders in order to be ready to take on the challenges.
"The Church of Jesus Christ should be ready to take the challenges. I am convinced that we need true leadership of integrity in Africa," he said. "The future of Zambia and Africa is in the hands of morally upright people who know their challenge."
Pastor Mumba said the university college would be introducing a school of political science, public policy and an online masters degree programme in partnership with Regent University of the United States of America in September this year.
Pastor Mumba said the new programmes for 50 students would train leaders from five African countries among them Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Malawi and Zambia.
At the same function, education permanent secretary Lillian Kapulu said the government remained committed to creating an enabling environment for faith-based education institutions to flourish as a means of complementing government efforts in strengthening the education sector.
Kapulu said Victory Ministries had continued to provide moral, spiritual strength and guidance to the nation since 1980.
She said the need to train a moral leadership in the nation was an urgent one as the Bible says, "When the righteous rule, people rejoice..."
"It therefore, remains imperative for us as a nation to support institutions like Victory University College, whose aim is to raise righteous leadership for both the church and the nation. We are living during very challenging times when national and sometimes religious leaders try to separate their private lives from their public lives.
This is a fallacy. God has placed a standard on every public servant as the scripture says, "to whom much is given, much shall be required."
Kapulu further said leaders should not be lovers of money.
Labels: INTEGRITY, NEVERS MUMBA
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Mwanawasa's defence of Kansanshi management
By Jenkins Chisoni,Glasgow
Monday July 16, 2007 [04:00]
Why appoint ministers to government ministries if the President can manage to perform every task that comes up? That is window-dressing. A strike is declared by workers at Kansanshi Mine and before we hear anything from the Minister of Labour and possibly with the support of the Minister of Mines, what do we get? The Head of State blackmailing workers of Kansanshi Mine whom he accuses of blackmailing management the provider of their jobs.
The President's protection of Kansanshi Mine management in this incident is really enviable and I wish he had the same commitment to the delivery of a people's constitution.
MUZ president Rayford Mbulu is right to ask polititians to listen to both sides of a dispute before commenting on labour matters. The right polititian to address the matter in fact is the Minister of Labour who is supposed to be conversant with what is involved in labour disputes and collective agreements and not the Head of State even if he is a State Counsel.
Amazingly, the President has not said anything about the coal miners of Southern Province who work without protective clothing and particularly without boots in a Chinese-managed coal mine. I take it that the President is happy because the workers there have not gone on strike in protection of the goose that lays the golden egg.
I count myself very lucky that I worked as a miner when labour laws and the minister in charge of labour and mines were respected. Mr President be fair to your people. Capital is not more important than labour.
We want investment yes but slavery No.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=29016
Dr Fundanga's views on cement shortage
By Cibwa Camazakala,Monze
Sunday July 15, 2007 [04:00]
I would like to comment on what our Bank of Zambia Governor Dr Caleb Fundanga said on the shortage of cement in Zambia (Cement shortage good for economy - Fundanga - Business Post, Tuesday July 03, 2007).
I am not surprised that people who are very educated can lack wisdom because it has happened so many times in the past.
We have heard of Dr so and so taking trunks to be filled with money at Bank of Zambia and another Dr so and so taking money from the National Assembly.
Now we hear a Dr Caleb Fundanga telling us that cement shortage is good for our economy.
I cannot understand how this man does not realise that the bulk of our cement is being exported and pardon me for using the word ‘our’, because nothing seem to belong to us anymore.
He wants the country to believe that it is because of growth that there is a shortage of cement. Can you show us where these great manufacturing structures that have consumed the cement are? We know of course that some high level government officials have a sweet deal with some foreigners at the expense of the Zambian people and real growth.
Fundanga said "I am personally happy with what is happening in the construction sector although some people are not happy with this." Happy that people are unable to finish building on schedule due to the shortage of cement? If what you say is true, you should have advised Mwanawasa long before this situation to invest in this sector and stop the exploitation.
You say that “What is happening now is exactly how a free economy like Zambia works." No! What is happening now is exactly how a corrupt economy like Zambia works.
You talk of a cement black market in Zambia, are you the only visitor to Jerusalem?
I forgot you are not suffering like the rest of us.
The cement black market is already here, when did you last visit the market?
You are one of those people who have stayed too long in their job such that they cannot see when things are going wrong. In fact when they do go wrong, you say it is a good thing.
If the inflation is in double digits from last year when it was in single digits, it means the economy is doing badly.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=29059
Dr Fundanga's comment on cement shortage
By Lytone Kanowa,LUSAKA
Monday July 16, 2007 [04:00]
Though I did not read Dr Fundanga’s comments that appeared in The Post news paper of 3 July 2007 regarding the shortage of cement on the Zambian market, I feel obliged to say something regarding the same. I am contributing to the comments from Cibwa Camazakala of Mazabuka on the subject that appeared in yesterday’s edition of The Post. How, honestly does the senior citizen say the shortage of cement on the market is good for the economy?
This just goes to show that we are not good planners. If we can have such high-profiled citizens of Zambia all smiles after being woken up in the middle of the night only to be told the country has run out of cement, then we are heading for economic slavery. The rest of the world is planning ahead of such eventualities and Zambia does not seem to do so.
Only those who indeed plunder national resources would not feel the difference when the price of essential commodities escalate. In fact this is somehow the measure of how much is illegally going into their coffers.
I wonder why cement from Zimbabwe, with over 3700 per cent of inflation, is cheaper on the Zambian market that our ‘own’ local products and we have in the recent past been proud of a single-digit inflation rate.
Can authorities be seen to have the plight of Zambians at heart and take appropriate action when citizens are being exploited? How can authorities rejoice at the situation where the official price of essential commodities is half of the market price? This is ridiculous!
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=29060
Consistent with inconsistencies
By Muyoyeta Simasiku
Monday July 16, 2007 [04:00]
It's become very difficult to know what our politicians' principles or values are or what they really stand for. Today they condemn their fellow politician and his/her policies, and yet tomorrow they will embrace the very person they were criticising just the other day without even giving an explanation as to what has happened over night.
When you look at it nothing has changed in the person they were criticising so as to warrant a shift in paradigm - their policies and actions remain the same.
And this is done with their heads held high without any sense of shame. As The Post editorial aptly put it the other day, their lives have been consistent with inconsistencies. And its not just one of them, its almost all of them. It’s hard to know what side of politics our politicians belong to – they were lefts yesterday, centre today and right wings tomorrow.
Really our politicians’ main preoccupation is just to temporarily feathers their political nests.
They would do anything even if it meant risking their own reputation just to achieve their selfish political desires I don’t know why they never learn even when records show that those who try to assume power by selfish means just end up falling hard on their back.
It’s actually annoying to think these are the guys who hold the decision power about the destiny and future of our country. And one wonders why our country cannot progress.
Even those that we used to hold in high esteem are now an embarrassment. Our President is busy trying to antagonise and demean the civil society, and yet he is forgetting that he is going to need them when he leaves office soon.
He is doing this at a public rally where his old political menace is smiling at him, instead of condemning him, all in the name of ‘reconciliation’ – one of the most abused English words by Zambian politicians. We are also told one of the former VPs has also reconciled with our President.
Can someone please tell me the meaning of ‘reconciliation’? Another opposition politician just condemns everybody, criticises anything and comments on everything, even the things he does not understand very well.
Can someone please tell him to shut up at times? In my opinion there's only one top politician who's been the same throughout since he left the MMD. I just hope I don't eat my words soon.
Really as citizens we should demand from our politicians values and practices that are characterised by high integrity and lives that are consistent with consistencies. Consistency is very important - I think that even a politician with bad policies is much better than one with good policies but is a flip-flopper!
Labels: CEMENT, INTEGRITY, MINERS
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