Opposition leaders selfish - Siabutuba
By Roy Habaalu
Tue 14 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT
PARTNER Siabutuba says opposition political parties cannot unite for a good cause because their leaders are selfish. Siabutuba, who is Youth Development Organisation director, said there could not be unity among opposition parties because it was targeted at ousting PF from power.
Commenting on Alliance for Democracy and Development president Charles Milupi's statement last week that there are political parties that want to get into political alliances for the sole purpose of riding on others, Siabutuba said some of the parties that were calling for a united opposition lacked a clear manifesto thereby giving Zambians no hope.
"If these opposition political parties want to unite to fight PF, they have it wrong. Of what use is it to fight PF or Wynter Kabimba? We don't want many shadows to come together and become one big shadow; that's not what Zambia's democracy means," he said.
Siabutuba said Zambians were not interested in fighting PF but in finding solutions to the challenges the country was facing.
"They need to provide solutions on how they would improve the living conditions of the people and tell PF what they are not doing, not fighting them. Leaders of some of these parties are not genuine; they are without a clear and prospective programmes for this country and they end up confusing Zambians more. It's not about unity; it's about a CV and to have it on record that I once headed a political party," he said.
Siabutuba said some opposition parties had lost continually and were not offering hope.
Milupi, in an interview last week, said he was aware of some opposition political parties and leaders that were not in existence to serve Zambians, who wanted to use any opportunity to project themselves as being more popular than others.
"We will not be ridden on by anybody. If someone feels that his political party is so big, let him go ahead and win elections. It will not be the end of the world if we are not part of the next government and the world has not ended because we are not part of the current government," said Milupi.
Labels: CHARLES MILUPI, OPPOSITION, PARTNER SIABUTUBA
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'It's time HH faced reality'
By Abel Mboozi and Moses Kuwema
Thu 19 Sep. 2013, 14:01 CAT
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema acts as an economic saboteur rather than somebody providing checks and balances to the government, says President Michael Sata.
Meanwhile, Hichilema says President Sata is trying to decapitate his freedom but that he is not worried because he has not committed any crime.
President Sata said Hichilema's claims of government failure and intimidation were nothing but his trademark of irresponsible and unpatriotic utterances.
In a statement issued by his special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah yesterday, President Sata said: "In all intent and purpose, he sounds and acts like an economic saboteur than somebody who is providing checks and balances."
President Sata said the UPND leader was too pre-occupied with elections to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.
"No doubt, the bright prospect of a better Zambia on the horizon, which is emboldened by robust infrastructure growth, economic recovery and general improvement in people's livelihoods, has caged him in perpetual resentment and anger," President Sata said.
The head of state added: "It's time he faced reality and started talking about development and other unprecedented progressive reforms happening. Let him realise that his 'failed promises' hymn has passed its shelf-line."
Hichilema on Wednesday said the insinuation by President Sata that he planned to engage in activities that would disrupt production in two Copperbelt towns was mere intimidation because the President had failed to run Zambia in a formidable manner.
The UPND leader said President Sata should have revealed the two towns instead of issuing "baseless" threats.
"I don't understand why he President Sata likes venting his anger on HH, when it is clear that he has failed the Zambian people through lack of jobs; no money in their pockets; vaccinations are in short supply," he said.
Meanwhile, speaking on a UK-based Crossfire radio blog on Tuesday evening, Hichilema said President Sata was under pressure to deliver and was now seeking the help of his ministers.
He said the head of state made reckless commitments towards the 2011 general elections and very few of those promises had been fulfilled.
"UPND is a true opposition and our job is to remind the PF on the promises they made. So the pressure is on Mr Sata and he sees HH as one who reminds him consistently of his failures and therefore is uncomfortable and he continues to digress from national issues and is talking about Hakainde," Hichilema said.
He said President Sata must be grateful to the UPND for their constant reminders to his government of their promises.
Hichilema said calls by President Sata for ministers to be talking were an admission that the President had failed to address the problems faced by the people.
And responding to a question from a caller from South Africa identified as Hope Nyambe, who wanted to know if Hichilema was not worried for his personal security in view of the revelations by President Sata that the Intelligence had infiltrated the opposition political party, Hichilema said he was very much aware of the threats against him from President Sata.
"I am aware of the threats from President Sata, he has been threatening me for a long time. Mr Sata has been working round the clock to seize my assets. He is trying to decapitate my freedom but I am not worried because I have not committed any crime," Hichilema said.
He said all that President Sata had been doing since he came into power was threaten individuals whom he thought were a threat.
"My personal security is at risk but I am at peace with myself," said Hichilema.
Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, MICHAEL SATA, OPPOSITION, UPND
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Maureen counsels opposition leaders
By Roy Habaalu
Tue 27 Aug. 2013, 14:01 CAT
MAUREEN Mwanawasa says opposition political parties must respect the government and party in power. Appearing on Muvi Television's The Assignment programme on Sunday, Maureen said the opposition and Zambians in general should respect and support the government in its programmes.
She said the opposition should realise that President Michael Sata was in charge of the country and should be supported.
"President Michael Sata is our President now, and regardless of our political affiliation, he needs to be supported and respected. We need to see the proper role of the opposition being played by all opposition parties. Their role should be clear, without disturbing the governance of the country," she said.
Maureen said the opposition must be respectful of the party in government because their wish was to be in power, and they would then equally need to be respected.
"The party in government works to take the country forward, so when we criticise, we must be constructive and not destructive because there are a few people in political parties compared to the majority Zambians seeking basic necessities. We need ideas from the opposition for the benefit of the majority, not a few individuals, so the role of the opposition must be specific so that the party in power take this country forward," she said.
Maureen said she would like to see a united opposition that is supportive of the government of the day.
On corruption, Maureen said the vice took away public resources that should benefit the poor.
"Corruption takes away money meant for road construction and creation of employment, and if it's not curtailed, public resources will end up in the hands and pockets of a few people. The national cake must be shared equally, and every leader has a responsibility to ensure that public resources benefit all," said Maureen.
Labels: MAUREEN MWANAWASA, MMD, OPPOSITION
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UPND wants to merge with MMD
By Allan Mulenga
Sun 14 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE UPND senior leadership has tasked Mutale Nalumango to engage senior MMD officials among them Dr Brian Chituwo, Kabinga Pande and Kenneth Chipungu with a view to merge the two parties. The UPND wants to merge with MMD in order to dislodge the PF from power in the 2016 elections.
Sources disclosed that Nalumango, who recently defected from MMD to join UPND, has so far held meetings with the three senior MMD officials - the party's vice-president for administration Dr Chituwo, national chairperson Pande and chairperson for elections Chipungu.
Sources said Nalumango met the trio about a week ago to discuss the possibilities and the MMD leaders were of the view that party leader Nevers Mumba should work under Hakainde Hichilema.
Sources said the MMD leadership were agreeable to Nalumango's proposal for a merger.
When contacted, Nalumango said she would appreciate a merger although she does not know what people were thinking about.
She denied that the party leadership had tasked her to broker a deal between the two opposition parties, saying that she was talking to her counterparts personally.
"Nobody has tasked me anything. I am a member of the UPND and as a member of UPND, I feel UPND is the best party for now; therefore it becomes my responsibility to convince others to join UPND. It is just like being converted to Christianity, you need to share the Good News. You need to try to convince as many people as possible; you don't need to be given a task by somebody," she said.
"I believe if you are in any party, you want others to join because you have seen something good. It is not a task. Nobody has talked to me over that, but I strongly feel we are not just targeting MMD. Even PF if I have friends, I must talk to them and tell them what I think is wrong in their party and what I think is right in my party so that they make informed decisions."
Nalumango said it was her responsibility to convince friends in MMD to join UPND.
"I have never sat with anybody who has given me any name to target. So, that one is not true. But they are all my friends and as long as I meet them, I will talk to them and reason together. But if I meet them friends in MMD and such a situation arises that we discuss politics, I will definitely try to convince them without being tasked by anybody," she said.
"It is my responsibility, I can even talk to Wynter Kabimba to try and convince him. I don't have to be tasked, but it is my responsibility to try and tell people why they should move to UPND, why I think UPND would form a better government compared to others or is it to the current. That is my responsibility."
Nalumango, who is also former deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, said it was her desire that the two opposition parties could form an alliance.
"I really would wish there was a chance for the two parties to work together, but I can't tell you whether there will be a chance because I am not part of the decision-making body of either group. But there is need for unity of purpose. Do we have similar vision for Zambia? Because really to come together you need shared vision. In coming together, people must sit and agree. I would appreciate a merger, but I don't know what people are thinking about," said Nalumango.
And Chituwo denied working with Nalumango, saying that the party leadership had not given him authority to make arrangements for an alliance.
Dr Chituwo however said he would be willing to be part of a team negotiating for an alliance between the two opposition parties as he was a strong believer of a united opposition.
"It is very clearly known that for me, I have stood for a united opposition. Now, to say that I am working towards that it is not true, in the sense that I have not engaged in any talk because I have not had authority or permission of my party to engage the other colleagues," he said.
"But at intellectual level, if you analyse issues how best can we strengthen democracy. I don't know whether it can be interpreted as working towards a merger. When that possibility comes, I hope I would be in the team to work for the alliance because I think it is important. We are not talking about individuals; of course this has to be done through individuals and we have to believe in what we are doing."
Dr Chituwo said an alliance could only materialise if the opposition shared common values and principles.
"For that to happen, we need to have common values and principles and that is the starting point. You cannot just go into a merger when ideals are different and values are different. It means it cannot work.
"It is for the opposition to be united to have a common voice. I have always stated that the opposition is not meant to be distracted. The opposition is there to strengthen the values we have in respecting different opinions," said Dr Chituwo.
And when contacted for a comment, Chipungu referred all queries to the party's national secretary Kapembwa Simbao.
"Ask the national secretary, you call the national secretary. No, no I am not part of that team; I am not part of that team," said Chipungu before hanging up.
Labels: BRIAN CHITUWO, KABINGA PANDE, KENNETH CHIPUNGU, MMD, MUTALE NALUMANGO, OPPOSITION, UPND
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UPND's insincerity is starting to grate on MMD
By Editor
Tue 09 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
Bowman Lusambo, MMD Die Hard Youth Wing national coordinator, says it has become apparent to all the youth in the party that UPND and its leader Hakainde Hichilema do not mean well for the MMD.
Lusambo says, "The UPND is clearly insulting our intelligence. This party is insincere and selfish. It has become clear that HH and his UPND are not our friends, so it's better we support the PF, which is more of a progressive party than the UPND. The PF as a ruling party means well in many areas compared to the UPND. No wonder the PF-UPND pact crumbled…because the UPND is not trustworthy. They don't want to work with other opposition parties in honesty".
Are these words really coming from someone in MMD? Yes, they are. These seem to be the true feelings of MMD's Lusambo and his colleagues in the youth wing of that party.
We understand the feelings of Lusambo because we came to this conclusion a long time ago. Lusambo and his colleagues are seeing what we saw in the UPND many years ago.
When we expressed similar views about the UPND, we were called all sorts of names and accused of all sorts of things. We know that the UPND will dismiss and denounce Lusambo and what he is saying. They will call him all sorts of names. That's how they react to criticism of their party and of their leader Hakainde. They seem to pay very little attention to criticism. Yet, there is a lot to learn from honest criticism.
At this rate, the UPND and its leadership will soon find itself totally isolated. Their relationships with other opposition political parties have never been that good. They have tried to get into alliances or pacts with other political parties but all have failed. Why? It is simply because they are greedy and too full of themselves. They have no regard for others. All that matters to them is what they themselves want.
But it is not possible to have a meaningful relationship with others if you have no respect for them and if all you think about is yourself and your position in things.
The problem with the UPND is, as Lusambo correctly put it, their lack of respect for others and their propensity to underrate the intelligence of others.
UPND doesn't have much to say politically, but it's a party of people who believe they know more about politics than others. If they are more intelligent than others, Why are they not in government? Why don't they have a majority in Parliament? The truth is that there is a lot of emptiness, arrogance and lack of humility in the UPND.
If you want to enter into meaningful relationships with others, you have to accept their integrity. If you are not prepared to respect others, then you must not enter into or think about political alliances or pacts. And as we have repeatedly pointed out before, no true cooperation, political alliances or pacts can be built on the shifting sands of evasions, illusions and opportunism. There is too much opportunism in the UPND. And the UPND leadership seemed to be permanently wedded to an illusory political world which they dominate.
There seems to be a lot of desperation on the part of Hakainde. And this is understandable because Hakainde came into politics to quickly become president of the Republic of Zambia. Following the UPND's very good performance in the 2001 elections, Hakainde thought he was going to be president after the 2006 elections. He miscalculated. The performance of UPND has never gone back to 2001. The party's political standing has been declining. Hakainde today doesn't seem to know what to do: he is not moving forward and he doesn't seem to be ready to move backwards. Hakainde seems to be in a casino and doesn't know when to leave. Every dice that is thrown, he hopes it will reverse his fortunes and as such, he keeps going on and on. Today, Hakainde barks at anything - he even barks at the wind. His presence has to be felt by talking even when he has nothing to say. As a result, the man is talking nonsense most of the time.
This desperation has pushed Hakainde and the UPND to start recruiting even from political parties that are supposed to be their allies. Anyway, prostitutes try anything; they have no respect even for the spouses of their friends. This is certainly not a recipe for the revival of UPND's political fortunes. Hakainde has ruined UPND and the party will never even be able to recover with him at its helm.
Of course, Hakainde will dismiss all this as hatred for him and his party - and sometimes he doesn't even hesitate to extend this to hatred for his tribe. Anyway, for Hakainde everything begins and ends in that way.
Today, all can see what Hakainde and UPND stand for. Their opportunism has become difficult to conceal. That's why even young politicians like Lusambo can see through Hakainde and UPND. They can see that they don't mean well for anybody other than themselves. And they are today in a position to appreciate why the pact between the UPND and the Patriotic Front could not work.
The only person who thinks he can benefit from the MMD's association with UPND seems to be Rupiah Banda. For some reason, Rupiah thinks the UPND is better placed to defend his interests. And indeed they have tried. It takes a lot for a person like Hakainde, who not very long ago used to accuse Rupiah of corruption, to be defending him against corruption charges today. Of course, Hakainde does nothing for nothing.
Hakainde is doing all this in the belief that Rupiah will deliver the Eastern Province vote to him. But how can Rupiah deliver to Hakainde that which he failed to deliver to himself? Rupiah doesn't own Eastern Province. Rupiah is not a factor in Eastern Province today. If Hakainde is banking on Rupiah to deliver Eastern Province to him, he is certainly working on the wrong thing.
And the close relationship between Rupiah and Hakainde is not difficult to discern. A good number of people who were politically very close to Rupiah have left the MMD for UPND. And they still maintain that close relationship with Rupiah while in the UPND. But again, all these, Rupiah's people, whom UPND is getting from MMD, failed to deliver for Rupiah himself. The question is: how are they going to deliver for Hakainde? These are the shifting sands of evasions, illusions and opportunism on which Hakainde and UPND want to build political alliances with others. Can it work?
Labels: BOWMAN LUSAMBO, MMD, OPPOSITION, UPND
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An unpatriotic and unattractive opposition
By Editor
Thu 04 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
The opposition leadership cannot totally absolve itself of blame for the parliamentary by-elections that are resulting from opposition members of parliament crossing the floor to the ruling Patriotic Front.
Yes, the Patriotic Front in government may today be more attractive to some opposition members. But there were also ruling MMD members of parliament who were attracted to the Patriotic Front in opposition. We had Maynard Misapa, who resigned from his position of deputy minister and MMD member of parliament for Mporokoso to join the Patriotic Front in opposition. Misapa won the parliamentary by-election that resulted from his crossing the floor from the then ruling MMD to the opposition Patriotic Front.
We also had some MMD members of parliament like Lameck Mangani and George Mpombo, who withdrew their loyalty to and support for the then ruling MMD and started to openly support and identify themselves with the Patriotic Front in opposition. It was okay then, to some people, for ruling MMD members of parliament to defect to the opposition Patriotic Front, but it's not okay for them to cross the floor from today's opposition to the Patriotic Front in government.
Nobody stopped the then ruling MMD members of parliament from joining the Patriotic Front in opposition. Why should it be an issue today if those in the opposition now want to join the Patriotic Front in government?
The challenge is for the opposition to make itself more attractive to ruling Patriotic Front members of parliament. And we actually don't think there is any opposition political party in Zambia today that can reject a Patriotic Front member of parliament applying to join them by crossing the floor and causing a by-election.
What the opposition should concentrate on is finding out what makes the Patriotic Front more attractive to their members of parliament and work on that.
One thing that is clear is that right now, the opposition is in disarray - they don't seem to know whether they are coming or going. They are all the time issuing contradictory messages that offer no direction to the nation. They need support but they don't know how to get it; they don't know how to conduct themselves in a way that would make them attractive. Some of them are outright regional and tribal political parties. Which sensible politician would resign his position as a member of parliament in a broad-based national political party that is in government to join a Bantustan-like political party? And which sensible politician would resign his position as a member of parliament with the ruling party and join an opposition political party whose corrupt activities when it was in government are every day being exposed through the nullification of its election results? And which politician would leave his position as a member of parliament of the ruling party to join an opposition political party whose key leaders are in court for corruption?
And the opposition is increasingly becoming associated with the most disagreeable messages and thoughts. Which member of parliament would leave his position with the ruling Patriotic Front to join an opposition that is clearly unpatriotic, an opposition that is campaigning for sanctions against the country for the purpose of protecting its corrupt and criminal-minded leaders from legitimate prosecution?
As things stand today, the opposition - the MMD and UPND - is thought to favour greed and corruption. Look at how they are defending the corrupt! Look at how they behaved when the issue to remove Rupiah Banda's presidential immunity so that he could be prosecuted for corruption came to Parliament!
Is this a recipe for the opposition to be elected or re-elected to government? The answer is a categorical no. This being the case, which sensible member of parliament can cross the floor to an opposition that has not only lost its moral standing, but is also seen to be unfit to govern, an opposition that stands no chance of being elected or re-elected?
If the opposition wants to stop its members of parliament from crossing the floor to the Patriotic Front, they should face these questions head-on and deal with them. The last few months profoundly disappointed many of their supporters and disgusted many others. Few expected them to support and defend corruption and the corrupt. And MMD in government has a record of removing the immunity of their former party president to get him arrested and prosecuted for corruption. The MMD in government under the leadership of Levy Mwanawasa turned its back on Frederick Chiluba and his corruption. Today's MMD of Nevers Mumba is defending the corruption of Rupiah Banda and his league. Compare the MMD of Nevers and that of Levy and see whether it really deserves public support and can be attractive to any member of parliament who hates corruption! Which decent member of parliament can cross the floor to join the MMD? Equally, the leadership of the UPND is busy defending the corruption of Rupiah and his league and they went to great lengths to try and protect his presidential immunity so that he wouldn't be prosecuted. Which dignified person can leave the ruling Patriotic Front to join the UPND? The flow can only be in one direction - in the direction of the Patriotic Front.
It is the opposition's unprincipledness, dishonesty that is making its most sensitive members leave or risk being expelled.
The other issue is the opposition's lack of patriotism. We have an opposition leadership that cares so much about its own plight and doesn't care much about the interests of the Zambian people. They would rather have Zambia ablaze if they don't get what they want. They would rather paralyse the economy of this country, if they can, to remove the Patriotic Front from power. That's why today they are seeking international sanctions against their own country. For what? Just to get the Patriotic Front discredited and out of power. Patriots don't behave that way because with or without them, their country should make progress; with or without them, they would wish their government well.
The current opposition is not one of patriots who wish to see their country succeed; it is one of elements who only want to see their country succeed if they are the ones in power.
There is no patriot who can accept to be dictated to by such elements.
And this is why today the opposition is losing members and is continually being defied by its own members of parliament. And if they do not change this negative attitude, parliamentary by-elections will continue.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, MMD, OPPOSITION, UPND
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Selfish motives and opposition unity
By Editor
Sun 30 June 2013, 14:00 CAT
Unity of the opposition may be desirable but it shouldn't be seen as a must. Opposition unity is not a matter of principle; it is a matter of expedience in the quest for power. And the value of it, the success of it will depend on the consensus among the political parties uniting.
Opposition alliances do well when those uniting are honest and principled people with common aims, standards and values.
And Elias Chipimo correctly observes, opposition alliances that are formed for the sole purpose of dislodging the ruling party are usually short-lived.
What we see with attempts at opposition alliances in Zambia today is that they are mainly guided by the wish to dislodge the ruling party from power; and by the determination to get themselves elected into office. That is not a recipe for a strong opposition alliance. What we see today are attempts at opposition unity brought about to win power. That appetite, will to win power is the one idea that the leaders of our opposition hold in common. But with the passage of time, that will prove an insubstantial glue. The signs of division in our opposition may today be no bigger than a small fish in a jar, but they will grow.
The disunity in the opposition is today clear to see. They must in the very near future learn to display common purpose which is fundamental to the success of any alliance they may engage in.
We are saying opposition unity is not a must because our experience is one of single opposition political parties winning elections on their own. Almost all our attempts at opposition alliances have failed. Even before independence, it proved extremely difficult to have an alliance of all the political parties that were opposed to British colonialism under one front.
In 2006, the opposition alliance of UPND, FDD and UNIP failed to defeat the MMD in that year's election. And in 2011, a single opposition political party, without any alliance, defeated the ruling MMD which had entered into an alliance with the opposition UPND.
Clearly, it is not how many political parties one assembles under a pact or alliance that matters when it comes to winning elections. MMD in power had with it UPND, Sakwiba Sikota's United Liberal Party, Edwin Sakala's Zambia Direct Democracy Movement and other parties. But they still lost the election to one opposition political party that was not in alliance with any other political party.
If political parties are weak on many fronts, aggregating those weaknesses will not necessarily turn them into strength. Of course, it is said that there is strength in unity. But the strength in unity does not come from the aggregation of weaknesses; it comes from the aggregation of strengths.
If opposition political parties are very weak, no matter how many of them come together they will not produce the strength that none of them has. The strength of a political alliance comes from the strengths of the alliance members. If the alliance members come with zero strength, no matter how many of them unite, the end result will be zero strength - zero plus zero equal to zero.
An opposition alliance that does not strength those coming together can lead to a blind alley. Of course, it is said that those who are ready to join hands can overcome the greatest challenges. But they must have hands to join. If they don't have hands to join, they will have nothing to join. And the greatest problem with our opposition is that most of those who seek unity have nothing to bring to that unity. Even those who have something to bring to the table, they withhold what they have and come to the table with empty hands - to get and not to give.
In this way, our political alliances are not meant to strengthen the collective. They are much more a platform for those who want to grab everything for themselves and leave others with nothing. They don't look at the common good of the alliance members, they look only at what they themselves can get, can grab.
Any deal where only one party to the deal benefits is not a deal at all.
And the views expressed by Elias on opposition alliances are very correct. And for any opposition alliance to succeed, the obstacles to opposition unity Elias has highlighted will need first to be addressed. Elias says, "For successful alliances to work, you need first of all to ensure that you share the same vision of where you want to go. Now if your vision is just to dislodge one administration from power, then that vision may not be long-lived. It may only result in chaos and frustration." This is true. If the only discernible preoccupation of a political party is to have a certain politician out of power, what happens if that person dies before they can get into power?
Today we have some political parties whose only basis or purpose for existence is their hatred for Michael Sata. What happens to their politics if tomorrow they are to wake up to find that Michael is not there?
There is one thing also that Elias has left out that hinders opposition unity: the individual ambitions of the key opposition leaders. We have people in opposition who joined politics or formed political parties for the sole purpose of them becoming presidents. Elias himself is a typical example of that. What opposition alliance can Elias engage in? Elias can only engage in an opposition alliance if it strengthens or guarantees his personal ambition to become president. Similarly, Hakainde Hichilema joined politics for the sole purpose of him becoming president. As such, Hakainde cannot be in any political formation that reduces his chances of being president. The UPND/Patriotic Front pact failed simply because Hakainde failed to make himself its presidential candidate. He was not ready to be anything other than that. And there is no political pact or opposition alliance that Hakainde will accept to be part of if he is not made its presidential candidate. This is the problem the MMD/UPND alliance has faced. This is what has led to its collapse. If MMD quickly accepted Hakainde's hegemony, their alliance would flourish and their party will quickly be devoured and swallowed by UPND. And all their problems or disagreements will end.
Again, as we have repeatedly stated, no true alliance can be built on the shifting sand of evasions, illusions and opportunism.
Labels: MMD, OPPOSITION, UPND
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Sata calls for maturity in opposition
By Moses Kuwema and Christopher Miti
Sun 30 June 2013, 14:00 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says Nevers Mumba creates an impression around himself as though he has the monopoly on matters of spirituality to the extent of misrepresenting God.
Commenting on ex-president Rupiah Banda's passport issue on Thursday, Mumba, who is MMD leader, described government's cancellation of Banda's passport as stupid.
"...I am a pastor and I am supposed to choose words I use but I am asking God to allow me to use the word 'stupidity', utter stupidity to behave like that," said Mumba on Thursday.
But President Sata yesterday said the government remained open to dialogue on national issues and as such expected a certain level of maturity from those who sought engagement.
He said it was unfortunate that the remarks reported in the media and attributed to Mumba regarding Banda's passport did not represent the maturity the government expected from opposition leaders.
President Sata advised Mumba to be genuine with his spiritual calling and stop misrepresenting God.
"Pastor Mumba's biggest problem is the impression he creates around himself as though he has the monopoly on matters of spirituality to the extent of misrepresenting the Creator. As a clergy, he must be ashamed of this hypocrisy and stop abusing the freedom and democracy, which so many well-intentioned Zambians sacrificed for," said President Sata.
President Sata urged Mumba not to be a menace to the unity and peace the country has enjoyed since independence.
And President Sata says there is need to provide education to all the poor children in the rural parts of the country.
Speaking when he swore in newly-elected PF Feira member of parliament Patrick Ngoma as deputy minister of education at State House on Friday, President Sata urged Ngoma to assist education minister Dr John Phiri to ensure that poor children had access to education.
"Mr Ngoma you are not new to the UNIP discipline because when I was district governor of Lusaka, I found you teaching and I poached you from teaching to bring you to politics. We have given you the opportunity… you know the problems in the teaching service. Assist your minister, who is also an educationist like you so that…I have been in Luangwa with you; let us provide education to all those poor children," he said.
President Sata said it was embarrassing that 50 years after independence, children were still walking long distances to schools.
And Ngoma said the education system in the country was faced with numerous challenges which required concerted efforts from everyone.
He said most of the schools, especially those in rural areas, were in pathetic conditions.
Meanwhile, Mumba says President Sata and the Patriotic Front will not succeed to destroy the former ruling party.
And Mumba says Lameck Mangani, the PF candidate in Chipata Central, must be punished.
Addressing MMD members at the party's campaign centre in Chipata, Mumba said the PF had been doing everything possible to destroy the former ruling party.
He said he had been arrested and dragged to court several times by the PF government.
Mumba said the PF started by arresting senior MMD members and impounding party vehicles to cripple the MMD.
"I can assure you that if the God I worship is the same God who created the world, Mr Sata will not succeed, PF shall not succeed. The more they poach us, the more they pressurize, the stronger we'll become as a political party," he said.
Mumba said the MMD was intact and strong and that it would start winning seats because unity what brings victory.
"After they got all our vehicles and bicycles, they have started poaching our members of parliament; don't they have members of parliament? The reasoning of Sata is difficult. After all the tricks have failed, they went to de-register the MMD but have not succeeded," he said.
Mumba also said the PF and Mangani must be punished so that other Zambians do not misbehave the way he had misbehaved.
He said the people of Chipata Central voted for Mtolo Phiri but that Mangani was prompted by poverty to petition the election results.
"Poverty is bad and the unfortunate thing is that the belly is in the front part of the body but it would have been good if the belly was behind. Mangani has been affected by poverty and that's why he went to court to petition the election of Mtolo Phiri. When we vote we must not vote for PF because PF is the biggest liar of all the parties on the African continent. I have never met a party and president that lie as much as they have lied," Mumba said.
He said former president Banda made Mangani what he was.
"Mr Mangani was nothing; Rupiah Banda felt pity on him and said this man should also buy some trousers and vehicles. He was given a flag, even the flag of (ministry of) home affairs, big position. He was dining on the same table with former president Rupiah Banda," Mumba said.
And speaking when he featured on Radio Maria's Good Governance programme, Mumba said his party decided to suspend former Mkaika MMD member of parliament David Phiri because he was destabilising the party, and not because he was serving in the PF government.
He said the provincial executive committee and the people of Mkaika wanted Phiri to be expelled.
"We sent him a letter of suspension. Now he wanted to hide his shame by going ahead while he was supposed to exculpate himself in 10 days. He organised himself and resigned to look like he is the one who initiated the move," Mumba said.
Labels: MICHAEL SATA, OPPOSITION
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'Selfish' opposition alliances are short-lived - Chipimo
By Allan Mulenga
Sun 30 June 2013, 14:01 CAT
NAREP president Elias Chipimo says opposition alliances that are formed for selfish motives to dislodge the ruling party are short-lived.
And Chipimo says NAREP will not rush into forming an alliance with any other opposition party.
In an interview, Chipimo said opposition alliances hurriedly formed result in chaos and frustration.
"For successful alliances to work, you need first of all to ensure that you share the same vision of where you want to go. Now if your vision is just to dislodge one administration from power, then that vision may not be long-lived. It may only result in chaos and frustration," he said.
Chipimo said identifying a leader had been the main problem affecting most African opposition alliances.
"The most pressing issue, especially in African politics, is who will lead. Those are the issues that will take time for the opposition themselves to reflect on and digest; including who will make up this so called alliance. Is it going to be more than two parties coming together?" he asked.
And Chipimo explained that Narep would only form an alliance with opposition political parties that share its values and vision.
"We are willing to work with anybody who shares our vision, who shares our values and is prepared to adopt the approach to politics that we have taken. We don't believe in issuing insults; we believe in focused debate. We believe in offering solutions; we believe in critising where things are wrong, But offering support for those programmes that benefit the people of this country," he said.
Asked whether the opposition in its current form was capable of working together as a united force, Chipimo responded: "The potential and capacity for forming an alliance among the opposition is there. There is no doubt whatsoever. Whether it will happen is going to be a function of political events as they unfold. The dynamics that are going to unfold in Zambia over the next six to twelve months may well indicate that either we go alone or we align our interests."
The working alliance between MMD and UPND has failed to materialise as both parties have been accusing each other of being insincere. In most by-elections both opposition parties have opted to field their candidates, a move which has made them to further drift apart in forming a loose alliance.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=34781
PF, WYNTER KABIMBA, BY-ELECTIONS,
Come what may, PF is winning Kafulafuta - Kabimba
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Sun 30 June 2013, 14:01 CAT
IT does not matter what coalition opposition parties will form because the PF will still win the Kafulafuta seat fair and squarely, says PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba.
And Kabimba says MMD's candidate in the Kafulafuta by-election Evelyn Mwanawasa is not a threat as she cannot ride on late president Levy Mwanawasa's legacy.
In an interview at Mukuba Hotel in Ndola, Kabimba said the PF was headed for a landslide victory in Kafulafuta as the MMD did not leave any development in the area.
"Lamba people are clever because their voting pattern always favours the candidate standing on the ruling party. PF is winning the Kafulafuta seat. It doesn't matter the kind of coalition the opposition will form, we are going to win the seat fair and square," he said.
He said Lamba people were interested in who could take development to their area and as PF, they were ready to take the development to all parts of the country.
Kabimba said the PF party and President Michael Sata were interested in the welfare of the Zambian people and were committed to taking development to all parts of the country.
He said politics was not a game of angels and saints and that everyone had issues in the world and asked people to look beyond PF candidate James Chishiba's weaknesses and look at the amount of development he was going to take to Kafulafuta.
"PF is the only party that is going to develop this country. You will not see any lopsided development, where only urban areas are developed. This country will be developed and employment created," he said.
And Kabimba said those thinking that Evelyn Mwanawasa was going to win the Kafulafuta seat by riding on her late brother's legacy should think again because she was not a factor on the political arena.
"Even in late president Mwanawasa's reign Kafulafuta was still underdeveloped. And George Mpombo was the MP, what did he do? Nothing. Mpombo is not a factor in Kafulafuta or anywhere. In 2011, PF asked him if he can stand in Kafulafuta but the people rejected him and he himself conceded. Today he is working with UPND. There is nothing Mpombo can do. What Mpombo is doing is giving false hopes to UPND," he said.
And Kabimba asked PF members to refrain from violence even under provocation.
"PF is a peaceful party and we condemn violence. We want to win all the by-elections democratically. UPND must learn to be good losers if they want to be relevant in the politics of the country. Crying foul to win political sympathy will not do them good. Come what may, we are winning the Kafulafuta by-election and all other by-elections to come," said Kabimba.
Labels: ELIAS CHIPIMO, NAREP, OPPOSITION
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Lies about Zambia
By Editor
Thu 06 June 2013, 14:00 CAT
It cannot be denied that there is an international campaign that has been launched by some Zambians and their foreign agents to discredit Zambia and the government of Michael Sata.
And at the helm of this campaign is Rupiah Banda, his sons and other associates. Robert Amsterdam, the lawyer representing Rupiah and his son Henry, is very busy giving interviews and causing to be published all sorts of articles in the international media to discredit Zambia and the Patriotic Front government of Michael.
The cause of all this is the attempt by the current Zambian government to bring Rupiah, his sons and other associates to account for what they are believe to have stolen from the Zambian people. Henry fled the country before anyone called him to account for anything. Henry knew what wrong he had done and for him, change of government was enough indication that his game was over and he had to flee the country.
But those who are campaigning against the Zambian government are not doing so for free. They are hired mercenaries. There is a lot of money in the hands of Rupiah, his sons and other associates to pay for all this work. And for money, lies are being concocted against the Zambian government and its leaders.
For money, half-truths are being disseminated against the Zambian government and those who lead it. The money they have is being used to pay for the manufacturing of all sorts of propaganda against Zambia.
These are people who don't care about truth. These are people who don't care about the flight of the people of this country. And because of this, they have never hesitated to call for sanctions in the Commonwealth and in other international organisations against Zambia.
They don't care what such sanctions will do to Zambia. They are more interested in themselves, in their own plight. What they want is an immediate regime change. If they can't secure this now, it must not go beyond 2016. They have pinned their survival on a regime change in Zambia and they want this at any cost and by any means.
But like all other opportunists, they never learn. They can't see that such methods failed elsewhere. They failed in Zimbabwe where Morgan Tsvangirai and his colleagues had mobilised, or were mobilised, by external forces to paralyse their country's government, the economy and force a regime change. This altered the balance of political forces but failed to cause the regime change they wanted. They only succeeded in paralysing or decimating the economy of that country. They also succeeded in increasing poverty, despair and hopelessness in that country, but not a regime change.
What they are forgetting is that these foreigners they are working with to destroy their own country would never do that to their own countries. There are problems and challenges, differences and disagreements in their own countries but they have never gone out to try and wage the campaign they are waging on Zambia against their own countries and governments.
It is important to recognise that many of the tensions we are experiencing in Zambia today are present in every democratic society. Any society comprises a great diversity of interests and individuals. As a result, one thing is true of all healthy democracies: they are noisy. As former United States president Jimmy Carter once said, "The experience of democracy is like the experience of life itself - always changing, infinity in its variety, sometimes turbulent and all the more valuable for having been tested by adversity."
They are trying very hard to portray this government as a dictatorship. Truly, this is a developing democracy - it is not yet a mature multi-party democratic system. And this situation has not been created by this government. Actually, in many respects, this government has pushed democracy to a higher level than it found it. In terms of media freedom, there is no comparison between this government and that of Rupiah. This government has freed the state-owned media to an extent that cannot be compared to what it was under Rupiah. The gross abuses of the state-owned media by the Rupiah regime are well known to all. It doesn't make sense to pretend that things are worse than they were under Rupiah.
On the implementation of the public order Act, there are challenges that still need to be addressed. But these are not necessarily a product of this government. They are more or less a continuation of what used to happen. And some of the practices can be found even in the United Kingdom or the United States. But this is not to say we should be bound by low standards wherever they may exist and use them to justify our inability to make progress.
Demonstrations, and we see this so often on satellite television, are a testing ground for any democracy. They are still a testing ground in the United States, in the United Kingdom and in many other democracies in the world. The ideals of free expression are easy to defend when everyone remains polite and in agreement on basic issues. But demonstrators - and their targets - do not agree on basic issues, and such disagreements may be passionate and angry. And we see this on television so often and so repeatedly in the United Kingdom, the United States and other so called developed democracies. The challenge is then one of balance: to defend the right to freedom of speech and assembly, while maintaining public order and countering attempts at intimidation or violence.
To suppress peaceful demonstrations in the name of order is to invite repression; to permit uncontrolled violent demonstrations is to invite anarchy. There is no magic formula for achieving this balance. In the end, it depends on the commitment of the majority to maintaining the institutions of democracy and the precepts of individual rights. Democratic societies are capable of enduring the bitterest disagreements among its citizens - except for disagreement about the legitimacy of democracy itself.
It therefore doesn't make sense to wage a relentless character assassination campaign against this government and its leaders in the international media just to advance the interests of one small group of corrupt people, people who have stolen public funds and want to go scot-free.
We are sure that the masses and the peoples will obey their instincts and not be swayed by the volume and intensity of this campaign the corrupt elements and the mercenaries they have hired are waging against Zambia.
We encourage Michael and his government not to be demoralised or discouraged by this kind of campaign. What is important is for them to have a clear conscience and the support of public opinion in our country. There is no basis for all the slander campaigns these corrupt elements and their agents are waging against Zambia. Anyway, Zambians are used to this type of baseness. How can these corrupt elements survive if not with propaganda? How can they survive without lies? How can they explain all the crimes they have committed against the Zambian people, all the money they have stolen from their people if not with lies and calumny, trying to discredit those who are trying to make them account for what they have stolen and other abuses of theirs?
What is behind this determination to stain the good deeds and conduct of Michael and his government, which has set an unprecedented example, if not the corrupt's aim of slandering, undermining its moral authority and destroying it? The people who make these attacks know it's all a lie; the mercenaries behind this campaign know this very well, indeed, because they know what is being done and the norms of Michael and his government.
The lies about this are told outside our country, are repeated all over to confuse many people, deceive lots of people, because there is an art of science, for engaging in this kind of propaganda. Zambia is being grossly slandered. The enemies of this government have even spoken of physical violence against people, torture and such things. They have written and multiplied all that calumny against Zambia. But all this is bound to fail.
Labels: MICHAEL SATA, OPPOSITION, PROPAGANDA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Good faith is needed in our politics
By Editor
Wed 05 June 2013, 14:00 CAT
Dr Guy Scott, Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia, says there will be no need for by-elections if the MMD and the UPND offer to work with the Patriotic Front in good faith.
If the opposition and the ruling Patriotic Front are able to work together in good faith, it won't matter much where one belongs. And if it doesn't matter much which political party one belongs to, the issue of crossing will seldom arise.
What is causing these so-called defections from the opposition to the ruling party is the inability to accept principles of a loyal opposition. Being in the opposition does not necessarily mean not cooperating or working with the government on anything.
The opposition is part of government. And if the opposition is part of government, this means that it has an important role to play in the governance of the country. It means that the opposition and the ruling party must cooperate in solving the common problems of society; they must tolerate one another and acknowledge that each has a legitimate and important role to play.
This type of cooperation is impossible to achieve in a country where the political competitors behave as if they are at war with each other. It is not possible for those in government to deal with an opposition that is not loyal, that is out to paralyse the country with the cooperation of outsiders. It is also not possible for the opposition to cooperate with the political party in power that is out to decimate it.
Therefore, the ground rule of society when it comes to the conduct of politics must encourage patriotism, tolerance and civility. Whatever differences arise must be managed to the benefit of society. Moreover, democracy is, in many ways, nothing more than a set of rules for managing conflict, disagreement, diversity. At the same time, these conflicts, disagreements must be managed within certain limits and result in compromises, consensus or other agreements that all sides accept as legitimate. An over-emphasis on one side of the equation can threaten the entire undertaking. If groups perceive democracy as nothing more than a forum in which they can express their demands and get what they want, the society can shatter from within. If the government exerts excessive pressure to achieve consensus, stifling the voices of the people, the society can be crushed from above.
A multi-party 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 principle of a loyal opposition and the culture of democracy are so important to develop. Individuals and groups must be willing, at a minimum, to tolerate each other's differences, recognising that the other side has valid rights and a legitimate point of view. The various sides to a dispute can then meet in the spirit of compromise and seek a specific solution that builds on the general principle of majority rule and minority rights.
In this way, the opposition and the ruling party can work together, build a coalition. And indeed, coalition building is the essence of multi-party democratic action. It teaches all to negotiate with others, to compromise and work within the constitutional system. By working to establish coalition, groups with differences learn how to argue peaceably, how to pursue their goals in a democratic manner and ultimately how to live in a world of diversity.
We had achieved something of this nature in the last years of Levy Mwanawasa's government with Michael Sata and the Patriotic Front as the leading opposition. Despite losing the opportunity to become president in an election that was very tight and controversial, Michael and the Patriotic Front accepted to provide a loyal, patriotic opposition to Levy and the MMD.
This worked well for the country and created the necessary political stability needed for economic and social development. It increased the confidence of the international community in the political stability of our country without weakening Levy and MMD or Michael and the Patriotic Front. The Zambian people were still able to make a political choice between Levy and Michael, and the MMD and the Patriotic Front.
If the Patriotic Front was able to provide such a loyal and patriotic opposition, why shouldn't the MMD and other opposition do the same? And if the MMD government of Levy was able to work with the opposition Patriotic Front of Michael, why can't we see the same today when the roles have changed?
This experience has shown us that to win power, the opposition doesn't need to be disloyal and unpatriotic; the opposition doesn't need to launch an international campaign to tarnish the image of their own country. We have also seen the failure of such an approach in Zimbabwe and to some extent in Kenya. It doesn't make sense to try to win an election on the back of national failure. And we therefore urge the opposition to change its politics and stop its futile international campaign to tarnish the image of their country. A lot of money is being paid to foreign agents like Robert Amsterdam to campaign against Zambia. Articles are being paid for in influential international media aimed at tarnishing the image of Zambia. Of course, most of this is coming from those representing Rupiah Banda and his family, who think a tarnished Zambian government will not be able to credibly deal with their corruption. And many blind opposition elements have bought into this. There is money being used to champion all this. This is how dangerous corruption and corrupt elements can be to the wellbeing of a country. This is not a recipe for cooperation in the governance of the country. This is a recipe for political polarisation.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, GUY SCOTT, OPPOSITION
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Mutesa calls on opposition MPs to work with govt
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 05 June 2013, 14:01 CAT
ZAMBIANS for Empowerment and Development (ZED) president Dr Fred Mutesa says it is not impossible for opposition members of parliament to work together with the party in government.
Commenting on Vice-President Dr Guy Scott's statement that there would be no need for by-elections if the MMD and UPND offered to work with the PF in good faith, Dr Mutesa said cooperation between the ruling party and opposition members of parliament was feasible.
"I don't think it is impossible, it is something which should be feasible but there must be a formal request by the party in government and arrangements must be made to sit down on the round table and discuss in good faith. I like the Vice-President's openness which probably is not intended but it is quite revealing of the thinking within the PF," said Dr Mutesa.
Dr Mutesa wondered if there has been any offer or invitation by the PF to the leadership of the opposition political parties to sit down and look at the modalities of how they could cooperate.
"I don't think if it is done in good faith, the opposition would refuse to consider the offer. It is the underhand methods in which this is done that infuriates the people in the opposition. It did not begin with the PF, the MMD were doing it and I don't know why it is so difficult to reach agreements and say 'look, these are the working arrangements, we would like to have with you'," said Dr Mutesa.
Speaking during a public meeting in Luangwa after the filing in of nominations for the June 20 Feira by-elections, Vice-President Scott said the PF did not have enough members of parliament to govern by itself.
"The members of parliament we have in government from the opposition are borrowed. The PF does not have enough members of parliament to govern by itself. We are not trying to create a one-party state but to govern properly. If the MMD and UPND offered to work with us in good faith, there will be no need for by-elections or poaching," said Vice-President Scott.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, FRED MUTESA, GUY SCOTT, OPPOSITION
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Opposition and the corruption fight
By Editor
Tue 04 June 2013, 14:00 CAT
"We must resolutely fight corruption and culprits. The crooks, whether in government or private sector, must be brought to justice without hesitation," urges Fr Augustine Mwewa of Catholic Diocese of Ndola.
Fr Mwewa adds: "Fighting corruption without ceasing and bringing culprits to book is the only way Zambia will see meaningful development. Politicians and individuals resisting the fight against corruption do not mean well for Zambia. A country embroiled in widespread corruption has no future, and posterity will judge harshly leaders that decline to resolutely fight corruption…Those who have stolen from the poor must be brought to justice and in that way, we will set a good precedent and it will be a deterrent to others that would have intentions of stealing public funds, money meant for the poor."
Truly, there are, in the body politic, economic and social, many and grave ills, and there is urgent necessity for the sternest war upon them. There should be a relentless exposure of and attack upon every evil man or woman, whether politician or businessperson, every evil practice, whether in politics, in business, or in social life.
Our plea should not be for immunity but for the most unsparing exposure of the politician who betrays his trust, of the business person who makes or spends his or her fortune in illegitimate or corrupt ways.
There should be a resolute effort to hound every such man or woman out of the position he or she has disgraced.
There can be no neutrality when it comes to fighting corruption. We should seek justice for all and ensure the rule of law for the benefit of all. Seeking justice for all in part includes ensuring that those who have stolen public resources, those who have abused their offices to enrich themselves are arrested and prosecuted and, if found guilty, sent to jail. It also means that those who are suspected of corruption are treated fairly and are given fair trial and the full benefit of the due process of the law. This is what justice means. This is what fairness means. This is what the rule of law entails. It does not mean promoting impunity.
And Fr Mwewa is right when he says that politicians and individuals resisting the fight against corruption do not mean well for Zambia. Today we have politicians whose only discernible preoccupation is to defend the corruption of Rupiah Banda and his associates. This is all they are concerned about. They are not in any way concerned about the interests and rights of the people whom Rupiah and his associates stole from.
With the exception of Charles Milupi, the president of opposition Alliance for Democracy and Development, the leadership of our opposition is defending the corrupt and corruption. Hakainde Hichilema, president of opposition UPND, is today one of the staunch defenders of Rupiah and his corruption. Yet, not very long ago, this same Hakainde was in the forefront of denouncing Rupiah and the corruption of his league. Hakainde has made no effort to explain why he is today defending the corruption of Rupiah, which not very long ago he used to expose, denounce and hammer. This is dishonesty. This is being unprincipled. This is being a liar. And this is what Hakainde is - dishonest, unprincipled, a liar.
The corruption of Rupiah doesn't seem to be a concern to him. What seems to be a concern to him is how to become president of the Republic of Zambia. And in the quest of becoming president, Hakainde is ready to dip his head in a pit latrine of corruption without a feeling of nausea. The stench of Rupiah's corruption is not an issue for Hakainde in his quest for power. Today, this dishonest, this unprincipled, this lying politician is defending what cannot be defended - the corruption of Rupiah. But as Fr Mwewa correctly observes, "posterity will judge harshly leaders that decline to resolutely fight corruption". Hakainde typifies the man who in his life consistently refuses to see aught that is lofty, and fixes his eyes with solemn intentness only on that which is vile and debasing.
Now, it is very necessary that we do not flinch from seeing what is vile and debasing.
Let's get back to politics that is based on morality. Let's get back to the Kenneth Kaunda type of politics based on integrity. Let's try in a new time and in a new way to restore that concept of politics. Let's teach ourselves and others that politics should be an expression of a desire to contribute to the happiness of the community rather than of a need to cheat or rape the community. Under altered circumstances, we war with the same tendencies towards evil that were evident in Kaunda's days, and are helped by the same tendencies for good.
Let us not forget that the individual does best in a strong and decent community of people with principles and standards and common aims and values. And only politicians and political parties that are able to give this or contribute to this should be worthy of the leadership of our people and our country.
Those who seek power or public office must have the self-confidence to want power and to believe that their exercise of it can tilt the country in the right direction. Whatever the problems, challenges, the future of our country will depend on the integrity of its leaders and people. And we must be mindful of this fact whatever the trials and tests ahead.
If those in the opposition want to be taken seriously by the Zambian people, they have to start acting up to different standards than the ones they have been following in the last few months or years. They have to show concern for the interest of the people and not of a few individuals who they think have the key to them getting into power. There is no doubt that on the issue of corruption, the opposition, especially UNPD and MMD, have taken a position or an approach that is bound to destroy their standing in the eyes of decent Zambians.
Labels: AUGUSTINE MWEWA, MMD, OPPOSITION, UPND
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Opposition and opposing
By Editor
Wed 08 May 2013, 15:10 CAT
When elections are over, the losers must accept the judgment of the voters. If the incumbent party loses, it must turn over power peacefully.
Not accepting that one has lost an election is very dangerous because it leads to negative politics and behaviour. An opposition that fails to accept the decision and will of the voters will have serious difficulties co-operating with those in government in solving the problems of the nation.
Those who fail to truly accept election results have a tendency to behave as if they are the winners. There is a big problem when the loser starts to behave like the winner. This creates confusion and may lead to anarchy. It is important to accept one's position in life at every stage or turn. You cannot be a loser and be a winner at the same time.
And Wynter Kabimba has a point when he says that "we also have to ensure that those who remain in the opposition after losing must also accept defeat. Don't pretend 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".
As we have repeatedly stated before, one of the most difficult concepts for some of our politicians to accept is that of the "loyal opposition". Hakainde Hichilema, president of the UPND, has rejected outright and denounced this concept and called us all sorts of names for advancing it. This idea is a vital one, however. It means, in essence, that all sides in our multi-party political dispensation share a common commitment to its basic values. Political competitors, as we have repeatedly stated before, don't necessarily have to like each other, but they must tolerate one another and acknowledge that each has a legitimate and important role to play. Moreover, the ground role of the society must encourage tolerance and civility in political discourse or debate.
No matter who wins or loses an election, both sides must agree to co-operate in solving the common problems of our country. Those in the opposition can continue to participate in public life, with the knowledge that their role is essential in any multi-party political setup worthy of the name. They are loyal, not to the specific policies of the political party in power or the government, but to the fundamental legitimacy of the state, and to the democratic process itself.
As the next election comes around, opposition parties and their leaders will again have the opportunity to compete for power. Multi-party elections, after all, are not a fight for survival, but a competition to serve.
A multi-party political dispensation needs the commitment of citizens and politicians who accept the inevitability of electoral defeats as well as the necessity for accepting such losses.
It is for this reason that a culture of democracy is so important to develop. Those who enter multi-party elections must accept defeat when they lose an election and support the winners in their efforts to improve the living conditions of the people and develop the country in general. The common good is the reason for the existence of political parties and other political, social and economic institutions. It enables people to express commitment and concern for each other as well as attain the fullness of love. Common good calls upon all persons to contribute and commit themselves responsibly to building a peaceful and just society for all. This happens when our politicians and their supporters accept election defeats and co-operate with the winners in promoting the common good. Political power must have as its aim the achievement of the common good. The whole reason for the existence of political parties should be the realisation of the common good. Everyone should be concerned to create and support institutions that improve the conditions of life.
A government that is being unjustifiably undermined every day cannot be expected to deliver on its obligations to the people. If something is good for the people, is good for the country, it deserves the support of all regardless of political affiliation. With or without us, what is for the good of the country, for the common good, deserves support. As we have already stated, the political competition in a multi-party political dispensation is not about survival; it is about service. If those in power are providing a good service to the people, they deserve the support of all, including the opposition. Doing so will not deprive the opposition of an opportunity to win the next election. Those in the opposition should learn to wish those in government well. If they are patriots, they should wish to see their country succeed, with or without them in government. They should not look to defeat the ruling party on the back of national failure. There will always be sufficient grounds without that to argue for their removal. This is patriotism, a special virtue, part of the virtue of piety, by which we have a real devotion and love for our homeland and for our fellow citizens. By this virtue, a true love is shown by seeking the good of the country. True patriotism is not to be a blind virtue. It understands that defects exist in nature and human institutions.
Today, we have in our country an opposition that simply opposes everything and anything that those in government try to do. It doesn't matter how good or well-meaning, simply because it is being done by those in government, that is opposed by the opposition. Maybe we should change the name 'opposition' in our reference to political parties that are not in power; probably that is when they will realise that they have got a bigger role to play than just opposing everything and anything that those in government say or do; that they have a duty to co-operate in solving the common problems of our country.
Labels: MMD, OPPOSITION, UPND
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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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Zambia's opposition insincere - Scott
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Mon 06 May 2013, 14:00 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott says Zambia's opposition is insincere and is trying to create trouble for the government.
And Vice-President Scott says Zambia is seeking to create opportunities for young Zambians to access
affordable mortgages in a bold move designed to reduce the housing deficit in the country.
Vice-President Scott, during a special interview with Joseph Onyango on BBC Focus on Africa, dismissed as noisy, the Zambian opposition who had a habit to rush to the international community, seeking sanctions against the people of Zambia.
[They're following the MDC's playbook. - MrK]
"The opposition are insincere…they are trying to create trouble for the government. They have lost support and now want to create a false impression in the eyes of the international community," he said.
Vice-President Scott said the question of the trial of former president Rupiah Banda was before competent courts of law that would decide the outcome following Parliament's decision to lift his immunity from prosecution.
Vice-President Scott said there were no violations in Zambia warranting international intervention because the country was a functional democracy, where the rule of law, respect for property rights and a free political space were guaranteed in the Constitution.
He also said that unemployment was one of Zambia's most immediate challenges, which the government was working hard to address.
"We are working hard to diversify the economy and we are doing this very fast. We are creating jobs but there is a huge gap we have to fill because only half a million people were in formal employment at the time we came to power," he said.
Vice-President Scott said the government had put in place changes that sought to create more incentives for investors creating employment rather those simply seeking to extract the country's resources without due regard to sustainable development.
And delivering a keynote address at the Oxford University-Africa Society "Pan-African Conference 2013" themed 'Towards a 21st Century African Renaissance', Vice-President Scott said the lack of access to affordable loans for decent homes had led to many young people entering the labour market to live in sub-standard accommodation for which they were perpetually paying rent.
He said the high interest rates banks charged on home loans hindered people's access to affordable housing.
"The interest rates charged on homes here (Britain) are almost negligible and therefore people are able to get home loans even before they complete their postgraduate studies," Vice-President Scott said according to a statement by press secretary at Zambia's High Commission in London Amos Chanda.
According to the statement, the government is targeting to bring mortgage interest rates to an average of five per cent in order to make as many young Zambians as possible afford homes when they graduate from school.
"You need to borrow at affordable rates in order to buy a house."
It stated that at national level, Zambia had restructured some loans it inherited from the previous administration to longer-term arrangements and invested them in infrastructure development.
Vice-President Scott also assured investors that Zambia's political stability provided the necessary confidence businesses looked for when investing in any country.
Vice-President Scott, a graduate of the prestigious Cambridge University lectured at Oxford University before he returned to Zambia.
His wife Charlotte, a graduate of Oxford, participated as a panelist during a session on infrastructure, urbanisation and economic growth.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, MMD, OPPOSITION, UPND
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Opposition doesn't engender confidence
By Editor
Wed 24 Apr. 2013, 14:00 CAT
The opposition should take the observations made by Charles Milupi seriously and in a positive manner. Charles says the opposition political parties have slim chances of forming government unless they reform. We agree.
Truly there is need, as Charles suggests, for the opposition to audit their actions if they are to remain relevant to the country's politics.
Politics is a very serious and important undertaking. We should all be aware that politics is an area of great importance for promoting justice, peace, development and community among all. Politics should be regarded as a vocation, a way of building up society for the common good.
And what our people are seeking is genuine democracy in which the leaders are servants of the electorate and not its abusers, manipulators, robbers. Good governance only occurs when we have intelligent, honest and humble leaders who see politics as a vocation to serve the people. No one deserves to be elected unless they love their country more than themselves. Therefore, those who enter politics should play their roles with care. Those who seek to represent the people as politicians should fight injustice and abuse; should devote themselves to the welfare of all. Their responsibilities as politicians will be exercised legitimately if they are committed to the common good of society.
And as for those who vote when election time comes, they should only vote for honest, hardworking and selfless leaders. They should vote wisely and only for people known for their honesty, ability and concern for the welfare of all. Politics should be honest and responsible because it is an effective way of serving others and working for the integral development of one's country.
We know that some people find it strange to talk of honest politics since to them, politics is mostly perceived as a dirty game because of opportunistic and dishonest politicians.
The behaviour of our opposition leaders does not engender confidence. Look at an opposition leader like Hakainde Hichilema and ask yourself: what does he stand for? What does he believe in? What is it that he's looking for in politics?
Here is a leader who not very long ago was accusing Rupiah Banda, his sons and other associates of corruption. Not very long ago, Hakainde was denouncing Rupiah and the MMD over corruption. But today, they are bedfellows and all between them is okay. Even the corruption that Hakainde used to accuse Rupiah and the MMD of is no longer an issue for him. What has cleansed Rupiah and the MMD of corruption in the eyes of Hakainde? Clearly, Hakainde stands for nothing. What matters to Hakainde is whether you support him or not. If you support Hakainde, you can be anything, you can do anything, he will have no problems with you. Look at William Banda! How can a serious politician, a politician of honour and integrity, take William for a political advisor and right hand man? How can a politician of honour and integrity defend the corruption of a man and a political party which not very long ago he was accusing of corruption? Was Hakainde lying to the Zambian people when he was accusing Rupiah of corruption? Hakainde has never explained to the Zambian people how he has cleansed Rupiah of corruption. Was Hakainde talking about things he didn't know? Was he making wild and false allegations against Rupiah?
William's political violence is well known and documented. Hakainde has no problem with William's background. Why? Probably he is looking for violent people because they fit well in his political strategy and tactics. How else can one explain all these things, all these negations? Well, Alexander Hamilton once said, "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything."
It seems for Hakainde, anything about those he considers to be political opponents goes. If Rupiah is seen to be his political opponent, anything bad or negative about Rupiah goes. It's simply a question of painting a political opponent black without justification. Look at Hakainde's behaviour today towards Michael Sata! Anything against Sata goes. Hakainde doesn't even hesitate to weigh the truthfulness of what he is saying about someone he detests. As Charles says, for some of these people, there are no principles to advance or defend. They swing to any side or to anything regardless of whether it is in line or not with their principles. The truth is that they have no principles to promote or defend and that's why they have no difficulties swinging from one end of the pendulum to the other in no time. What principles is Hakainde advancing or defending? Why is Hakainde in politics? Hakainde is in politics for vanity, to simply satisfy an ambition. Hakainde is not in politics for the good of the country or anybody else; he is in politics to become President and satisfy his ego with that. That's all that matters to Hakainde. And these are the things that today set Hakainde and Charles apart. They are both opposition leaders but Hakainde has chosen to defend corruption and Charles has decided not to defend that which is clearly rotten and immoral. Of course, Charles will soon be smeared with the filth of being bought by those in power. But Hakainde himself had gone into an alliance with Rupiah and the MMD when they were in power. Hakainde and Rupiah worked together in the 2011 elections to ensure that Michael doesn't win.
If Hakainde and those in the opposition working with him had any sense of dignity in themselves, they would feel very ashamed as a result of what Charles is saying about their conduct. They are actually a disgrace to the politics of this country and an embarrassment to those who previously supported them thinking they meant well when they were nothing but defenders of corruption and evil.
As Charles correctly observes, it will not be possible for the opposition to win an election without having to clearly define their principles and enable the Zambian people to know exactly where they stand on the most important issues of our time. Fighting corruption is a very important issue of our time. But Hakainde and his colleagues in the so-called opposition think the issue of corruption is nothing but a political tool to use against those whom one is opposed to. For those one supports, it is not an issue.
This is a vision Hakainde and his opposition colleagues are offering Zambia. But we know that to be successful, leaders must invoke an alchemy of great vision. The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet. Politics is a very important undertaking. And we believe that a bit of the reason for politics is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark. Omar Nelson Bradley once said: "We need to learn to set our course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship."
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. And it is said that if you must be without one, be without strategy, and not character. We hope Hakainde and his friends understand what we are trying to say. Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader. The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do. The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going. People do not follow uncommitted leaders. And as Charles says, "If you are known as a party that will fight corruption, you must be seen in all your actions" to be fighting corruption.
Labels: CHARLES MILUPI, MMD, OPPOSITION, UPND
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Opposition MPs should work with govt - Kaingu
By Brina Siwale in Livingstone and Kombe Chimpinde in Lusaka
Thu 07 Mar. 2013, 14:00 CAT
MICHAEL Kaingu says opposition members of parliament should work with the government if development is to be realised in their constituencies.
In an interview, Kaingu who is MMD vice-president for politics, said he had no problem working with the government because it was the one that had the resources to bring about development to his constituency.
"There is no problem with the opposition working with government because that is where the money is. I am working with the government to see development in my constituency. I have no problem at all," Kaingu said.
Kaingu, who is also Mwandi member of parliament, said development in a constituency or district would only be provided by the ruling party.
"In my constituency I want to see development. I need a hospital and a trades school and it's only government that can provide those things. So I engage the Ministry of Health for the construction of a general hospital that my people need and I engage the Ministry of Education for the construction of a trades school. It is only government that can provide these things because they have the money," he said. "So it is important that all of us as MPs work with government because our role as MPs is to lobby for development for our people."
Kaingu, however, said while opposition members of parliament work with government, there was need for them to remain loyal to their political parties.
He said the role of the opposition was to provide checks and balances to the government, adding that this would be impossible if they joined the ruling party.
"I am only against the issue of people crossing over to the ruling party. I can work with government but I will always remain loyal to my party. I am working with government but not that I want to join the PF, no. We need to ensure the government delivers on its promises to the Zambian people," he said. Meanwhile, Kaingu has claimed that MMD is still the "strongest opposition party" and government in waiting.
He blamed the party's loss in the Mpongwe by-election to fielding of a female candidate and alleged malpractices by the ruling party.
Kaingu said the party's independent research conducted had indicated that the party was still popular.
He said by-election should not be used as a tool to gauge the party's performance because the PF had been manipulating by-elections to its advantage.
"MMD is actually very strong and I am sure you have heard from a lot of people making the same statements.
The party has got value but the question that we must ask is how is PF wining seats in the midst of losing popularity very fast because they are winning even in places where they do not have structures?" Kaingu asked. "This is what is making us conclude that the elections are not free and fair."
He claimed that there were several malpractices committed by the PF, which included tactics of intimidation.
Kaingu said unlike UPND and the PF, MMD could not survive in a violent environment.
"You remember in Mufumbwe they (PF) were shown bribing people on camera. We didn't just petition because again we know the problem of petitioning is that it drags on," he said.
But asked why UPND managed to outdo MMD in Mpongwe to come out second to the PF, Kaingu said the opposition party performed better on account of its candidate and not the party's popularity as claimed.
"UPND had more votes on account of the candidate they fielded. You see when you feature in an election the voters will go for two persona: they will either go for the party or the individual candidate. Possibly maybe (Rapson) Chilufya was more attractive than maybe our candidate but all in all, the atmosphere, especially for a lady, was not good. Where there is violence a lady is disadvantaged, that is one of the reasons we performed in a paltry manner. Our candidate was intimidated being a woman, so all that comes into play," he said.
Kaingu also said the failure by the party to field candidates in 11 local government by-elections was as a result of the ponderous elections that ran concurrently.
Labels: MICHAEL KAINGU, OPPOSITION
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Opposition didn't exhaust local avenues, says HRC
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 06 Mar. 2013, 13:59 CAT
THE Human Rights Commission has urged the government to dialogue with opposition groups that have raised human rights questions and have sought the Commonwealth's intervention. In a statement yesterday, commission chairperson Pixie Yangailo stated that the call to a national dialogue must be done now.
She stated that it was common practice that any matter pertaining to human rights violations to be addressed and positively tackled by international and regional bodies including the United Nations and the Commonwealth, it must first be addressed by all possible legal and other recourses at national level.
She stated that it was clear the opposition leaders (MMD's Nevers Mumba, UPND's Hakainde Hichilema, ULP's Sakwiba Sikota and others) did not exhaust local avenues before going to submit a dossier to the Commonwealth.
Yangailo stated that from a human rights point of view, there was "absolutely nothing wrong with people, irrespective of their nationalities or political affiliations, addressing press conferences in foreign countries to draw attention to what they may perceive as violations of human rights of nationals by their sitting government."
Yangailo, however, stated that the commission was "uncomfortable" with the call to suspend Zambia from the Commonwealth and impose sanctions on her.
"Experience has shown elsewhere that the targeted politicians do not suffer when sanctions are imposed on a country.
The brunt of the sanctions is fully borne instead by the innocent majority people in the affected country who have little influence on the political direction of the country once they have elected a government into office. As such, the Human Rights Commission totally disagrees with this call as it might lead to more rights being denied to the common people of Zambia," she stated.
Yangailo stated that in the Human Rights Commission's view, complaints about human rights violations might be "justifiable in certain instances".
"Lately, Zambia has indeed experienced suppression of some of the fundamental rights and freedoms, and in the greater majority of instances, this has been directed at prominent politicians and selected political parties which, it may be speculated, are seen as the major threat to the ruling Patriotic Front."
Yangailo stated that what concerned the commission now was that the government had not been seen to take public steps to "address these concerns" being brought forward by its own people.
She stated that the commission expected the government to lead the way by sitting down with the various political parties and dialogue on concerns raised.
"Lack of genuine dialogue between the government and opposition political parties can easily lead to desperation and exasperation on the part of those that may feel not to be part of the country's democratic process and thus seeking foreign intervention in frustration," she stated.
"Consequently, as a Commission, in our capacity as a constitutionally established national human rights watchdog, we now earnestly and urgently call upon our government, to initiate genuine dialogue with all political parties that have concerns regarding the running of the affairs of our country. After all, that is what is expected of a listening government."
Yangailo stated the fact that matters had gone far to involve the international community should not be an impediment to local dialogue.
Yangailo stated that deliberate effort to commence dialogue among all concerned parties with honest intentions was most appropriate at this point.
She noted that other segments of the Zambian society, including the the three church mother bodies, Law Association of Zambia, NGOs and individuals have raised concerns on human rights issues with the government.
"The Catholic Bishops recently issued a Pastoral Letter which also touched on violations of human rights in our country. All these various segments of our country cannot be speaking from without. These developments suggest that something may have seriously gone wrong in our country and this is what our government must rise to and address."
Labels: COMMONWEALTH, HRC, HUMAN RIGHTS, OPPOSITION, PIXIE YANGAILO
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COMMENT - The UPND and MMD are trying to play victim to the international gallery. They know they can't take their case to the Zambian people - because no one likes thieves and sell-outs.
Rupiah seeking asylum in South Africa, says Sata
By Roy Habaalu
Fri 15 Feb. 2013, 14:50 CAT
By Roy Habaalu, Moses Kuwema and Kombe Chimpinde
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says Rupiah Banda went to South Africa to seek criminal asylum. On Tuesday, UPND president Hakainde Hichilema, MMD president Nevers Mumba, their lawyer Sakwiba Sikota and some NGOs held a press conference in South Africa to attract international sympathy for former president Banda, who is facing corruption-related allegations and accused the government of, among other things, harassing and intimidating, as well as attacking members of the opposition.
The opposition leaders accused President Sata of trying to enforce a one-party state on Zambians. But President Sata said even if Banda went to hide outside the country, he would be extradited home to face charges and have his immunity removed.
Speaking when he swore in UPND member of parliament Greyford Monde as deputy minister of agriculture, President Sata said South African President Jacob Zuma would not give Banda asylum. He said the only person who was clean among those that went to South Africa was Sikota.
"When people are hiding, you don't know what they are doing because a person is seeking asylum but he doesn't know that we can go to South Africa and extradite him and come and remove his immunity here (Zambia). So the only person who was clean out of those who went there was Saki. Nevers Mumba, HH (Hakainde Hichilema) they were all looking for criminal asylum and the President of South Africa is not going to give Rupiah Banda, HH and Mumba asylum. They should come and sing the song here in Zambia," President Sata said.
President Sata told Monde that serving people in his constituency should take precedence over loyalty to an individual. He congratulated him for joining the government in serving the people and developing the country.
"Welcome, I know Itezhi-tezhi very well but belonging to a small organisation like UPND which is one-man centred, there is nothing you can do in Itezhi-tezhi. You can't work on a road from Itezhi-tezhi to Kalomo, on a road from Itezhi-tezhi to Mazabuka, and Itezhi-tezhi to Monze now you have come to a larger family. The people must come first, people first you second because if you think someone says don't join the government at least me I will provide you with an office, vehicle, driver, fuel which the party you were belonging to didn't give you," President Sata said.
Meanwhile, President said the government would file an injunction against UPND if it expelled Monde from the party.
"Mr Mulenga help this man (Monde) when they expel him. We will go to court," President Sata told health deputy minister Christopher Mulenga.
And UPND yesterday U-turned on the expulsion on Monde.
UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said his party has no immediate intentions of expelling Monde following his appointment as deputy minister.
In an interview, Mweetwa said the UPND had not yet decided to expel Monde. He said it was premature for President Sata to urge Monde to go to court. Mweetwa, however, said the UPND's National Management Committee would soon sit to look at the discipline of its members who go against the party position. He said it was only after this meeting that the party position on Monde would be arrived at.
"The party is going to convene an NMC meeting within a space of days not even weeks because this is the matter of utmost importance because
it is bordering on undermining our greatest asset in the party, which is party discipline and unity," he said.
Mweetwa observed that Monde's appointment into government was an act to plant a seed of disunity in a very united and disciplined party.
"There are no special qualities that one can claim Monde is endowed with. He is being used as a broom to sweep dirt for the PF to try and promote disunity in the party as a member of the UPND who is pulling in the opposite direction other than what the party is doing," he said.
"He can go ahead but he should know that his days are numbered. There were people who had personal political stamina, strength and a relative thick skin like Major Robbie Chizyuka, but people did not follow him. Monde is still in political kindergarten," said Mweetwa.
Meanwhile, MMD President Nevers Mumba says lifting Banda's immunity was a useless exercise.
Mumba said at a briefing shortly after his arrival from South Africa, where he and other opposition and civil society leaders held a press conference to denounce what he described as government's continued violation of human rights, that his members of parliament would not be subjected to a chorus of what was not making sense.
"Our members of parliament are not going to join a chorus that doesn't make sense. We think it's a useless exercise," Mumba said. "The issue of the immunity of Banda does not arise for us. We know what we have gone through as a country. President Levy Mwanawasa went to Parliament and read out a list of charges against the former president (Fredrick) Chiluba and that he had offended the Zambians and he had stolen so much money. By the time the case came to court, none of those allegations that were levelled against him in Parliament were ever brought to him in court. It also ended that only the taxpayers' money was wasted."
Mumba said Banda's actions were justified, as they were representing Zambians.
"(Lifting of the immunity)It is an exercise in futility because let me tell you something; the reasons presidents are given immunity is because they are going to make decisions that are critical and sometimes illegal decisions in order to serve a country," he said.
"They are going to make a decision maybe to go to war or they are going to make a decision to support a group somewhere in order to preserve the interests of the country," he said.
Mumba said that if Banda's immunity was lifted, he would be susceptible to prosecution even from the international community on decisions that he made while in office.
And Mumba dismissed President Sata's allegation that he, Banda and Hakainde Hichilema had gone to South Africa to seek criminal asylum as a lie.
"I understand that the President has today insinuated that HH, myself had gone to seek asylum in South Africa. For him to wish that we would go to seek asylum shows that he dreams of this country being a one party state and I would love to tell the President that he has lied to the Zambians once again. Lies cannot sustain governance. There is no need for us to seek asylum," he said.
Mumba claimed he had been cleared of alleged misuse of public resources by the office of the Auditor General.
Labels: ASYLUM, GREYFORD MONDE, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, MICHAEL SATA, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA, OPPOSITION, RUPIAH BANDA, SOUTH AFRICA, UPND
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