By Venus N Msyani
Strong opposition is needed for every democracy to succeed. Unfortunately, Zambian politicians seem to see the opposite. Strong opposition is a threat, which must be reduced to a non-threatening level.
The Patriotic Front (PF) administration had an open agenda to debilitate then the main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND). It spent the past five years trying do that.
Today, president Hakainde Hichilema administration seems to have the same agenda. The waged war on corruption appears to be a scheme to reduce the PF to non-threatening level.
The repeated idiom no sacred cow in the fight against corruption is an indirect push to get to every PF member. Including the former president, Edgar Lungu.
About a couple weeks ago some UPND members presented a petition to president Hakainde Hichilema demanding the stripping off former president immunity.
To date, several PF officials have been arrested in relation to corruption. They all affirm the declared no scared cow in the fight against corruption.
The new dawn administration will not be allowed to use selective fight against corruption to reduce the main opposition PF to nothing. Zambia democracy need strong opposition.
Weakening the opposition is ok in politics but it has to be done in a right and fair way. No sacred cow means no one is spared.
The UPND prove to be a sacred cow in the fight against corruption. The 1990s privatization scandals are off the table.
Corruption allegations implicating UPND ministers receive less attention. It is alleged that UPND Information and Media Minister Ms. Chushi Kasanda’s husband, Dr. Maurice Jangulo, failed to deliver 50,000 metric tons of fertilizer to the farmers in Southern Province despite being paid about over $50 million.
If the fight against corruption was sincere, people with such information would be invited for more information. The president is telling them to go to law enforcement agencies. An implication he doesn’t want to hear about corruption allegations involving his ministers.
This leads to the same conclusion. HH fight against corruption is meant to tail off the opposition PF. It is not surprising to see that it has started attracting the international attention.
Like the UPND when it was in the opposition, PF need people voice. Defending strong opposition in Zambia democracy did not end with UPND last August victory.
No it shouldn’t end there just we all know that all humanity is as corrupt as the next door neighbour.
The same evil corrupt Zambians are in every corner of the country.
Why only talk about one region and end there.
HH’s appetite to amass wealth will be unprecedented. He has not declared how much is worth before Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ). We won’t be surprised if at the end of 5 year term, his wealth will be triple. Fili uko tuleya.
If we Zambians are not careful we are creating a monster that will be difficult to remove from power. Look at all these so called NGO civil Organisations that were in fore front providing checks and balances during PFs rule they now treat their small god Vasco dagamas with kids gloves and continue to justify his lopsided schemes. HH will never declare his wealth as required by law because it is too obvious for anyone to question.
WELL SAID. I HOPE THIS BEING SOMETHING WE ARE RECORDING AS PART OF UPND’s administration will not haunt them one day.
Yes the ANTICLE is on point. democracy is the idiology and not trying to destroy each other. it seems like opposition political parties are demons to the ruling part. UNIP, MMD, and PF are former parties in government this does not mean that in this parties have no people with new ideas they are still variable. look at UK, USA, and other european countries they not condemn the former political parties beacuase they that poliyics is all bout ideas and the new person can do better than condeming the all the people in that polical party. We as Zambians let as understant what democracy is all about. my understanding is that even the ruling party will be condemed in one way or onother.
New thieves on the block
To insinuate that the fight against corruption is an attempt to create One Party State is the most stup1d thing I have heard recently. Corruption and thuggery were real under PF – the vices if possible have to be uprooted for good now or never. I am not prepared to live in such a country again where there is so much laissez- fare attitude against public resources – ifya Boma …ataa. You wonder if we had a President to take care of National wealth.
Msyani, started off well in the first paragraph, emphasizing the need for a strong opposition, unfortunately, the author spoils the article as usual with unsubstiated allegations without facts……which makes the whole article useless.
1] He fails to be specific, which PF have been arrested on corruption charges, by generalizing he makes it look as if the Kampyongos, Chamas, etc were arrested for corruption, which is untrue. There is reason for suspicion for Malanji “Helicopter”, let him prove how he did not make those transactions for personal reasons.
2] Saying that “Corruption allegations implicating UPND ministers receive less attention” is misleading, he makes it sound as if there are many cases on UPND compared to PF. Is the author for real?
Investigations should be based…
Investigations should be based on “FIFO”, lets deal with earlier cases first, Zambians are waiting for this GRZ to act, so far there is LITTLE ACTIONS. More PF need to be locked.
You are right Love.look at the way they treat the former presidents .They don’t parade the former heads their short comings.However, in Africa we are tolld by so called developed countries to denounce our former leader nakedly order to get help from such countries.Look at the second mmd goverment agonised FTJC, That sent FTJC to the grave eralier than anticipated.Thank you Love for educating us or rather me in particular!!!