Former Finance Minister, Katele Kalumba has called for the resuscitation of the Zambia Centre for Inter Party Dialogue (ZCID).
Dr Kalumba says the ZCID which was in the past used as a platform by political players to debate and come up with solutions to various problems is now almost dead.
Dr Kalumba, who is a Trustee of the ZCID, in an interview in Chiengi on Wednesday said the revamping of the ZCID will bring together all political parties so that the Country can have civilised Political Relations.
Dr. Kalumba said the ZCID will bring to an end the culture of Political Violence and also build the capacity for Political Parties to engage in Policy debates
without using Profanities.
“ We have done it before. Failures are lessons. Let’s recast the vision of our Political culture that images us as differently cowards,” he said.
The ZCID when it was at its peak was used in the SADC region to successfully steer electoral processes through dialogue in country’s such as
Madagascar and Burundi.
The ZCID Trustee said there is need to call for an Indaba of all the stakeholders to resuscitate the Institution.
Dr Kalumba called for pre-emptiveness through visionary, anticipatory and creative leadership, especially by former Members of Parliament.
ZCID was working well until the period 2016 to 2021. Why?
When late Kenneth Kaunda signed constitutional amendments to allow for multi-party politics in Zambia, I was of the view that the era of sensible politics would begin. I’m not sure about that anymore. I want to admit that I was wrong.
What derailed the ZCID was the belief by some members that they were more senior or superior than others. That ego still exists and that’s what will make it difficult to revive the ZCID or for political parties to have dialogue under any other umbrella. It’ll be a miracle if the PF doesn’t fragment into 8 or smaller units. That’s the nature of Zambian politics
Why should it bother u if the PF fragments into 8 smaller units? It’s not unlawful.
2.1 it doesn’t. It’ll just prove how egoist and brainless most politicians are
Yamunyokola njala mambala – with no allowances coming in!