Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Gary Nkombo has told the News Diggers Newspapers that the New Dawn Administration is now in a defence position; they have to defend their party into the next election.
We couldn’t agree more with him. But what does it take for a party to win or defend an election? The job of scoring goals (delivering development) mustn’t be left to one individual – the President in this particular case. It ought to be a team effort! As things stand, only President Hichilema and a handful of his ministers seem to be the only ones ‘bragging’ about the various milestones this administration has achieved since they took over. Which brings us to this question; where are the other players – the Bulawayos, Nsulukas, Mpombos, Kundas, Kapatas & Lusambos of this regime? Officials that are eager to defend
Perception is always important in politics; this is basically the way something is regarded, understood, or interpreted by the general public. At a time when our nation is grappling with a few challenges such as the energy crisis, exorbitant prices of mealie meal and the spate of crime etc. we expect ministers and permanent secretaries to be always on hand to keep the nation abreast with what measures government is putting in place to ameliorate the plight of our people.
During the Kenneth Kaunda days, it wasn’t uncommon to always see government officials in the news defending the government with ease and impressive bravado, the harsh economic environment notwithstanding! The likes of Copperbelt Minister Alexander Kamalondo, Lundazi Governor William ‘ Tekere’ Banda, Central Committee Member Fines Bulawayo, UNIP Cowboy Sikota Wina, Daniel Munkombwe and Finance Minister Gibson Chigaga easily come to mind.
Fast forward to the Frederick Chiluba ‘New Kulture’ era, we were always mesmerized by a retinue of his outspoken lieutenants that never shied away from reminding our people about the ‘dark days’ of UNIP, while pleading with them to give the ‘new kulture regime’ time to implement their party manifesto. Finance Minister Ronald Penza was always a guest on TV and radio stations presenting his homilies on macro and micro economics while the likes of Local Government Minister Michael Sata, Copperbelt Minister Kangwa Nsuluka and Minister-without-Portfolio Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda, Agriculture Minister Guy Scot, Health Minister Boniface Kawimbe equally went on rampage making ‘the right noise.’
When the alert citizens finally thwarted Chiluba’s third term attempt and Mwanawasa was ‘awakened’ to step into his shoes, we saw a team of new ‘vuvuzelas’ in town – Daniel Munkombwe, Mike Mulongoti, Sylvia Masebo, George Mpombo and Gen. Ronnie Shikapwasha, Kabinga Pande to mention but a few.
As fate would have it, the cold hand of death took him away before he could conclude his second term in office. His vice president Rupiah Banda came in with his own hardcore fanatics who wasted no time defending government with their blood in both the August house and outside -Vice President George Kunda and Cabinet Ministers Benny Tetamashimba, Michael Kaingu, Brian Chituwo, Angela Cifire and Gabriel Namulambe etc.
Not surprisingly, the man that would make him weep in front of the TV cameras after suffering an ignominious defeat barely 3 years at the helm, Michael Sata commonly known as ‘King Cobra,’ lined up a team of cantankerous and bragadocio characters in his cabinet who were quick to treat the opposition to severe tongue-lashing whenever they criticized government – the legendary Chishimba Kambwili, Stephen Kampyongo, Wynter Kabimba, Jean Kapata, Nkandu Luo and Davis Mwila!
Bo Edgar Lungu, who somehow shockingly found himself occupying State House had his own faithful disciples in the likes of Bowman Lusambo, Brian Mundubile, Ronald Chitotela, Steven Kampyongo, Alexander Chiteme and Dora Siliya. They did not only do a fantastic job defending his government, but equally went after your throat in case you crossed the red line! Lungu even managed to plant a cadre at the Disaster Management & Mitigation Unit (DMMU) who was doing nothing, but politics.
If we may now come to the elephant in the room – the current administration; how come we don’t seem to be hearing much from the cabinet ministers save for a few such as Gary Nkombo, Elvis Nkandu, Elisha Matambo, Paul Kabuswe and Charles Milupi? Is it because they are not prepared to step-out of the comfort zone and stand in the firing range to be grilled by the press or they are busy cutting deals and preparing ‘safe landing’ just in case there is a change of government in the next elections?
All we demand are serious answers and nothing else!
Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
Mayeng’u, Zambezi
In all fairness, what is there to defend when it is all broken.
PF Mealie meal K130 UPND K400
PF Fuel K17 litre UPND K34 litre
PF Dollar K21 UPND K28
Then defend what, evidently things have worsened, Anyway there is free education to fill our stomachs, laughable
The problem is HH. He wants to run government as a personal business. Chushi Kasanda was removed because she always wanted to tell the truth. Her successor can only tell lies which even a nursery child can tell is a lie
Ok let’s talk comparison
MMD Kwacha 4 USD 1
PF Kwacha 14 USD 1
MMD Mealie meal Kwacha 38
PF Mealie Meal Kwacha 128
MMD Fuel Kwacha 8 per liter
PF Fuel Kwacha 14 per liter
Need we continue?
Lets wait and see the real price of Mealie Meal after the bumper harvest.
Russia/Ukraine war will be over ,so lets wait and see the reduction of world criusde oil prices.
This a well articulated article and well said and done, a party without cadres, patriotic leaders,is dead, even here in America you can see how people can say anything to defend there party, politics in Africa you can’t do them by reading and implementing economic lessons written in England to pass exams it’s about being practical and delivering on campaign promises , it’s sad to see the forward party now backwards party,it’s total disgrace to the 1800,000 Zambians, the first thing we buy when we get paid is mealie meal so why can’t we grow maize both rain and irrigation ?am sad Kenny petelo
What truth Dejavu did Chushi Kasanda want to tell? She failed lamentably at her job. Lets just go to her constituency and see what she has done? Chushi didnt understand her role as Minister and failed to articulate it in practice. The current minister has done a better job since.
Perhaps the New Dawn ones are too clueless to step out into the open, lest people find out how little they know about the president’s vision!
A vision shared is far much better than keeping it to yourself
Fair Analyst don’t deceive yourself with misinformation. Your comparison will only make sense if you tell us what those figures you’re showing for the Defunct TuPF criminals government were when they came into power. For example they found the dollar at K5 left it at K17 according to you but it could have been higher than that.
Vote wisely vote for HH7 in 2026/31
Let us have a presidential choice in 2026 then we will all be on the same page
There is no need to sing and shout……….
Zambians have eyes, they can see and feel the difference……….
The problem is , some people are judging the mood of the country from opinions of disgruntled PF caders……….
Meanwhile, this GRZ is working full time……
We are here
FWD2031
UPND leaders can not face the public because of their failures,. and they no that people already knows how bad things are, so no need for them to come and start singing icileya.
The reasoning here is appalling – Does it mean because PF found the dollar at K5 and raised it to K17, then UPND should raise it to a record worst figure in Zambias history to K28. What type of justification is this please.
If they can bolt out of the Legislative House, how else would they defend their cause and convictions like Kamalondo, Chipimo snr, Munkombwe.
If chance allows to say something, telling you nothing, but always meddling in the opposition affairs. Could it be that the UPND overstayed in opposition and later as backbencher? They don’t inspire at all. We overrated these underperformers.
When chance allows to say something, they will telling you nothing, but always meddling in the opposition affairs. Could it be that they overstayed in opposition and later as backbencher? They don’t inspire at all. We overrated these underperformers.
If they can bolt out of the Legislative House, how else would they defend their cause and convictions
It is this type of thinking that has made Zambians stagnate. Always thinking of akabwali its because you lazy men, you can’t do anything about ubwali. Be innovative like Zimbabweans who will soon be launching a 3rd space craft to the moon. They have also invented a new car, the only one of its kind in the world. What about Zambians? Nothing always ubunga mu mmd, this pf, this, unip this and upnd this. What a quered way of looking at issues. Wake up and produce your own bunga if you’re so obsessed naka bwali. The last government spoiled alot of with handouts without knowing where the money was coming from. Those complaining are very lazy chaps who were “born yesterday”.