By Elias Munshya wa Munshya

When some of our people expressed serious reservations about the so called UPND-PF Pact, they were met with severe intellectual attacks. Both Sata and Hichilema, decided to promote an idea of the Pact that they both were not fully committed to. They both were singing a song that they were not truly committed to. The Pact was going to work, not because the people of Zambia wanted it to work. The only people that were going to make it work are two: Hichilema and Sata. And it is the two that have made the Pact to fail. Sata and Hichilema were both naïve. They thought that somehow, the main issue in the Pact was going to resolve itself. They encouraged everyone around them to unite and convalescence around an ideal of a Pact, and yet they were the two gentlemen that never united in the first place. This so called Pact was a failure right from the start. It would be unnecessary to belabour the reasons why it would not work, but for the sake of argument we must revisit these reasons so that we may learn from them and hopefully posterity will judge our activities.

The first reason why the Pact was doomed to fail from the very beginning is a fundamental issue to do with our constitutional republican system. Zambia’s republican system impedes the subsistence of a coalition government. This is because; the President or the Executive is not elected by parliament but directly by the people through universal suffrage. As such, in our system a parliamentary coalition just cannot exist. Coalitions only work in parliamentary systems like the UK, Israel, Canada, or South Africa. In these systems the President or the Prime Minister is not popularly or directly elected by the people, but rather is chosen from parliament, or from the party with the most seats. It is the leader of the party that has the most seats in parliament that heads the State or the government. If no party has taken the most seats, the parties then can jostle with each other and form coalitions so that they can form a parliamentary majority to form a government. Contrasted with the Zambian situation, the leader of the Zambian government and Head of State is not elected from among the MPs, but through direct universal suffrage. As such, parliamentary seats are irrelevant to the presidential question in Zambia. It does not matter how many seats the president’s party has won in parliament, all that matters in forming the next government is whether a particular candidate has won the presidential election. It is after he wins the presidential election that he can now choose his Cabinet from among the MPs. And he can choose any MPs from any political party to form his cabinet. In Zambia, the President is the Executive, he is the government. This fact was stated very clearly by President Mwanawasa when he fired Nevers Mumba. Levy told Mumba bluntly, “I am the Government.” The UPND/PF Pact framed themselves on the basis of a coalition. A coalition that is alien to the Zambian political system—it was indeed a deceased idea before it even started.

Second, to build on the item above, a clear definition of who was being earmarked to become the president was an essential question that the Pact needed to answer right from the start. But in their wisdom, both Sata and Hichilema somehow thought this issue will resolve itself. We all knew that the Pact would only succeed to the extent that both Sata and Hichilema make it work. Additionally, before even defining the perimeters of their relationship these two leaders started presenting themselves for candidacy to stand on the Pact’s ticket. Nothing is more concerning to me, than for intelligent people to make decisions based not on fact but on illusions. HH when coming back from his overseas trip, thought that Zambia was as mature as the USA or UK, by claiming, right at the airport, that he should be considered for Pact’s presidency on account of his age. His political illusions led to yet another even more concerning delusion—the fact that the Pact’s presidential election is a free and fair matter that anyone can openly campaign for. Sata at least did not react immediately to HH’s insinuations, instead he waited until now to tell off Hichilema, in the words of the song, “age aint nothing but a number”.

Third, the Pact has failed because these two parties have radically different manifestos and philosophies. Sata is anti-Chinese investment, and has promised that he would grab ZAMTEL back from the Libyans when he assumes office. HH on the other hand is pro-business and pro-market enterprise. In fact, HH is more acquiescent to Chinese investment. On the constitution making process, HH’s party accepted to be part of the Constitutional Conference, whereas participation in the NCC was the reason why Sata fired 16 of his MPs. With such radical differences between the two, only time would tell whether they would go anywhere. Interestingly, there are several commonalities between the UPND and the MMD. Could this be the reason why a Pact between UPND and MMD is being floated as more realistic than the present one?

Fourth, the corporate structures of the two parties also were radically different. UPND has three vice-presidents and they are searching for a fourth, while PF only created the position of Vice-President for political expediency—to create room for former Secretary General Guy Scott. UPND at least has even had the decency to pretend to hold a party convention while, the PF has not even bothered to do so. Sata has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a party convention saying it is just a waste of time and resources. He would rather use the time and the money for campaigns instead of a convention. A man, who thinks like that, has the potential to cancel national elections so that he can have some more time to campaign.

Fifth, the regionalism and tribalism characteristic of both the UPND and the PF could not just make the Pact work. It is evident that the PF enjoys more support among Bemba speaking peoples, while the UPND enjoys wide spread support among Tonga speaking peoples. This regionalism between PF and UPND was very fatal. Parties with such tribal and regional encroachments cannot possibly work together. Sata has been accused several times by non-Bemba speaking peoples that he is a Bemba hegemonist. Most recently at a campaign rally in Mwinilunga a speaker accused Sata of having made some tribal remarks. As for HH his behaviour towards Saki and Lubinda is still fresh among many Zambians. In spite of efforts at making these two parties have a more national agenda, they have not made any real effort at changing their tribal perceptions.

Six, the Pact has fallen because the Pact in fact never existed at all. Zambians were taken for a ride. They were forced to believe a lie. Some within the two parties even met together, ate together, held conferences together, all in a bid to promote something that was just a fiction of their imagination. The Pact has failed, because a Pact never existed in the first place!

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata yesterday launched a scathing attack on pact partner, United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema for attempting to diminish his chances to run for the Republican presidency on account of his age.

But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma, who ducked questions on the attack and tried hard to downplay it, only said the pact would pick its presidential candidate after some electoral guidelines had been concluded.

In an unprecedented and shocking stance since the two parties agreed to work together last year, Mr Sata said he was by far the better candidate.

He said age was not a factor for the Republican presidency considering that some of the best presidents Africa had produced were much older than Mr Hichilema.

Mr Sata cited Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, and post-apartheid South African icon Nelson Mandela as some of the leaders who had performed beyond their age limitations.

He said this during a live radio programme on Hot FM, called the Hot Seat, where he explained that even in the absence of the ‘rebel’ Members of Parliament, PF still emerged as a stronger force than UPND.

Mr Hichilema had told supporters at Lusaka International Airport on arrival from the United States of America (US) in May that many developed and developing countries had shifted from the practice of voting for old leaders.

He cited the example of Tanzania, Russia, United Kingdom and the US, which he said had voted into office younger and intelligent leaders aged between 40 and 50 years.

But Mr Sata said he had never gone round the country to speak ill of Mr Hichilema and dismissed allegations that the PF was treating UPND as a small party in the pact formed last year in which it was agreed that they would field one candidate for the national presidency.

He said accusations that PF was treating the UPND as a junior party were inaccurate but insisted that PF was far much bigger than UPND.

He said Mr Hichilema did not show respect for him as a partner in the pact when he boasted that he was more suitable for the top post because of his younger age.

Mr Sata said PF was strong in Luena Constituency but it had decided to allow UPND to contest the seat on behalf of the pact as a way of showing respect to the UPND.

He, however, said the UPND leaders were holding meetings on the Copperbelt to attack the PF.
He said there had been statements from some UPND senior members welcoming the proposed pact with the MMD which was multiplying the confusion and reducing the credibility of the pact.

On the collapse of the agreement in Chadiza where both the PF and UPND had contested a ward by-election against the provisions of the agreement, Mr Sata said that had demonstrated the strength of PF in Eastern Province, an area that was widely viewed as a no-go area for PF.

And the UPND spokesperson could not give categorical answers to questions on Mr Sata’s attacks on his pact partner.

[Times of Zambia]

Former President Frederick Chiluba says PF-UPND pact is non-existent because ideologically, the two parties have different agendas.

Dr Chiluba said PF President Michael Sata and UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema cannot work together because it is difficult for them to promote their agenda based on two different manifestos.

He was speaking to journalists during celebrations to mark the Egyptian National day in Lusaka yesterday.
“Sata cannot work with Hichilema because ideologically, PF believes in totally different things from UPND.

How can they work together like that? What agenda are they promoting when one is saying he will do this and the other is saying he will do something else,” Dr Chiluba said.

Asked to comment whether a pact with the UPND would be the best way to go for the MMD, Dr Chiluba said it is difficult for him to say because the MMD has not said it wants to go into a pact with any party.
He said MMD is strong enough to win an election on its own.
[pullquote]“Sata cannot work with Hichilema because ideologically, PF believes in totally different things from UPND.

How can they work together like that? What agenda are they promoting when one is saying he will do this and the other is saying he will do something else,” Dr Chiluba said.[/pullquote]
And Dr Chiluba has trashed allegations by Mr Sata that he went to Kitwe to campaign for an MMD councillor.
He said he has been to a number of places where there are no elections taking place and that people merely take advantage of his presence to air their views on a number of issues.

Dr Chiluba said people will only be justified to accuse him of campaigning for a particular party when the 2011 general elections are near.

Dr Chiluba said it is his Constitutional right to campaign for a party of his choice.
He said he is a founding member of MMD and still remains a member of the party.

“I am the founding father of MMD, so how can I dump my own baby. I can speak out for my party,” he said.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]

PATRIOTIC FRONT (PF) President Michael Sata has claimed that he is ready to serve as vice-president of PF-UPND pact if UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is chosen as president of the pact.

But spokesperson for PF rebel MPs Peter Machungwa said it would be a mark of naivety for anyone to believe that Mr Sata would accept to be vice-president.

Mr Sata said in Lusaka yesterday on HOT fm Radio’s hot seat programme that he has no problem being vice-president of the pact because positions are not his preoccupation.

“Why not be vice-president…positions are not my priority, we are concerned about the welfare of the people,” he said.

And Mr Sata has accused rebel MPs from PF and UPND of being scared of the pact forming Government in the 2011 elections.

He said some MPs are worried of the PF-UPND pact forming Government hence soliciting to be pro MMD and speaking ill of the pact.

[pullquote]“Why not be vice-president…positions are not my priority, we are concerned about the welfare of the people,” he said.[/pullquote]

“Some MPs are very worried on where they will be when the pact forms Government hence soliciting to stand on the MMD ticket through speaking bad about the pact, they know that 2011 is very near,” he said.

Mr Sata cited PF rebel MPs from Luapula Province as some of those who are pro MMD.
But Dr Machungwa said it would be a mark of naivety for anyone to believe that Mr Sata would accept to be vice-president.

Dr Machungwa said the statement is a political gimmick and that Mr Sata will spring a surprise on Mr Hichilema who he, for now, wants to dupe into believing that he can be made president.

He said instead of making assumptions, Mr Sata must categorically state who is going to be president of the Pact.

Dr Machungwa said Mr Sata is hallucinating by insinuating that the rebel MPs are scared of the possibility of the pact forming government next year.

He said it is infact Mr Sata who is has his figurative tail between his legs because he knows that he will never rule Zambia.

[Zambia Daily Mail]