By Elias Munshya wa Munshya

When HH came onto the political front, he brought lots of promise. He was fresh, young, rich and quite educated. In fact, in spite being rich and educated, he was still very down-to-earth. These were the qualities and character that the Zambian people were looking for in a leader.

Even though his emergence within the UPND was controversial in that he is alleged to have hounded Sakwiba Sikota out of the UPND on tribal grounds, he nevertheless settled into leadership very well and inspired many both in the UPND and in the nation. He quickly worked to brush off allegations that he was a tribalist, by emphasizing quite frequently that as a Zambian he did not hail from one particular province but came from all the parts of the country—he is perhaps the only high profile political figure to emphasize that fact.

Just after coming into leadership he, however, faced Mwanawasa’s and Tetamashimba’s 2006 onslaught in that he lost the Northwestern Province and Western Provinces which with Southern Province had become the stronghold of the UPND under Mazoka. But at least, to his credit, he managed to keep Southern Province within the grasp of the UPND.

But in 2010, HH is faced with a very serious dilemma and he must do something to get out of it. This dilemma has the potential to derail him and to also derail the UPND. He has however a choice to make in the matter. And what he decides in the next few months will set him apart as a serious contender to the leadership of Zambia or he will be relegated to the would-have-beens. What then is the dilemma he faces?

First, he faces the dilemma within the PACT. Shortly, before the presidential by-elections of 2008, his UPND and PF had formed some form of a pact, and they were going to go into elections as a unified front. Some political players got excited with that prospect, and Sata was famously alleged to have finally found a young man he could train in politics. Not very long after that, the so called unity crumbled and there were some unpleasantries said from both sides.

They did not like each other that much after all. Come the by-elections and HH had a strong showing, holding on to Southern Province and came out third in the final tally. Immediately after the by-elections, however, both the UPND and PF have come to realize that the only way they could remove the MMD is if they tried to unite, and hence the formation of the so called PF/UPND pact again. But this Pact has created a serious dilemma for HH.

The dilemma is that if the Pact went on and chose Sata as its presidential candidate, Southern voters are very unlikely to vote for a Pact led by Sata, and as such the UPND risks losing that Southern support. On the other hand, if HH were elected or chosen or anointed as the Pact’s candidate, it is very unlikely that Sata would accept to serve under HH and he may then choose to break away from the pact and stand on his own. If such a division happened, it is almost guaranteed that the Pact will not form the next government.

Additionally, it is common knowledge that the PF is the stronger side of the two parties within the Pact and therefore it has more leverage than the UPND. The PF is therefore likely to use its power and influence to lobby for Sata to lead the pact more than it would willingly accept HH to lead.

And if that situation happened Southern Province will almost certainly switch its support to either Banda or a third-party candidate such as Magande. HH should therefore face the truth with courage that there is no reason why the Pact will work this time around and abandon it. The sooner he does that the better. Holding on to the promise of the pact, is wasting his time, and diluting his message.

If anything, his holding on to the PF pact as the only solution to the MMD problem sends a wrong message that he cannot stand on his own. HH should abandon the Pact immediately. This is not because he does not like unity, but rather because, the dynamics within the Pact do not favor him at all and neither does the pact favor the aspirations of the Zambian people in the long-term.

[pullquote]When Zambians enter the voting booth to vote next year, we want to remember an HH who is courteous, kind, handsome, rich, lovable and gentle. An HH who answers opponents with truth. An HH who speaks policy and not insults.[/pullquote]

Secondly, HH faces a very serious dilemma with regard to the kind of politics he is now practicing. When he came on the scene he exhibited greatness, and freshness. But a few years down the line, he has not brought any change to the political front, but instead has joined the old and finished politicians in their thinking and manner of doing politics. This is so serious in that looking at HH’s utterances today you would not differentiate between him and Sata or Banda.

HH needs to be different, otherwise if he is the same as the two, it gives no real choice among Zambians. HH must rein in his tongue and desist from insulting his opponents. He has called RB, “childish”, “small brain”, “sleepy and dozy” and so on and so forth. Honestly, this is the language we expect from both Sata and Banda and not from a young fresh mind like HH. His frustrations are understood.

Both Sata and Banda play the UNIP styled politics. In fact, their rivalry started many years ago, perhaps even before HH was born. When Banda and Sata quarrel and insult each other, it makes good comedy since it is two old grandpas quarrelling about things like who is more handsome between them.

Very petty things, but HH should not join them in those things. When Zambians enter the voting booth to vote next year, we want to remember an HH who is courteous, kind, handsome, rich, lovable and gentle. An HH who answers opponents with truth. An HH who speaks policy and not insults. HH must challenge his dilemma by looking at what he is going to say the next time he criticizes Banda.

And honestly, when HH is Banda’s age I would personally, appreciate him taking some naps and sleeping more often, because that is what old people do and they should not be criticized and insulted for being old and finished. But at least as for HH, he still epitomizes the wishes of many Zambians, and we may be on the road to political redemption if the President Hakainde Hichilema behaved a little bit more presidential!

President Rupiah Banda has cautioned Zambians against trusting Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata and his United Party for National Development (UPND) counterpart Hakainde Hichilema because the two opposition leaders do not respect traditional rulers.

Mr Banda said Mr Hichilema must be rejected because he has no record of having been a member of Parliament and has never even worked in the public service.

He was addressing a campaign rally at Kashima west Basic School.

“Mr Hichilema has no record of having been in power and he should feel bruised having lost twice because UPND is a tribal party. This other one (Sata) has also failed three times,” he said.

Mr Banda said for one to be President of Zambia they must be accepted by all Zambians.

He said he had to go round the country in 2008 to seek acceptance in the 150 constituencies and he came first or second in all the provinces to be President.

President Banda said he came first in the North-western province and was second in Southern and wondered what rationale was used by Mr Hichilema to go into a pact with the PF when the people of Southern province vehemently rejected Mr Sata.

Mr Banda condemned the UPND for using projects that have not been done as the basis for their campaign.
He told the people to be wary of politicians who are promising projects they cannot deliver.

The President said the ruling party has been attending to schools and roads infrastructure and the country was moving forward.

Mr Banda said the MMD understood the needs and priority of the people saying that is the reason government has sourced money to complete the Mutanda-Chavuma road.

He said government has allocated K25 billion to build Mufumbwe Boarding High school.

Mr Banda said Government was putting up infrastructure like schools in all the districts in the country so that children do not have to walk long distances.

He challenged the opposition to deny that K2 billion has been used to build 38 classroom blocks in Mufumbwe.

Mr Banda said under his leadership, government will continue with the fertiliser support programme to peasant farmers.

He asked the people of Mufumbwe to vote for the MMD candidate, Mulondwe Muzungu in Thursday’s parliamentary by-election.

Mr Banda called on the electorate in Mufumbwe to ask their conscious on who was the best candidate to bring development to Mufumbwe.

He said the ruling party will continue to open up the province and build more infrastructure in the province so that the abundant resources the region has can be utilised.

Mr Banda said the problem with the UPND-PF pact is that the two parties formed the alliance before agreeing on who will be its leader.

“None of these gentlemen is suitable for the presidency of this country, Mr Sata and Hakainde are both intolerant because they do not want to hear different opinion. It is evident that they will become dictators if they became president.

“Have you ever seen a leader who cannot even smile when they come to ask for a vote, his face is a symbol of anger and frustration, what kind of president is he going to make if he is elected?” he asked.

Mr Banda said Mr Hichilema has always been demeaning people while Mr Sata on the other hand has been insulting the same people he wants to rule.

“Not only does he quarrel with you, he quarrels with all the people in a derogatory manner. Mr Sata does not hesitate to quarrel with his paramount chief. He challenges the Chitimukulu,” he said.

Mr Banda said Mr Hichilema has broken a record of all young men of his age by twice failing in elections.
He said Mr Sata has offered himself for president but the people of North Western Province rejected him.

“I like the way you rejected him, when you don’t like someone you are very clear, very categorical. I saw the results, he got zero here and that’s why he is insulting people from this region.

“That is why I am so grateful to you because besides the fact that I have never been here before, you voted for me, meaning that you saw what MMD stands for and saw where my brother left.

And I will continue to provide leadership to my party so that we can work for the people of Zambia,” Mr Banda said

He said the MMD has grown the economy of Zambia and intended to open a new mine in Mufumbwe.

President Banda said Government has already sourced US$50 million to connect all the districts to the national power grid.

He said construction of the Mufumbwe district hospital which was allocated K4.5 billion is about to be completed.

Mr Banda also welcomed five UPND defectors to the MMD saying the party was national with representation in the whole country.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]

THE Zambia Police Service has pledged to execute its duties in a professional manner and handle cases of electoral violence according to the laws of the country.

Deputy police spokesperson, Moses Suwali said in an interview yesterday that the police would not take sides with any political party.

Mr Suwali said the police would act professionally when dealing with cases of violence in Mufumbwe, which has calmed down after unruly cadres went amok last weekend and attacked some people, including United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson Charles Kakoma.

And Mr Suwali said police had launched a manhunt for two MMD and two UPND cadres suspected to have been involved in various acts of violence ranging from assault causing actual bodily harm to malicious damage to property in Mufumbwe.

Meanwhile, police in Katete are investigating a case in which six people are alleged to have fired two shots in the air at Dole Village on Sunday night.

Police spokesperson, Bonny Kapeso confirmed in a telephone interview in Katete yesterday that Hamidab Banda was stopped around 23:00 hours by the six unknown people who demanded game meat from his car.

Mr Kapeso said after a confrontation, Mr Banda allowed them to search his car but they did not find any game meat in the vehicle.

He said the men got upset and one of them fired two gunshots in the air and ran away.

And the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) and the Non Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) have backed the directive by President Rupiah Banda on police to stop violence in the Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election that is threatening people’s peace.

They have also challenged opposition political leaders to issue development-oriented campaigns to garner support instead of scheming violence.

FODEP and the NGOCC said police must act decisively before lives are lost in the by-election scheduled for Thursday this week.

NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale advised police not to wait until the president instructs them before they can stop political violence.

She said violence leaves serious effects on women and children and there are times when it escalates, which is the reason why it must be prevented without delay.

Mrs Mwale said the nation now expects the Zambia Police to give them a report on what transpired and how they would deal with future occurrences, especially that the country will hold Presidential elections next year.

Bahati Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament Besa Chimbaka urged the electorate in Mufumbwe and Milanzi to avoid voting for PF and its partner in the pact, the United Party for National Development (UPND).

Mr Chimbaka said opposition leaders should be shunned for fanning violence instead of promoting the conduct of peaceful, free and fair elections.

He said it had become clear that opposition leaders were behind the violence to intimidate voters because they had been threatened by the strength of the ruling party.

Mr Chimbaka urged Zambians to support progressive political leaders like President Banda who was moving the country’s development agenda forward.

FODEP president Stanley Mhango said investigations by his organisation had revealed that hired cadres from the Copperbelt Province were the ones leading violent attacks.

Mr Mhango said leaders of political parties must condemn violence and promote peace even when the campaigns show that they would lose the election.

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema refused to take responsibility for the violence.

He said reports that he had promoted violence were unfortunate and meant to frustrate his party.

The National Restoration Party (NAREP) condemns in the strongest terms the recent violence that has characterised the Mufumbwe by-election campaigns.

National Restoration Party president Elias Chipimo Junior called for political will at all levels to curb and eradicate violence.

Mr Chipimo said it was unacceptable that 45 years after independence, politicians can remain unacceptably silent when their followers were accused of perpetrating violence.

[Times of Zambia]

The Zambian government and the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Monday launched the Zambian Children’s Climate Conference(ZCCC), the first of its kind in the world since the International Children’s Climate Forum(ICCF) was held in Copenhagen last year.

The conference is held in the Zambian capital Lusaka, where nearly 200 children from all over Zambia gathered to receive knowledge on adaptation and mitigation and to become main force to combat Climate Change in their home districts, according to UNICEF.

The three-day conference aims to produce climate ambassadors who also can serve as HIV/AIDS peer educators, and to develop a group of young people who can band together to tackle some of the country’s most critical problems.

Sitting in the main hall of Mulungushi Convention Centre, where Zambia has hosted most of its international conferences, the selected young delegates, aged 12 to 18, dressed in hunter green shirts, are gradually revealing their inner leadership quality through their frowns and smiles as they are undertaking the responsibilities of sustainable development of their country.

According to UNICEF Zambia Country Representative Lotta Sylwander, Zambia has never held these type of activities before, especially when children themselves are designing them.

Tinasha Bwalya,14, from Zambia’s Eastern town of Chipata is one of the young delegates who were selected after submitting the essay required by the organizers.

Having arrived in Lusaka the day before the opening ceremony young Tinasha still seems excited and nervous.

“What I will learn here (during the conference) when I go back there I will share it with my friends, I will tell them how to keep the environment clean, how to prevent the pollution,” Bwalya told Xinhua, expressing her eagerness of acquiring more knowledge on environment issues.

According to UNICEF, the delegates, will reconvene in August to present the progress they’ve achieved, continue with their climate change orientation, and will also be given training in HIV/AIDS lifeskills education.

“We sent two of our Ambassadors along with two other students to the Copenhagen Climate Conference and they did extraordinarily well and were a great credit to their country. Upon their return, they briefed me and we immediately began to plan a Zambian version of the COP15 – but UNICEF insisted children themselves organize and hold the event,” said Sylwander.

[Xinhua News Agency]

The Patriotic Front (PF) says it will next week release correct statistics of how its dominated councils have been spending resources allocated to them to prove wrong President Rupiah Banda’s revelations about PF run councils.

PF Secretary General Winter Kabimba said the recent revelation of misapplication of funds by PF dominated councils by President Rupiah Banda is a false representation of what is obtaining on the ground.

He said the PF will give the nation the correct statistics to prove that President Banda was merely politicking when he made wild revelations about PF run councils.

Mr Kabimba has described the move by Government to audit PF dominated councils as an attempt to reduce the amount of support that the PF enjoys on the Copperbelt.

He said Mr Banda and the MMD will be shocked and surprised because the Copperbelt remains a PF stronghold. He observes that the residents who are living in council houses on the copperbelt have not come out in the open to complain about high land rates,but that the MMD is paying its officials to complain about the councils.

Mr Kabimba has since advised President Banda to concentrate on the problems that are affecting the people of Zambia rather than politicking on false statistics allegedly fabricated by Government officials.

QFM