Our Zambia, Our Posterity

In all fairness, people that desire to lead others, to direct the affairs of the nation, must be of a higher standing. Beyond reproach.

A lot of pressing issues were raised concerning the conduct of a number of politicians especially those in goverment and their wings. Cases in point include the Police IG, Army Commander, Elections Director, Cabinet Ministers abusing public facilities to the benefit of political parties, etc.

Jane Adams once said, 'The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life'. Another wise man Clarence Darrow also said that 'You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man's freedom. You can only be free if I am free'. What this literary means is that those of us in authority must never look into their interests alone, but also consider the interests of even least man in the furtherst corners of our land. A note to our leaders is that whatever actions they take today will have a bearing on every Zambian tomorrow, young or old including their spouses and children. They need to ask, 'Will my actions today promote and advance a better Zambia?'

It is an open secret though with an exception of very few individuals, that the majority of the people in authority have showed us that their number 1 motivation in all they do is their pocket, their family, their job, their interest. While this may be disputed, my question is why then have our leaders ignored other stakeholders and pretended all is well. Do we want us to believe a ruling party can be removed due to their selfish ambitions of only wanting power and nothing else?

I seek answers to these questions:

1. Why did the ECZ stay mute in the reported rampant and open abuse of public resources?

2. Why was the ECZ so defensive, emotional and uptight whenever the public raised alarm on dishonesty over the handling of ballots?

3. Why was the ECZ so incosistent in releasing the results citing distance as the main factor?

4. Why did the ECZ allow voting to take place in some areas a day or two after election day?

5. Why has the ECZ and the Police been so quick to hide and protect individuals found wanting like in the case of the Presiding Officer in Munali?

6. How come the Anti Corruption and Police kept quiet when Mulongoti admitted to the 'donating' of money to another political party during election campaigns?

7. Why did Ephraim Mateyo and Isaac Chisuzi see it fit and justifiable to instil fear and intimidate Zambians prior to elections?

8. How come Mbita Chitala & Co. had the audacity to even suggest the margin by which they would win?

9. How come we had names missing from the electoral registers when we didn't have any voter registrations? This reeks of register doctoring.

Logically, the explanations being given in most of cases fall short of reason. Zambia will never boast of a genuine election again until respect for other players and stakeholders is upheld.

Let the powers that be work effectively to ensure transparency in our electoral system. Like the ECZ's motto which says, 'Endorsing Your Choice', let the voice of the masses speak as in 1991, without a trace of doubt.

Percy Mwale,
Kitwe.