How Did We Get Here as a Country (Zambia)

How Did We Ever Get Here? The Year is 2011 and we are all hype about the change of Government. Honestly, most of the Zambians really wanted and saw the need to change Government. Pact (s) were formed and dissolved. The dissolution of the pact between the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) kind of sent a signal of greed to Non-Partisans like me. We read on a daily basis Correspondences between PF and UPND with PF Secretary General Wynter Kabimba explaining why the pact was failing. This was mainly an issue of self exoneration in my view. September 20th, 2011, the die were cast. PF won and I have no doubt about that. Honestly, to me, that was a moment of uncertainty. Would PF be able to govern? Much as I respect the will of the Zambian Voters, I had huge reservation as to whether I could put my confidence in PF to manage the ‘Affairs’ of the nation. Note, I am not saying ‘Resources’ but ‘Affairs’ Trouble began when the President was Forming cabinet. Instead of appointing the constitutional number of appointed 8 MPs, he appointed 10. One a many people questioned the people that surround the president. I raised questions within myself. Could it be that the President was coming up with all those names alone? If so, he sure could have known better having been in Government before. If he had people around him, was there not a single person who was well vested in Constitutional matters? I will probably never know why. All I can speculate is that someone would never notice. Some appointees had to be dropped. What an embarrassment! All the above was but the beginning. No, How did we get where we are? In my view, we have a man worth of a president. I believe that Sata, as a man, can make a good leader. The problem that I see is that we have allowed people that were not elected into power control things. I mean, who does an appointed member of parliament represent? No one except the president. I see a situation where Wynter Kabimba talks more than the president himself. He is more [powerful than the legitimately elected members of parliament. Let’s take for instance the lifting of Former president Banda’s immunity, on whose behalf was he pushing for the motion? I know that some will say in his capacity as justice minister. Well, that’s fine. Question is, how can the Unjust call for justice? The motion was dubiously passed and to people like me, it seemed it was all aimed at settling personal scores and not necessarily in the name of national interest. If indeed it were in the name National interest, I sure as hell would love to hear the ACC or is it Joint Investigative Team (One can never master the names that change with every sunset) tell us the findings of the justice Minister. At what stage does the Motion pass in parliament? Traditionally, we all know it must get favour from at least a two-third majority. Banda’s immunity was however lifted after 80 parliamentarians voted in favour. Now, one needs not be a Rocket scientist to calculate two-thirds or 158. Simple math says two-third amounts to 105. That is the number they needed. So, PF needs at least 25 more defections before such a motion can go through. What I find intersecting is that they termed the result as ‘Unanimous’. Really? Does this reflect the definition of the word? So, sarcastically speaking, PF need 3 people. A mathematician to help calculate numbers like knowing what two-third of a number is arrived. A linguist specialised in English to help explain words like ‘Unanimous’. Thirdly, a lawyer who can read and explain issues before making decisions especially where such matters are anchored on the law. We have seen the suspension of the 3 judges not in the far distant past and a Malawian Judge was sourced. To date, we have heard of nothing that Malawian judge did. No report. I don’t even know his whereabouts. Or maybe he is Zambian now. How about the recent issue of Hakainde Hichilema where he was sued for Defirmation? On the other hand, are the charges on Gabriel Namulambe now dropped because he is ‘our’ camp? Mr. President, Wynter Kabimba and Fred Mmembe will cost you the 2016 election. You cannot let people that were not elected by Zambians to run the show. Save yourself, save Zambia and lead us to prosperity as a nation. Enough has been said and more so need to be done. We have had enough of by-elections. Let us work now!