Insubordination, indiscipline the bane of parties

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:24:13 +0000

It does not require a rocket scientist to discern that the campaign to hound out Minister of Foreign Affairs given Lubinda from the party is being engineered from the highest level of the party, just as the campaign against Dr. Nevers Mumba is also being engineered from the top leadership of his party.

Nothing in politics is spontaneous. Everything is organized and often by the very top leadership which shields behind the rank and file of the membership.

  And as rightly observed by PF party insiders the President Sata has chosen to acquiesce rather than discipline his party secretary general Wynter Kabimba who should be chided for displaying  impropriety in the manner he has handled public events including media driven attacks against foreign minister given Lubinda and his display of arrogance at the Anti Corruption Offices..

In normal organizations matters of party discipline, especially matters involving senior officials are dealt with considerable circumspection and total confidentiality to ensure that the accused have an opportunity to respond in a manner that respects the general principle of natural justice. 

In this case however, not only were the so called charges against Lubinda publicly exposed while the minister himself was outside the country but these have been followed by further contrived and organized attacks from party functionaries who should otherwise treat senior party officials with respect and decorum.

The tragedy is that once precedence has been established nothing will stop the cadres from being organized to attacks any other member of the party including the ones currently enjoying favour.

There is a saying that in politics there are no permanent enemies but only permanent interests. Alliances shift to suit specific circumstances and conditions. Those in favour today will invariably fall out of favour and can expect the same treatment they mete out to perceived enemies.

No senior official, not even those in the Central committee are safe. They are vulnerable to contrived political attacks, initiated by those who may have the support of the leadership or indeed the youth including the rank and file.

A party that has no respect for the hierarchy is a definite recipe for generalized indiscipline which will ultimately affect the very top of the leadership that is now choosing the specter of growing instances of insubordination.

Parties are like regiments where discipline is of cardinal importance. Left unchecked the conflicting interests among the rank and file will soon render the party not only ungovernable but a real danger to the well being and health of the organization itself.

Sadly, in the case of political parties, indiscipline spills to issues of national concern and interest.

There is no question that that the diabolical treatment of MMD National Secretary Richard Kachingwe will remain to haunt this country’s political psyche for a long time to come.

Our body politique is very small, premised on miniscule issues and often run on mob psychology. This is why there must be an element of control and guidance to give the country a semblance of political direction and vision, otherwise political chaos will prevail.