Danger of overreaction

Tue, 21 Mar 2017 06:17:30 +0000

The anger is understandable.

The despicable conduct of the UPND members of Parliament who boycotted the State of Nation address by President Edgar Lungu defies logic and commonsense. Little wonder the demand for retribution and harsh treatment.

There is however need for measured and tempered reaction to ensure a controlled and therefore effective response that will not play into the hands of those provoking the situation because they have absolutely nothing to lose.

An overreaction of the physical type being widely advocated will give Zambia an undesired notoriety that will promote opposition UPND to a most certainly undeserved “”Martyrdom”. A physical confrontation outside or inside the chambers of the house should be the last thing to be countenanced.

A measured response does not represent capitulation. On the contrary it means that all the fact must be gathered before a decision is taken. An emotional response will invariably fail to address or indeed redress the pertinent issues surrounding an incident.

In this respect appropriate action must be left to the appropriate institutions that govern conduct in Parliament.  The boycott was against standing orders and must therefore be dealt with in accord with relevant statutes.

It is clear that the ultimate intention of the boycott was to cast aspersion on our democratic dispensation and reinforce the notion that Zambia was gravitating into a dictatorship in which fundamental and entrenched rights were abrogated at will.

The truth is that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has been totally outflanked politically and now risks the danger of being totally irrelevant to Zambia’s political trajectory.

In his address to the Nation President Edgar Lungu set the tone, provided a vision and set a course for this country. He clearly articulated the strengths and weaknesses, attainments and challenges then set benchmarks for the team that he has assembled around him in the leadership.

The President has raised the level of political dialogue and engagement, in the formulation and implementation of public policy. He has identified specific framework within goals in economic, social and politics that must be addressed to answer and solve problems facing the nation.

The recent opposition grandstanding is supposed to steal the thunder, hence the appeal to ignominy at any cost including the boycott of national events.

This will not work because the President has left the heavy lifting to his colleagues. He has set the course and direction in cogent, practical and clear terms as to avoid ambiguity. He has made it clear that morality, integrity and transparency will serve the watchword to public policy.

In other words Government has the marching orders towards best practices. Corruption, inefficiency and indolence have no place in the vision set by President Lungu.  He expects thrift, creativity and above all good stewardship from all.

In this scenario there is little room for vacuous political antics that serve no useful purpose apart from the equally shabby drama they present.