LETTERS

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 13:16:18 +0000

Honest constitutional answers

Dear Editor,

In the Daily Nation edition of January 6, 2017 I appreciated the report: ”2021 and the Edgar Lungu candidacy”.

Juxtaposing the article of your columnist Munshya wa Munshya with that of Sunday Chanda, member of the PF media committee, was an effective way of informing Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) outsiders like me whether really President Edgar Lungu qualifies to contest the 2021 election under the current Constitution.

On one hand, it is rather obvious that Munshya wa Munshya was merely doing his duty as the Daily Nation’s Friday columnist to keep the debate interesting and make it controversial as political fodder to cynics and critics.

On the other hand, Sunday Chanda provided honest answers and made specific reference to articles and provisions of the current Constitution that ought to be understood in connection with the topic at hand.

Until everyone in both the ruling and opposition parties understands that a full presidential term should be at least 3 years, therefore, President Edgar Lungu cannot be accused of breaking the country’s superior law of the land since his first term which was meant to complete late Michael Sata’s tenure was only one-and-half years.

There is nothing in Munshya wa Munshya’s submission that exonerates the most likely 2021 PF presidential candidate.

Besides, it is unfortunate that legal brains in LAZ are still looking the other way, an ominous prelude to the making of full-blown constitutional crisis and anarchy in Zambia. As everyone in politics knows, rolling back constitutional crisis and anarchy after the deed is done is infinitely costlier than nipping it in the bud.

Understandably, the decision by President Edgar Lungu to so soon and publicly announce his eligibility and intention of seeking a second 5-year term was meant to bring about in-house unity, sanity and harmony in the governing party in readiness for the 2021 general elections.

Even though reasons for the decision are highly confidential, political and not difficult to understand going by utterances and manoeuvres from some quarters within the top hierarchy of the ruling party.

The President’s decision to declare his eligibility and desire to contest the 2021 presidential election has definitely put to rest a vicious power struggle in the ruling party which was sparked off by PF old-timers, who professed to be loyal to him, but were the same power-greedy politicians. When will PF have more people like late Michael Sata? It is not difficult to see why PF is in dire need of such old-timers and newcomers who are honestly determined to stick to their pronouncements, promises and pledges.

Mubanga Luchembe,

LUSAKA

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African Soccer Awards Debate

Dear Editor,

Denis Onyango the African-based player of the year winner deserves the award because he helped the Cranes of Uganda and his Club Mamelodi Sundowns ‘The Brazilians’ achieve greater heights in the year 2016.

Denis has been the main pillar for Sundowns and Uganda which has made Zambian first choice goal keeper Kennedy Mweene to be confined to the bench at the Pretoria based team.

Rainford Kalaba did well for his club TP Mazembe but at national level his Chipolopolo failed to live up to its expectations.

This is the main reason he came out third as both his competitors did well at club and national level.

It is, therefore, not surprising for any objective soccer fan to see Kalusha Bwalya opting to vote for Onyango and Billiat before his compatriot Rainford Kalaba.

Even Globally, Cristian Ronaldo did better for both his club and the national team, hence making Lionel Messi second who never did well at national level.

Voting whether in sports or politics should be objective and not based on ethnicity, regionalism and patronage.

Wisdom Kaunda

Kabwe.

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Absentee-MP vying for a seat in parliament again

Dear Editor,

As President Edgar Lungu pardoned all the PF members who contested the August 11, 2016 general election as Independent parliamentary candidates after being left out during the PF adoption process, it is important to know exactly how the vanquished former sitting PF members of parliament must be feeling now (“Lungu pardons all independent MPs”, Daily Nation, January 6, 2017).

Admittedly, asking for votes is probably one of the most difficult things human beings have invented in the business of governance.

A lot of lies would have been told and speeches made saying nothing.

A lot of money would have been spent-far too much it’s been generally agreed.

Primarily, there’s the business of posters. All your life, you’ve been comfortable with your face or what you see in the mirror, give or take a few wrinkles.

Then you get into an election contest and suddenly there has to be endless meetings to find a suitable photograph.

Then you’re told you must flood the constituency with the posters, which meant on every lamp post, every tree, every wall and every billboard.

But does anybody know anyone who based their voting decision on an attractive photo on a billboard? Not quite. After collecting your posters you must find something to tell the potential voters.

To be able to craft a successful message, you’ve had to keep in mind that voters want certain things and some things upset them.

Believe it or not, a candidate cannot be tired before, during and after election campaigns. Would-be voters do not want to accept or be told that someone who wants their votes is exhausted.

Not to be outdone, there would be many offers of prayers from well-known and obscure Pentecostal pastors and prophets of all kinds.

To crown it all, you would be expected to eat food and drink potions that would make you squeamish because you dare not give the impression you’re not a man or woman of the people.

As a sitting parliamentarian of the ruling party, then you lose the election to an Independent candidate. As God would have it, it’s quite painful indeed.

All that money from well-wishers, all the endless speeches, all that dancing, all those promises and you still lost.

Finally, five years later, there would be another set of people and they would put themselves through the same rigmarole. In the entire electoral process, it seems to me it is the asking for the votes that’s the most interesting and daunting for the ruling party’s underperforming absentee-MP vying for a seat in parliament again.

LM

LUSAKA