Political oxymoron

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 07:37:55 +0000

For the intellectual midget and ignoramus that he is, such an oxymoron would be expected of Chishimba Kambwili but not for Harry Kalaba who fancies himself as an intellectual of sorts.

In politics, there is no such thing as voting by conscience. It is an oxymoron, a contradiction to resign from ministerial office but still cling to membership of the same “corrupt” Patriotic Front (PF) party from whose Government he has resigned. It is an oxymoron. It does not stand up to logic.

There is nothing moral, honourable nor indeed ethical about this action. This is the height of hypocrisy. It does not earn him any moral high ground. There is nothing like an amicable divorce. A divorce is the result of acrimony.

Logically an expression of conscience is the result of a moral quagmire, when confronted by three factors namely; individual motivation, issues at hand and a pressing demand to make a determination of what is right or wrong in the circumstances.

 Conscience is the result of a deliberation, informed by rigorous interrogation of facts to arrive at the truth, a truth that must guide an outcome.

On the other hand fervent idealism which disregards the outcome is immoral because it defeats an appreciation of reality. Sometimes a compromise stands a better chance of producing a lasting outcome that benefits the circumstances.

Principles must be judged against outcomes or consequences.

In other words utilitarianism which imposes an imperative to seek the greatest good for the community is pitted against a deontological approach which sees intrinsic values in the action itself without considering the consequences or outcome.

Opportunism has no place in this scheme. That is why the decision by Kalaba to resign as Minister of Foreign Affairs but remain as a member of the party that he says is corrupt, does not make sense. It smacks of hypocrisy, opportunism and at worst an ill-advised adventurism.

A more functional paradigm would be for Kalaba to appreciate the duty he owes to others, it is not just about him and his misplaced principles alone it is about the  greater good of the party in which he is clinging as well as the greater good of those who sent to Parliament in the first place.

The reaction of chiefs, mayors and other independent people that have spoken are self-evident of the inherent error of the misguided decision to resign and yet remain in the party which he has accused of corruption.

This puts Kalaba directly in the line of fire of Machiavelli who made the case for case for political expediency in “its starkest, most electrifying form”

Machiavelli divorces politics from conventional morality, suggesting that even the most unscrupulous schemes in the quest for political power are justified.  In this regard necessity knows no laws and morality has no place when interests are at stake.

The electorate voted Kalaba into office on the promises advanced and presented by the PF.  It is therefore only proper that he vacates the seat to accord the electorate an opportunity of choosing another candidates whose promises will resonate with their wishes.

Remaining in office only proves the point that Machiavelli has said about politicians, namely that political leader may be required to commit acts that would be wrong if done by private.

He says politician must sometimes do “wrong to do right”- therefore the means justify the end.

In normal language this is opportunism of the worst order