IT is very disturbing that ethical principles of governance have given way to political expediency.
Nothing that happens, however outrageous elicits any indignation and least of all a twinge of conscience.
“Mingalato” have become the norm, even in matters sacred, legal or indeed constitutional.
We have become a country without a conscience, a country where perversion has become the norm. Where arrests, persecution, false litigation and indeed disrespect for the church have become the order of the day.
Issues concerning the violation of human rights and abrogation of fundamental citizens’ rights have become the norm rather than the exception.
Arrests and detentions, which should be for the most deserving circumstances are practiced willy-nilly, in situation where the public is fully aware of the frivolous nature of cases preferred.
Sadly, even our courts that should serve as beacons of propriety, justice and highest levels of jurisprudence have not been spared the rot.
Instead of exemplifying honesty, transparency and accountability rooted in moral values that promote greater societal good, expediency has become the norm.
As expected, ethical leadership which involves courage has little room and yet it requires men and women of courage such as Archbishop Alick Banda and his predecessor Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu to say difficult things and withstand the ferocious backlash.
Moral leadership in times of crisis is absolutely vital and no doubt that leaders with strong ethical foundations will come under extreme pressure from those who benefit from political expediency.
The greatest tragedy is that prioritising short-term gains or tactical advantages over long-term principles and stability…poses a significant threat to societal and governmental integrity.
Opportunism and willingness to compromise ethical standards, undermines the very foundations of stable governance and erodes public trust.
Examples abound of political expediency that has dove tailed into Governance. The examples include human rights violation, such as the prolonged detention of Petauke politician Rizwani Patel, who together with colleagues have been in prison for more than five months on charges that relate to the Miles Sampa debacle.
More recently, a number of politicians have been arrested and charged with offences that defy logic.
But perhaps the most audacious is the manner in which the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has singlehandedly sidelined the country’s largest opposition party from participating in by-election in circumstances which are clearly contrived.
Little wonder the law maker, Mulenga Fube has called for the disbanding of the ECZ because it cannot be trusted to run the highly anticipated 2026 elections.
One of the primary dangers of political expediency is its erosion of trust in leadership. When leaders repeatedly shift their positions or make decisions based on what is politically advantageous at the moment, they create a perception of inconsistency and unreliability.
Citizens lose confidence in their leaders’ commitment to the public good, leading to cynicism and disengagement.
There is nothing worse than an indifferent citizenry, but the reality is that when trust is broken, it is exceedingly difficult to rebuild, and without trust, the social contract between the governed and those who govern frays, weakening the fabric of society.
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