Tue, 02 Jan 2018 13:23:56 +0000
By CHARLES MUSONDA
SOME opposition politicians, who have been consistently losing national elections are posing a danger to Africa’s democracy because they have been contesting the polls out of selfish interests, the African Union-Economic and Social Council (AU-ECOSOC) has charged.
AU-ECOSOC continental representative Joseph Chilengi told the Daily Nation yesterday that such leaders were identified by their dictatorial and autocratic tendencies and yet they sang the loudest on democracy and human rights.
“Their manifestos are never reviewed and have no platform where their members can give policy direction and review their leadership. These political parties always rush to external actors and institutions, thereby undermining the country’s sovereignty and its institutions.
“We wish to state that some opposition political parties on the continent are now a danger to Africa’s democratisation. For example, in Zambia, Kenya and Uganda, the same political leaders have been consistently standing for elections for years without seeking renewal of their leadership from their grass root members,” Mr. Chilengi said.
He added: “In these elections they always lose and never accept results. Democracy for them means exclusion of participation of the grassroots, contrary to the values and principles expounded by the Africa Governance Architecture (AGA) of the African Union.
“You do not expect such leaders to entrench democracy and promote rule of law when in government. An assessment of most opposition political parties in Zambia is very embarrassing. The major opposition political party the United Party for National Development (UPND) has never experienced intra-party democracy and rule of law of their own party constitution apart from the gathering at its formation.”
He said one political leader had headed the party without subjecting himself and others to internal electoral processes but the same were loudest speakers for democracy.
“Other leaders within the party have been changed several times except for one. The UPND has never had its manifesto endorsed by its grassroots for a long time. All other political parties are one-man political parties that have never and will never have capacity to participate in a national election but they auction themselves to the highest bidder.
“The UPND is the major political party which runs one third of Parliament and runs councils in Southern, Western, and Northwestern provinces but there is nothing to show that they are the best in running the councils,” Mr. Chilengi said
He said this was the reason the AU’s AGA and its five pillars proposed and encouraged countries on the continent to adopt political party bills so as to strengthen political parties, especially the opposition.
“The political party bills we propose, as part of strengthening democratisation and enhancing governance in Africa, should contain progressive provisions such as limiting leadership to two terms of any political party leader.
“Those that have stood for national elections on more than two occasions, without success, should not be allowed to contest lest they now bring in personal interest and pollute the political environment. This threatens stability and unity as they in most cases retreat to their regions, thereby dividing the country.”
