The POST reported this week that Prof. Clive Chirwa has announced his intention to contest both the MMD and republican presidency.
I think the best analysis of the situation is contained in an article by Dr. Neo Simutayi in the POST 26/11/2007. Here is a section of the article...
In case Clive Chirwa does not know, announcing one’s intention to contest the top job is not something that is taken lightly in Africa. Incumbents feel threatened to have individuals they have not anointed to succeed them or to be faced with a prospect of losing political authority and influence to a new contender. The MMD has in effect prohibited any canvassing for the party presidency citing fears that the party may be divided ahead of the national convention.As expected the early reactions to Chirwa’s intentions were quick and confrontational. A senior MMD official and government minister Lameck Mangani said Prof Chirwa should expect to be bruised if he dares contest the party presidency. He said the MMD did not know Prof. Chirwa both at national and provincial levels.Mangani said that: ‘We have a structure to follow in MMD. You do not just come from nowhere and say I want to become the party president and later lead the nation.’ Chirwa should expect more reactions from the MMD’s rank and file in the months to come. People who have invested their political fortunes in the MMD would not want to see their ambitions curtailed by someone they consider an outsider.
I have been thinking about this issue for a number of days and wondering what options are open to Prof. Chirwa. One of him main disadvantage is lack of recognition within the MMD and the country as a whole. Very few people knew who Clive Chirwa was until his PR machine (run by the POST) swung into action with a series of carefully planned interviews and public appearances. To stand a chance of realising his goals, the machine needs to be cranked up to a higher gear. The MMD scrap heap is full of men and women of potential who could not advance to the high positions in the party because they did not have a following within the party. These followers need to be made up of people with a variety of backgrounds to help sell the vision of the candidate for the country and the party.
However, the greatest obstacle he will face could be the current President himself. The President has indicated that he has someone in mind to succeed him as MMD and Republican president. I doubt whether this person is Clive Chirwa. Would the President and MMD cadres take kindly to Clive standing against a candidate anointed by dr. Mwanawasa? The MMD cadres would simply shut the gates to the convention centre and give him the same treatment accorded to Gen Miyanda and co during the infamous 3rd term debate. One also wonders how the likes of Katele Kalumba, Mabenga, Shikapwashya, Kabinga Pande and the other long standing members of the MMD with ambitions for high office would also react to the Clive's candidature. While I welcome Clive's intention to serve the country, I just feel he faces an uphill battle because the MMD as a party will not welcome his 'intrusion'.
The PANEL.
Wednesday 28 November 2007
Have we become tolerant of corruption?
It will be difficult to fight corruption for as long as Zambians continue to eulogise criminality, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Charles Milupi has observed.
“The problem is that we have a culture of eulogising criminality. If we had a different culture, that would be a major step in fighting corruption,” Milupi said. “We have clerks building mansions and we tolerate them even when we see that their wealth is ill-gotten.Instead of questioning how they acquired that wealth, we say ‘ebaume aba’ (these are great men). We have allowed laws to fall by the roadside which has led to a ‘Sangwapo’ kind of situation.” POST 21/11/2007
Mr. Milupi goes on to quote examples from the latest Auditor-General’s report
“a cashier at the Zambia Police Headquarters who misappropriated K1 billion and another officer at the Immigration Department who misappropriated K855 million”
“ the Ministry of Communications and Transport had the worst record, as 30 per cent of its total revenue collections for the year under review, amounting to K5.5 billion, was misappropriated.”
“K15.4 billion was reported as misapplied in the 19 ministries and spending agencies in 2005.”“Under the Office of the President, Southern Province provincial administration, K1.67 billion (94 per cent) of the K1.78 billion meant for cattle restocking, was misapplied”
“Amounts totalling K6.3 billion were not banked on time in 2005. Of this amount, 43 per cent was ascribed to the Ministry of Communications and Transport.”“Zambia Police misappropriated appropriation-in-aid amounting to K167.6 billion in 2005.”
“public funds were also lost on badly managed projects such as the Mbesuma Bridge and Mongu-Kalabo road projects where US$1 million and K112 billion were respectively spent on nothing.”
These incidents are all documented in the latest Auditor-General’s report. No wonder the government has no money to pay decent salaries to its employees and provide public services. There seems to be a culture of allowing officials to loot public funds with impunity!
The PANEL
“The problem is that we have a culture of eulogising criminality. If we had a different culture, that would be a major step in fighting corruption,” Milupi said. “We have clerks building mansions and we tolerate them even when we see that their wealth is ill-gotten.Instead of questioning how they acquired that wealth, we say ‘ebaume aba’ (these are great men). We have allowed laws to fall by the roadside which has led to a ‘Sangwapo’ kind of situation.” POST 21/11/2007
Mr. Milupi goes on to quote examples from the latest Auditor-General’s report
“a cashier at the Zambia Police Headquarters who misappropriated K1 billion and another officer at the Immigration Department who misappropriated K855 million”
“ the Ministry of Communications and Transport had the worst record, as 30 per cent of its total revenue collections for the year under review, amounting to K5.5 billion, was misappropriated.”
“K15.4 billion was reported as misapplied in the 19 ministries and spending agencies in 2005.”“Under the Office of the President, Southern Province provincial administration, K1.67 billion (94 per cent) of the K1.78 billion meant for cattle restocking, was misapplied”
“Amounts totalling K6.3 billion were not banked on time in 2005. Of this amount, 43 per cent was ascribed to the Ministry of Communications and Transport.”“Zambia Police misappropriated appropriation-in-aid amounting to K167.6 billion in 2005.”
“public funds were also lost on badly managed projects such as the Mbesuma Bridge and Mongu-Kalabo road projects where US$1 million and K112 billion were respectively spent on nothing.”
These incidents are all documented in the latest Auditor-General’s report. No wonder the government has no money to pay decent salaries to its employees and provide public services. There seems to be a culture of allowing officials to loot public funds with impunity!
The PANEL
Tuesday 27 November 2007
Lessons from the Nchanga bye election
It has now been a number of weeks since Mr. Sata's Patriotic Front returned its Nchanga Parliamentary seat despite a massive injection of time and effort by the ruling MMD. The MMD were swift to express their disappointment with the loss.
Many political commentators were actually surprised that the MMD thought they could win this seat mainly because of the way government handled the pollution of the Kafue river by KCM and the general lack of tangible development in the area under the MMD. The MMD's trusted mantra of promising development if people elected an MP from the ruling party did not work this time. What was even surprising was the fact that the President was too busy to campaign on behalf of his candidate.
In addition to the reasons advanced above, I think the MMD lost the seat because:
1. Although the economy is 'booming' the ordinary man or woman is struggling to put food on the table. People feel their lives have not improved as a result of the increased economic activity and blame GRZ and the MMD for this.
2. Defection of the incumbent MP to the MMD: The MMD candidate had been the area MP and just defected to join the MMD which triggered the bye-election. I hope by not voting for the MMD, people finally sent a strong message to the MMD that they will not tolerate these costly and unnecessary bye-elections.
3. The Electorate in Nchanga is informed with access to different sources of news. They are aware of the many bad news stories surrounding the MMD govt and have acted to punish the Govt.
4. The perceived harassment of Mr. Sata did not help the MMD cause. Unless the MMD addresses these issues they will continue losing elections in areas with an informed electorate.
The PANEL
Many political commentators were actually surprised that the MMD thought they could win this seat mainly because of the way government handled the pollution of the Kafue river by KCM and the general lack of tangible development in the area under the MMD. The MMD's trusted mantra of promising development if people elected an MP from the ruling party did not work this time. What was even surprising was the fact that the President was too busy to campaign on behalf of his candidate.
In addition to the reasons advanced above, I think the MMD lost the seat because:
1. Although the economy is 'booming' the ordinary man or woman is struggling to put food on the table. People feel their lives have not improved as a result of the increased economic activity and blame GRZ and the MMD for this.
2. Defection of the incumbent MP to the MMD: The MMD candidate had been the area MP and just defected to join the MMD which triggered the bye-election. I hope by not voting for the MMD, people finally sent a strong message to the MMD that they will not tolerate these costly and unnecessary bye-elections.
3. The Electorate in Nchanga is informed with access to different sources of news. They are aware of the many bad news stories surrounding the MMD govt and have acted to punish the Govt.
4. The perceived harassment of Mr. Sata did not help the MMD cause. Unless the MMD addresses these issues they will continue losing elections in areas with an informed electorate.
The PANEL
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