It should not just be about removing Hichilema

By Daily Revelation Editor

Like we observed last week, the country is now in campaign mood, with alliances being formed, some being loudly mooted, with others breaking up to see which mix would better fit them.

The mood is just hitting up and from the look of things this will be the earliest campaign season we shall see in the country, aside from the mere formalities of announcing the main campaign season.

But during this period, we urge the Zambian people not to be swayed by the proverbial chimwela season that usually consumes this country during campaign seasons, where people seem to pay particular attention to the common political slogans or songs, without critically analysing the politicians offering themselves for public office.

It seems we have become accustomed as a country to voting for individuals rather than the soundness or workability of the promises. That’s why we find that in most cases, people will vote someone out of office for the wrong things they have committed, but end up defending their leader for engaging in the same wrong stuff they voted someone out of office for. Mind boggling!

That’s why this time around, we are urging citizens to open their eyes and reflect seriously on the people offering themselves up for leadership. While supporting and belonging to political parties is important and must be encouraged at all times, however, patriotism must always be reserved for the country. Love for country must trump whatever considerations one has for any particular individual. It should trump one’s allegiance to party, tribe, ethnicity and whatever considerations one many have about their favourite politicians.

During this campaign period, a lot of promises, noise will be made. All the political parties that have come to power in this country have made several promises, which they have failed to live up to, the difference is just probably the degree of success or failure. There were promises the former PF administration made which they failed to live up to, like the famous 90-days slogan. The MMD before them made a lot of promises too, which they too failed to live up to. The current administration of Hakainde Hichilema made a lot of promises, which it has failed to live up to, with plenty of them actually in writing, audios and videos.

Hichilema promised lower fuel prices at K13 per litre, fertilizer at K250, mealie-meal at K50 per 25kg bags, promised lower electricity prices as a necessity of life which must not be expensive. He promised an appreciated Kwacha owing to the business confidence his election would instill in the country. He promised to repeal the Cyber laws, and work to ensure more freedoms through enhanced democracy. He promised independent state institutions and to tackle tribalism, which he denounced in his predecessors Rupiah Banda, Michael Sata, and especially Edgar Lungu. Is that what is happening? We leave it to independent minds to answer. Of course this is not to discount the many good things he has implemented in the country, including the scaled up enrollment of teachers and medical personnel, free education, among other successes.

But politicians must be held to account on the extent they have failed to fulfil their promises while in office. It is not that Edgar Lungu failed to implement some of the promises he made to Zambians. It’s just that voters felt the magnitude of failure was much more than the successes he scored. We are sure Hichilema will be judged to the same score card too.

We are also aware that those from the opposition will make their own sweet promises in terms of how they would government the country if given the opportunity. We urge Zambians to hold them to account on that. They should analyse the people offering themselves up to lead critically. It should not just be about wanting to remove Hichilema from office, but what they would do if they were given the opportunity. How sound are their policies or promises? And are those same policies implementable?

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error: Content is protected !!