By Daily Revelation Editor
Countrymen and women, we have to be serious with how we exercise our right to vote.
We actually need to attach a premium to our vote. It’s not just voting for the sake of voting, then when those we have voted for fail to meet our expectations, we immediately start complaining and thinking of replacing them with others.
We know that a huge segment of the Zambian populace has already decided on who to vote for, while others are in the process of assessing the various candidates. Others have simply given up on voting due to the repeated disappointments they have experienced at the hands of the politicians.
However, especially for those who have given up on voting, our view is that it is better for them to participate in the electoral process than simply staying away.
As for those who will be voting, we urge them to guard their votes jealously. For instance, if you have decided to vote for President Hakainde Hichilema, the question is what has really motivated you to vote for the President? What achievements can you point to during his five years in office which have prompted you to vote for him? What policy initiatives has he put in place that have had a telling effect on you and Zambia in general, that should warrant you rising up early on August 13 to go and cast the vote for him? If you were to be asked a question right now about what is motivating you to vote for HH, would you spontaneously give an answer without any hesitation? Mind you, we are talking about policy and developmental initiatives here and not about any hit song that proclaims praises or chimwela for the President. Have you taken time to read the UPND manifesto for instance? Have you taken time to thoroughly scrutinise the President’s character, especially during the five years he’s held public office? Have you taken time to analyse how President Hichilema has conducted himself in public office, whether inspiring or uninspiring, for you to want to vote for him again?
The same questions apply to those in the opposition alike. If for instance you have decided to vote for the Tonse/Pamodzi ticket of presidential candidate Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu, we want to know, what it is that Mundubile has promised to deliver for Zambia that has moved you to want to vote for him so much? What is it? Have you even taken time to read the Tonse/Pamodzi alliance manifesto in the first place? Is it a workable document, and does it speak to the aspirations of Zambians? If you were asked to mention just one policy initiative that Mundubile has offered, would you be able to mention any spontaneously? What is it about Mundubile’s character that motivates you so much? Have you been able to take stock of Mundubile’s profile as a politician, including the time he held public office as a minister, including his running mate Makebi Zulu?
The same questions apply to contenders like Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba and Socialist Party leader Dr Fred M’membe, and the other candidates you are planning on voting. What is it that Kalaba, or Fred are promising which drives your adrenaline that you can’t wait to vote for them on August 13? Kalaba served in public office before as Lands minister and then as Foreign Affairs minister, which he resigned from during late Edgar Lungu’s administration. How did he conduct his affairs while in public office? Or indeed, how has he conducted his affairs in his personal and political life, including now as CF leader? What promises and policy initiatives is he promising to put in place to address the many challenges facing this country?
As for M’membe, his name came to national prominence when he served as managing director and editor-in-chief of arguably the biggest media institution in this country, The Post Newspaper. How did he conduct his affairs there? And after that as a politician and leader of the Socialist Party, how has he conducted his affairs? What policy initiatives is he planning to put in place? Are they workable and will they address the country’s pressing problems if he were given public office? How is his character, and the characters of all the others you plan on voting for? You see, ones character cannot be separated when considering one for public office as that is what forms the basis of who they are, and determines their outlook towards life, including how they would govern when in office.
If you are there and have not taken time to reflect upon these issues, the likelihood is that you are going to make a wrong decision, and will start regretting not too long from now. The time to scrutinise these candidates is now. Once you give them power they will forget that they are your servants and will continue to reign over you as bosses, and the only time you will have to rectify the problem is after five years.
And if you continue voting in the same manner you do – where your sensitivities are aroused because of one chimwela song, or simply by the chimwela of the election season – without undertaking to do your due diligence, you will make another wrong decision when the election season comes up in 2031 and continue wallowing in regret and stagnation.
Be wise!
Related
By Daily Revelation Editor
Countrymen and women, we have to be serious with how we exercise our right to vote.
We actually need to attach a premium to our vote. It’s not just voting for the sake of voting, then when those we have voted for fail to meet our expectations, we immediately start complaining and thinking of replacing them with others.
We know that a huge segment of the Zambian populace has already decided on who to vote for, while others are in the process of assessing the various candidates. Others have simply given up on voting due to the repeated disappointments they have experienced at the hands of the politicians.
However, especially for those who have given up on voting, our view is that it is better for them to participate in the electoral process than simply staying away.
As for those who will be voting, we urge them to guard their votes jealously. For instance, if you have decided to vote for President Hakainde Hichilema, the question is what has really motivated you to vote for the President? What achievements can you point to during his five years in office which have prompted you to vote for him? What policy initiatives has he put in place that have had a telling effect on you and Zambia in general, that should warrant you rising up early on August 13 to go and cast the vote for him? If you were to be asked a question right now about what is motivating you to vote for HH, would you spontaneously give an answer without any hesitation? Mind you, we are talking about policy and developmental initiatives here and not about any hit song that proclaims praises or chimwela for the President. Have you taken time to read the UPND manifesto for instance? Have you taken time to thoroughly scrutinise the President’s character, especially during the five years he’s held public office? Have you taken time to analyse how President Hichilema has conducted himself in public office, whether inspiring or uninspiring, for you to want to vote for him again?
The same questions apply to those in the opposition alike. If for instance you have decided to vote for the Tonse/Pamodzi ticket of presidential candidate Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu, we want to know, what it is that Mundubile has promised to deliver for Zambia that has moved you to want to vote for him so much? What is it? Have you even taken time to read the Tonse/Pamodzi alliance manifesto in the first place? Is it a workable document, and does it speak to the aspirations of Zambians? If you were asked to mention just one policy initiative that Mundubile has offered, would you be able to mention any spontaneously? What is it about Mundubile’s character that motivates you so much? Have you been able to take stock of Mundubile’s profile as a politician, including the time he held public office as a minister, including his running mate Makebi Zulu?
The same questions apply to contenders like Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba and Socialist Party leader Dr Fred M’membe, and the other candidates you are planning on voting. What is it that Kalaba, or Fred are promising which drives your adrenaline that you can’t wait to vote for them on August 13? Kalaba served in public office before as Lands minister and then as Foreign Affairs minister, which he resigned from during late Edgar Lungu’s administration. How did he conduct his affairs while in public office? Or indeed, how has he conducted his affairs in his personal and political life, including now as CF leader? What promises and policy initiatives is he promising to put in place to address the many challenges facing this country?
As for M’membe, his name came to national prominence when he served as managing director and editor-in-chief of arguably the biggest media institution in this country, The Post Newspaper. How did he conduct his affairs there? And after that as a politician and leader of the Socialist Party, how has he conducted his affairs? What policy initiatives is he planning to put in place? Are they workable and will they address the country’s pressing problems if he were given public office? How is his character, and the characters of all the others you plan on voting for? You see, ones character cannot be separated when considering one for public office as that is what forms the basis of who they are, and determines their outlook towards life, including how they would govern when in office.
If you are there and have not taken time to reflect upon these issues, the likelihood is that you are going to make a wrong decision, and will start regretting not too long from now. The time to scrutinise these candidates is now. Once you give them power they will forget that they are your servants and will continue to reign over you as bosses, and the only time you will have to rectify the problem is after five years.
And if you continue voting in the same manner you do – where your sensitivities are aroused because of one chimwela song, or simply by the chimwela of the election season – without undertaking to do your due diligence, you will make another wrong decision when the election season comes up in 2031 and continue wallowing in regret and stagnation.
Be wise!
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ePaper No.406, Monday, June 08-09, 2026
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