By Charles Ngoma
Adlai Stevenson is quoted as saying, ‘I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends…that if they stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.’
From Dr Chiluba’s latest press conference one can see how Zambian politicians seem to be sitting between the truth and lies by failing to reveal one, while concealing the other.
It is like the more secret scandals they know about each other, the closer their precarious friendships and associations. Kind of insurance policies ready to be cashed in on the death of that friendship.
There has been feverish interest in this press conference and yet in as far as politics is concerned, there was very little of it.
The main political point Dr.Chiluba made was to defend his freedom of association and tell us why he supports a particular person as Presidential candidate.
Other than that, the rest was a shameful and embarrassing ‘undressing’ of an older man in the eyes of the people. Once upon a time all these men were pals.
It seems that at that time, they concealed all the truths about each other but now they want everyone to know what they know.
On the other hand, Mr Sata once asked Mr Hichilema to ‘reveal how he got rich so quickly as a young man’ but now that, is expediently a non-issue in the pact.
Could it be that he has reserved that weapon for future use? How true, that ‘in politics, your enemies can’t hurt you, but your friends will kill you.’ (Ann Richards, 45th Governor of Texas) There is no doubt that Dr Chiluba was provoked by the numerous aspersions that had been cast on his character by the older man. Whether he was right or wrong to respond in that manner, I will leave for others to judge.
But the question that should be asked is: how have we come to this petty pass in our politics? May I suggest that all sectors of our society are to blame for this.
First, it is us, us the public who have an insatiable appetite for ‘juicy gossip’ and voyeurism on the people in power and those we admire.
Because of this, we have blurred the distinction between what is of public interest and interesting to the public.
What came out of the former President’s mouth was not news to many people because Zambia is a small country and we all know someone who knows someone, who knows someone we know.
Second, the blame is on the media, the media whose life line depends on circulation.
Newspapers do not make money from selling individual papers as such, but if they show that they have a wide circulation, advertisers are more likely to buy space and thus finance the paper.
It has been said that sex sells newspapers and what a harvest it yields when this is combined with politics! The media personalities are part and parcel of the society, and so what interests the society, interests them and vice versa.
But, there is journalistic training that should help distinguish between a reporter and a common gossiper, between a professional and a charlatan.
The journalist must be incisive, and must consider diligently the effect the information he is to disseminate will have on people. Information is power.
The pen is mightier than the sword. Nowadays, we have visual cues as well and this is a potent force that can be used to shape our destiny for good or for ill.
Lack of information is ignorance, and ignorance is vice. But too much information without restraint is dangerous.A sail that takes in too much of the wind will capsize the boat.
There are certain things that are not necessary to report, unless one has malice in aforethought.
Thirdly: the politicians themselves. There is nothing super human about a politician. Indeed, all of them have flaws.
All of them have done and will do many unsavoury things in their lives for which they will be ashamed. We do not elect them because they are ensamples of superior morality.
We elect them to do a job. But, if they have any idea as to why they are in politics, then they will know what to say and when to say what they say.
It seems to me that Mr Sata has a penchant for pointing moral flaws in political opponents. Dr Nevas Mumba was once a victim of this while he led the NCC.
How can talking about someone ‘stealing another man’s wife’ bring food to a hungry and malnourished child in Madzimoyo, medicine to a leper in Liteta, fertilizer to a farmer in Mazabuka or money in the pockets of a retired miner in Mwansabombwe?
How do all these personal attacks explain encourage people to go to a polling station to vote? By these personality issues, how does the man in the street understand what is wrong with the national budget? How does all this really develop our country?
As President Obama said about America, I would say of Zambia that there is nothing which is wrong in Zambia, which what is right with Zambia cannot correct.
As our own Dr Kenneth Kaunda says about HIV/AIDS, we fought colonialism, we can overcome our ills as well.
Let the people seek first the really important things for us and our children and elect officers who can bring about those things.
Let the media ask the right questions and so hold the elected officers to account for their mandate and promises.
Let the politicians concentrate on the weightier matters of development, life and death, rather than petty issues of who is sleeping with whom.
Wake up Zambians and stop these jokes.These politician are friends.:((:((:((
I do not agree with the suggestion that “all sectors of society are to blame for this.”
The blame falls squarely on the politicians themselves, whom you have listed third. We cannot blame the public and the media. When high-level politicians open their mouths the latter two groups cannot just shut their ears. Let us diagonise the root cause correctly if we are to treat the malaise.
One thing we should also note, is Chiluba’s excitement of being a free man again. I as a Zambian will find it difficult to quickly accept a man like Chiluba after all that he has done to the people of Zambia. Only God knows why some of us have left our lovely country to live in another man’s land. Some people deserve incaseration.
This Kafupi, keeps making headlines. To hell with your supporters and assistants.
“First, it is us, us the public who have an insatiable appetite for ‘juicy gossip’ and voyeurism on the people in power and those we admire.”
Tell me where this is the opposite.In Zambia we are even lucky because the illiteracy levels are so high.Try America with Zarare’s record and see if you will last on the Political scene.Good article though
Well I do agree with the suggestions made.I have seen it with my own eyes that the public enjoys such as evidenced by the many comments made compared to development issues.I’m looking forward to when the opposition can put to illustration their policies to work whenever given chance.Like the Lusaka city council/:)
Charles Ngoma you have writen everything I have always emphasized on especially on the media. BRAVO=d> my fellow Zambian citizen BRAVO^:)^**==*
Chiluba, Sata and Hikainde
The Quack, the Fool and the blind mouse
Instead of throwing a blanket of blame on all Zambians, it is only accurate and researched view if Mr.Ngoma can blame PF cadres who have for ages condoned the carriculture nonsense of Sata in his political treking as a vagabond.After defaming God by single handedly crafting the Kumulu lesa pano panshi ni Kaunda which riled KK, he turned against hin at 11:55 am before MMD took over at 12:00PM. He insulted and accused of all things in the word to the danger of Nation security.Recall that there was a time he was calling on Americans to come and shell Zambia on the pretex of his lie that late Sadam was att state lodge.During the third term you know the story.During Mwanawasa again everything he said is on tape and camera some of which ZNBC will be running shortly.
Mwanawasa was insulted, defamed and lampooned over his misfortune until Sata tested death that is when he was humbled to stop lampooning the fate of Levy.When Pule Married Tamara Sata was there defaming him and flaunting that he is a moralist devoted Catholic then he went for president Banda who served his one and only marriage to mama Hope Mwansa untill her death.President Banda a windower’s marriage to first lady Tandiwe is spiritual, legal and traditionally blessed under any ordinance of marriage yet Sata has been defaming.As if not enough, he has been occupied with insulting and defaming silent FJT for over a year now.In a rare gradualist style FJT has merely hipped Sata with a monologue of question which he should say yes or no.
The Best of all articles i have ever read on LT!! Keep it up and dont bring kyambalesas trush to reverse the standard you have set.
No one has asked Sata to tell Zambians that he is a moralist devoted Catholic. But in his usual obsession of insulting and defaming others, he has been wittingly postulating that he is Saint Sata with all the moral and spiritual credence to take eucharist.
Untill PF cadre realise that they have a parody to nowhere in Sata and that there are tangible things they can do without him, they are responsible for the infatuation and ingratiation that is misleading him into this shame and mental disgress on his 3 wives.I pitty ba Mama Kaseba for the pain she is undergoing at the hand of a cheater in her progressive life.
Without this little pluddering thief in our midist, politics would have been somewhat normal. Now that he has been rehabilitated by MMD we are in for a scandalous time untile he is locked up as should be
Iwe chi Senior Citizen, stop insulting our leaader Mr Sata. Mr Sata is a good leader who was trying to advise KK and KK would not listen. Mr Sata has proved himself that he has the capacity to bring change to this insanity prevailing in this Country
To think this midget was head of state really is painful!
On the above reported on written, all I am happy about is that President HH has been cleared by Mr Chiluba — who has failed to respond to Mr HH’s words in the POST of yesterday. As of Mr Sata MC, the man has been done and I hope politics of insults end with his ending political career due to Mr HH’s growing popularity and Mr RB’s good moves that will finish PF’s Sata and hopefully PF itself.
Have a blessed day all.
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Matt 6:33 BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGSOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ANS ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.
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People Maestro a MMD and a terrible cadre. The idi ot knows UPND can never win elections on their own. Go and wank Maestro. By the way people he is a mod.
A lot of words about nothing. Just like one would expect from a Lusaka Times writer; emptiness.
To my observation, the man has highlighted one issue that we, the bloggers have also fallen for, ‘juicy gossip’. He’s right, look at the contributions people make on environmental, health and technological issues. The blogs rarely go second base, you’ll find a little over 10 comments. Speak of political garbage, you’ll find the most eloquent, thorough self-reliant contributions. I have never seen certain fellows commend a good addition to Zambian development.
Looks like people are paid to blog politics…… shame on you.
The ***** comes up with a different flag still spouting rubb ish! Maestro you a pathetic person who is so heartless you would sell Zambia for a tenner. Now go away you filthy id iot!
Good article. he just misses out the fact that the lack of literacy and exposure realy contibute to this
What makes newspapers sell? its not Blu-ray or HD technology or greenhouses stories NO! Its the juicy gossip like it or not and that is what constitute politics.Try talking about technology and see what crowd you will atract:)>-:)>-:)>-:)>-
Well written and positive article. let us espouse the inherent good in our society and not allow fithy politicians to set our personal and societal agenda. we need to rise above the petty and refuse to follow sycophants.
Our society is engaged in a self-destruction mode and this has been put in gear by the hatred we have for each other. Look around you and see what happiness levels it generates in some people when one has challenges? The reason why FTJ is saying what he is, is that Sata has incessantly called him immoral, wife grabber, a thief etc. All politicians have flaws but to ride and gain political mileage on the other person’s flaws when you have the same ones is not right. The Post for productions-on-end have called RB a fool and all the unprintables but we have continued to buy the papers and enjoyed reading them. They called KK a fool, but we enjoyed it all. These are the plants sowed along time ago from seeds of hate.
A breath of fresh air. Non-partisan and uniting the nation to solve our problems together. We need this.
Zambia will develop only when these *****s pass on. Patience pays. If God gives them long life we have to choose between RB and SATA. HH is the only young man around but SATA will not give him chance. What a pain to bear and a what a wasted 20 years to behold under the MMD. Kalaki is even tired of scolding them (I don’t hear from him in the Post). They don’t learn till death do them teach.
I also like the way this article is written. The writer has successfully managed to show NO political affinity.
Politics is indeed a dirty game and it is played by dirty players. It is quite sad that those who choose to get involved often do so in ways that are polarising, contradicting and damaging to the higher call of duty they initially chose to perform.
# 30 – What are you talking here. The Bible said, You rather be hot or cold. If you are lookwarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. We live because of politics. From now onwards you are not allowed to talk politics on this forum. Please, leave politics to us upcoming politicians. Join MMD, its free.
Yaba, Sata ansekesha sana, ati ” Chiluba is married to a convict” yah yah yah:)):))>:)=d>~X(
Why can’t HH & Sata act behave as politicians who want to change the course of Zambian politics & go to convention ASAP. Right now they are so petty with the issues they are articulating….We want to know their policies on infrastructure development, education, health, poverty reduction, farming, mining and most importantly manufacturing. What agenda are they going to sell to us to win our votes? That’s what we want to see & hear from them not these petty issues about who is screwing which woman etc do I really care who Dr Kafupi is bonking
ANY GOOD MODERN SOCIO-ECONOMIC POLICY IN ZAMBIA CAN WORK and develop the country…the problem is the lack of WILL on the part of GOVERNMENT is what brings us down!
We live in a country of “Each one for Himself, and God for us ALL…” ZAMBIANS are plain SELFISH…just look at the Zambians in the diaspora…living like islands…when you compare with other African Nations it is totally different. We do not have a sense of solidarity at all because we are all looking out for number one, trying to get ahead of the crowd. Nothing wrong with ambition, but we do all we can, including destroying our neighbours, to get what we want. Its all about the MONEY.We all want money that is why it is called MONEY.We are still willing to sell each other for MONEY.People wake up and think about tomorrow!