By Elias Munshya wa Munshya
Nothing makes politics more fascinating than when political manipulators get manipulated by their own manipulation. Chiluba remains a political controversy not so much by the state houses he sold sitting tenants than by the way he was dribbled by his own political dribbling. The self-confessed political engineer tasted the bitter taste of his own medicine when Mwanawasa, the person he specially fashioned, spurned him. Political history has a way of repeating itself, and today it is Mike Mulongoti who is getting to be played by the same game he played against others.
It is undoubted that Mulongoti was a very influential political player. In his admission, President Mwanawasa fished him out of political exile, nominated him to parliament and tasked him with the duty of identifying other political retirees and exiles that could work with the Mwanawasa government. Mwanawasa himself had to go for retirees because he could not fish from a cadre of active MMD members because they were all thoroughly faithful to Frederick Chiluba. Mulongoti got going and his major scoop was identifying a 70-year old retiree from a farm in Chipata. Whatever qualities Mulongoti saw from the Chipata retiree, it was clear that he and Mwanawasa were going to use this Rupiah Bwezani Banda for many months to come. When Mwanawasa won the 2006 elections he quite naturally went to Banda to be his vice-president. Mulongoti’s role had become all but assuring.[pullquote]No party in Zambia holds free and fair intra-party elections. The only fair intra-party elections in Zambia were UNIP’s first post-independence convention in 1968 and the MMD’s first convention in 1991.
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When Mwanawasa died, Mulongoti wanted to go for the presidency. But realising the hurdle before him, he was happy to settle for the role of kingmaker. He and Tetamashimba made it clear that it was Rupiah Banda who was going to be anointed king. To do this, Mulongoti and Teta became more vocal and frustrated the likes of Magande-Mwanawasa’s preferred successor. But things did not end there, Mulongoti continued with his crusade to the extent that anyone who stood in his way was either fired by Rupiah Banda or out-rightly expelled from the MMD. The most famous exchanges in this endeavour were between Mulongoti and George Mpombo. Mpombo never hesitated to call Mulongoti as “braggadocio.” Banda reciprocated Mulongoti and Teta’s support by giving them a visible role in the party. Additionally, Banda rewarded Mulongoti with senior government appointments.
But Mulongoti’s initial ambition to be president never died down. Come 2011, the only way he could achieve his ambition was aim for the MMD vice-presidency. As a member of the MMD he had the freedom to do that. However, Mulongoti assumed quite wrongly that since he had done Banda such a huge favour, by fishing him from the farm, it was now time for Banda to repay this favour, by fishing Mulongoti from the political farm to the government house. He thought that the only way Banda should show that favour was by either supporting Mulongoti for MMD vice-presidency or by remaining neutral as Mulongoti takes on Republican vice-president George Kunda. But Mulongoti was sadly mistaken. It was time for him to get played, and Rupiah Banda was ready for him.
Mulongoti got played by his own ungratefulness. Banda had already aptly rewarded him by giving him one of the senior cabinet posts. As minister of works and supply, Mulongoti was in charge of all government properties and tenders. Whatever got into Mulongoti’s head to think that Banda owed him more than that contributed to this player getting played.
Mulongoti got played by his own pride. Here is a guy who when he is fired, justifies his arrogance by alleging that he had sacrificed a lot for politics. In fact, he even has the audacity to mention that at the time the MMD was fighting UNIP dictatorship in 1990, he had sacrificed a personal-to-holder car as a marketing manager to join the MMD. While not discounting the contribution he may have made to the fall of Kaunda, Mulongoti should not over exalt his role. There are many people who did not just lose a car, but lost more than that in fighting Kaunda. Pride has a way letting political players get played.
Mulongoti got played by his lack of political calculation. No party in Zambia holds free and fair intra-party elections. The only fair intra-party elections in Zambia were UNIP’s first post-independence convention in 1968 and the MMD’s first convention in 1991. In case of the MMD, except for Arthur Wina, none of its leader has ever guaranteed free and fair elections as currently demanded by Mulongoti. Mwanawasa’s convention is even more interesting in this regard in the sense that due to political manipulations and confusions he unilaterally froze the position of vice-president. He also expelled Nevers Mumba his challenger for the MMD presidency. The only person to survive the great Mwanawasa manipulation is Katele Kalumba and that is because Katele possessed very rare political qualities that Mulongoti should have emulated.
At the ascension of Mwanawasa in 2002, Katele been arrested on a myriad of charges beginning from stealing a motor vehicle to corruption. However, the way Katele got himself back into the MMD’s political limelight offers some wisdom that anyone wanting to challenge an incumbent or the wish of the incumbent should emulate. Mulongoti should have learnt a lesson or two from Katele who in Kabwe walloped VJ Mwaanga for the position of National Secretary.
In spite of all indications that Mwanawasa was supporting Mwaanga for this position, Katele still went ahead to beat Mwanawasa’s preferred candidate. To beat a preferred candidate, Katele never for once insulted Mwaanga and neither did he disrespect Mwanawasa for showing support for Mwaanga. In fact, a week before the convention it was still not certain whether indeed Katele was going to seek the position at Kabwe. Katele instead concentrated on a silent campaign that mixed two important elements: history and tribal balancing. This campaign strategy worked so well that before Mwanawasa realized it, the provincial chairpersons had already settled for a Bemba speaking Katele to be National Secretary. The elections pulled a surprise and Mwaanga had been defeated.
Mwanawasa was not too pleased with the choice of the national convention, however. To not disappoint Mwaanga further, he was ably rewarded with a ministerial position. Telling Mwaanga, “the national convention rejected you.” The relationship between Katele and Mwanawasa could be characterised as the most bizarre of all political relationships in modern Zambian politics. Katele, a criminal suspect and staunch Chiluba loyalist was rubbing shoulders with President Mwanawasa. His political ingenuity and calculation had paid off! If Mulongoti was serious and realistic about campaigning against Kunda who is Banda’s vice-president and Banda’s preferred choice he should have used a little bit more wisdom. He should have used the Katele Kalumba strategy. Mulongoti for failing to heed Katele’s strategy got played!
For now, we wait another opportunity for Mulongoti to get fished from the political doldrums. It may not be for too long however, since politicians have a way of rising from a farm in Chipata to Nkwazi House in Woodlands. Just hoping that next time he gets to play the game Mulongoti will play a fairer game.
Its an interesting article. Well written i must state
Ukubuta kwekakweka Pa Zed. Mwebantu (politicians from head to least) kuleni. Democracy nipakanwa.
Very good political analysis, well researched!
Mwemakufi mwinenuka
I do not know what went to mulongotis head either some temporal lunacy or sheer stupidiidy. he must be gnashing his teeth now bcos he has been exposed and left naked, suddenly loses job, removed as MP and suspended from party for three months pending dismisal. were does he stand now with no spine or balls. Im sure he cannot even have an erection now looking at the sudden change in fortunes. no full tank, no VX, no talk time, no servants, no para police guard 24hours, no free education for kids, he has lost everything he had now its to look at his bank account and see how he managed to fatten his account. we have to chech how he managed to get that farm plot were he leaves in lusaka west. I dont envy mulongoti surely
Banda admitted yesterday that it was actually Aka who gave him the job, not Mlongoti. You sometimes wonder about Aka, the number of people he has given jobs to but he is not the one to go everywhere claiming he is a big employer like this ka Mlongoti, he deserves being fired. Chitala’s bid for MMD SG also looks dead in its tracks, ha ha ha!
well come to reality mr mulongoti. One RBs useful ***** has gone, who is next.
The only mistake mulongoti made was to keep on talking to the post which at the same time was calling rupia names
Ba mu dwinka Mulongoti
Next, he will join PF(political failures) , and that will be the sorry end of his politcal career. What a way to retire!! hahahahaha! am liking this.
#5
Shazza – Is that all you can think of? VX etc. If our fore fathers were thinking like that would we have achieved independece? I dont like Mulongoti, but he has a right as per MMD consititution to challenge any body. Why is RB afraid of him and George being challanged? This shows that he has no faith in any of the delegates. He is afraid that despite the assurances from cadres, they may change their minds and vote for the challenger. Even Senior Citizen is not trusted yaba!
not all days are sundays. Ubushiku usheme nechimbala chilocha. Mulongoti thought MMD was his, tepapa ngowaku roma. Shikapwasha you are next.
How I miss Tetamashimba!!
Completely wrong!
It was Aka who brought RB in to MMD four years before the 2006 election.
Please get your facts right!
Player played.
It sucks to be Mike right now……
Even democracy has to be managed. You can not have a key member of NEC running to the very newspaper that called your boss “judas Escariot” that insults him on a dailly basis. Further, you can’t continue to remind the president that you are the emmisary that brought him from the farm back into politics unless your intetion is to currupt him, blackmail him or make him captive. I had mixed feelings to start with but looking at things from this angle quite clearly shows that Mulongoti is a gungstar. Perhaps a very currupt man. It maybe worthwhile now to look at thhe books at RDA during his tenure.
Mulongoti was fired for talking to the post while others are running away from it
Even democracy has to be managed. You can not have a key member of NEC running to the very newspaper that called your boss “Judas Iscariot” that insults him on a daily basis. Further, you can’t continue to remind the president that you are the emissary that brought him from the farm back into politics unless your intention is to corrupt him, blackmail him or make him captive. I had mixed feelings to start with but looking at things from this angle quite clearly shows that Mulongoti is a gong. Perhaps a very corrupt man. It maybe worthwhile now to look at the books at RDA during his tenure.
Good analysis. Conceited Mulongoti got what he deserved. Insolence usually leads to embarrassment. He must be feeling like a twit now, especially after hounding out Mpombo and Magande. Good riddance.
Very good and educating analysis, in trying to get high,one gets to nothing, good political lesson!
ukushishita…………
pits and stones…pits and stones…
Good analysis, but the author gives too much credit to Katele for finding himself working with Levy. Katele was not the only person with criminal cases working with Levy. There are others like Mabenga, who actually got convicted but Levy kept them. It must be understood that Levy had to strike a very delicate balance between fighting corruption and keeping MMD afloat in certain provinces. This explains his choice of working with people like Katele and Mabenga. Most of us who understand Zambian politics know that if Levy didn’t want Katele in MMD or government, it was very easy to get rid of him.
I think the Mulongoti saga is just as sad as Mpombo and Magande’s sagas. Honestly how can a society be led just by people who agree on everything? Dessent and holding ones opinion is a God given right. Why should people be chased away because they are thinking differently and their thought is not threatening life of anyone?
Zambia – we are setting a dangerous precedence – we are planting seeds for social unrest. I can now predict with certainity that IF, and it is a big IF Ruphia wins, George Kunda, Shikapwasha…etc they will all be engineered out. I wonder whether Chiluba has got something to do with this. All those with good positions in the MMD government should not feel too comfortable now.
Good analysis ba Munshya wa Munshya
#5 Shazza ; You left out,’no more girl friends at Parliament motel 24/7.
VJ rigger indeed that permanent room he had at motel is gone. he will now have to pay for short time in emmasdale brothels
Mulongoti annoyed a alot of us jusy like Shichimpuno and Silly Dora the former girfriend of Richard Kazala.
Mulongoti has gotten a dose of his medicine. I await what Mpombo will say to all this. ha ha over to u Mpombo.
I know he will start with one big word: abradiskonda Mulongoti, I told u, your time was also near. ha Ha ha
YA ITS IS A GOOD ARTICLE I SHUD CONFESS.. NOW RB SHUD BE CAREFUL HE NEEDS PIPO TO SURROUND HIM RIGHT NOW HE IS SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES
Got his fair share, now he should destroy MMD for the opposition !!
People amaze me.You forgo all the luxuries that go with being minister of works and supply(with all the kickbacks that go with this ministry).And then you say I have no regrets?ka mulongoti is lying, he is regreting big time anso.
Powerful research i must acknowledge, the article was well articulated.
Ba mulongoti basombola icho babyele, let us remember that what we do to others will be done unto us,Peace and Love be with you all.
Pa last Elias wa lemba bwino. Noomba aka kashimi, fit for telling history students.
Elias, there is a lot of speculation in this analysis. You would have done better had you used FACTS and not rumour and innuendo. Mulongoti had no role to play in calling Banda from Chipata. Mulongoti and Tetamashimba supported Banda for the MMD Presidential candidate after the death of Mwanawasa because he is an old man whom they expected would not be available for 2011. They calculated that they would be avilable as VP (Mulongoti) and President (Teta) in 2011 when RB would return to his farm after the 3 year inter-Regis. Teta died. Mulongoti had to press on with his MMD VP role because he is not an elected MP. Being VP in the MMD would have given him an opportunity to take a safe MMD seat in parliament as an elected MP. Now all is lost. He should visit Katele’s Sangoma.
Good article. The small twit (Mulongoti) has a small brian.
I wish we had the like button here. some comments are very interesting. We surely await Mpombo to issue a statement.
Unfortunately, this article doesn’t do justice to Mulongoti (for m)e as only half of the article is on Mulongoti! The other half is on Mwanawasa and co. The bottom line is Mulongoti (who forgets to mention that he started off as a shop assistant) doesn’t have any qualities for being President (even Vice) apart from consistently failing his MBA (which has taken 6 years). I can understand why the same MMD tried to engineer the constitution to have a presidential candidate to have a degree as a prerequisite to be a candidate! A word of advice, swallow your pride and join Magande’s party as the vice president! That way, you would have achieved your lifetime dream!
He who kills with a knife will die with one!!!!!!! Mulongoti bamuchita PARMATTERCALL!!!!!
I echo what has already been said; well written analysis — at times reading like a thriller. i once met Mulongoti, he struck me as very intelligent and sufficiently well read. he was then Minister of Information.
#13 – What do you miss about Teta?? Was he your Uncle??
This is how articles should be written, if Lusaka Times had people like Elias Munshya, they could open a print media and excel above The Post in 2 days.
This article basically tells us how party democracy has failed in the MMD, if not in Zed. Freezing of positions, bootlicking-democracy without education is a non-starter. We need the next generation to step up the fight for a better politically organised Africa if we to break the chains of 600 hundreds years of jokes and suffering of our people.
Good article. I think Levy did not really mind katele winning and hence he did not really make an effort to stop him. He could still have the services of VJ as well. Mwanawasa played a numbers game to ensure that he left sata in the dust. That is the problem with the nation now, politics has taken precedence over transparency, competence, democracy and legality. This erosion has been slowly but surely taking place and looking at the opposition it seems the trend will continue.
The nature of our politics in Zambia is such that without the backing of a big political party, the likes of Mulongoti, Magande, and all those who want to be president can never win an election from scratch. They will be in the political wilderness for years to come. Only the two biggest parties (MMD and PF) and to a lesser extent UPND can win an election at the moment. So until Mulongoti is fished out of the current dirty and smelly fish pond in which he has fallen, he is practically finished. Oh how the mighty have fallen….
Politics of loyalty and not delivery to the people….I don’t blame RB for firing this guy. One would have expected him to be shrewd but he isn’t? Democracy is about the people’s choice not wanting endorsement from RB & when you fail to secure that you go on a rant like Mike did. I hope you’ve learnt from this….
Ba Saint (No. 34) you dont know what you are talking about. Ka Mulongoti had a role in bringing RB to MMD. Levy sent Mulongoti to Chipata to convince RB to join and campaign for Levy and Ka Mulongoti found ba mudala mu munda ya milisi in gum boots!!
Mulongoti is not worth commenting about. Ichisushi baachitanfya ku fisushi finankwe! Fyonse fipuba fya pa bwali. Fi sebana wikute!!!
If I was to mark this article, I would give it 41%.
So who is wrong between Mulongoti and RB? it seems there is a corbweb here!!!!!!!!!!
**== Right on!
Mulongoti has been fu.cked in the as.ss. We told you RB is gay.
to me that doesnt matter,identification had ored been done and iam sure correspondance had been kod for,so mulongoti was just a conduit period,apasuma palababa the guy must have gone too far in his tokings shiki of the mouth and constipation of the brain yalimwikata..He must be regreating nw believe me,minister of works and supply fired ha ha ha i must apply to the president to be consired for the position of Deputy minister in the ministry of works and Supply since iam qualified,being a citizen of this country-Your excellency Zambian republican president consider my humble request,Amen
Very good Article
Sometimes Munshya writes good articles but this one has too much speculation.
Anyway MMD Spokesperson Hon Dora Siliya, the best and most intelligent spokesperson among all the Zambian political parties, said today that as far as MMD is concerned the Mulongoti matter is a dead issue. I like that and I agree with the Honourable Dora. I am sure tomorrow morning we shall wake up to yet another of Sata’s comedy servings.
#54 Isoka, well said and you might as well add that we will have forgotten Mulongoti as get entertained by Sata.
Quite rivetting article. I caught myself hanging on to every sentence like my day depended on it.
Its opinionated, but how the author has fused the speculation & facts is just witty & laudable, & rare too with our daily writers.
Back to Mulongoti, the moral of the story is that u can not be a chihuahua for too long & expect not to bark your master out of his patience one fine day.
Mulongoti will go down as one of the most sarcastic politicians the last decade in SADC region.
Excellent article, the analysis shows he has a historical memory of the politics of MMD.. A few points are off the mark, but in general it is a good reading of the events. Keep up the good work! Pride normally comes before a fall, Mulongoti asked for it. Good riddance.
Excellent article, the analysis shows he has a historical memory of the politics of MMD.. A few points are off the mark, but in general it is a good reading of the events. Keep up the good work! Pride normally comes before a fall, Mulongoti asked for it. Good riddance.
Good Read!
Mulongoti is a SCOPODONONO indeed.
I enjoyed the article. It confirms my opinion. I am glad to say Mulongoti deserves it. It is indeed time now that he feels how other felt when he lambasted them. Who said the author of the saying “days are numbered” was wrong? He has been shown the other side of the world though he will still live comfortably. I am happy that his days have been numbered now!
Ok, this time around the author got it right except he also got ‘played’ by Mulongoti’s sweet talk by saying fished RB out of his farm in Chipata when in the actual fact it was Aka.One thing stands out about Mulongoti: he is not as wise as he wants people to believe.While on one hand he claims to have put RB where he is alone and on the other hand claims to be defending ‘democratic principles’ in MMD.My question is, does does installing a leader ‘alone’ in a party in line with democratic principles where the wish of the majority rules?
The MMD is a game of the black sheep affair with no one to trust.Please Mr Mulongoti bail out you mate Mr Mulongoti.
The writer of this article is very good I must say. Well researched data. I need to read more from this writer. Thanks for enlightening me on these important issues!
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