VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott yesterday recommended that political parties should limit their stay in office to at least 10 years to avoid being complacent.
Dr Scott said 10 years is enough and not wamuyayaya (eternal) as the case was previously. It was in reference to the UNIP reign of 27 years under first President Kenneth Kaunda.
This was the first time a senior Zambian political leader was discussing publicly the limiting of a political party’s stay in office instead of rolling out a strategy to stay in office forever as Zambia’s democracy continues to grow.
Dr Scott, who calls himself a Chola Boy (right-hand man of President Sata), cracked the audience with laughter over a breakfast meeting when he fluently recited a Bemba saying that goes: “Koswe nga akokola mung’anda ala lya nakasuba (when a mouse overstays in a house, it openly eats during the day).
Dr Scott was speaking during a question and answer session at a working breakfast at Hotel Intercontinental, hosted by the Patriotic Front (PF) Women’s League. Dr Scott caused more laughter and earned himself applause when he added that the “rat actually graduates from eating during day time to flipping through television channels.”
University of Zambia lecturer Gerald Mwale said he was encouraged by Dr Scott’s statement on limiting the duration a party can stay in office at a time that most parties want to remain in office forever.
“This is very encouraging and ought to be commended because it shows that the current crop of politicians have a life beyond politics,” Mr Mwale said. “They don’t want to make politics as their economic livelihood as the case has been in the past… this type of thinking must be encouraged,” he said.
Dr Scott said it is easy to lose focus when one overstays, adding: “We constantly need to review Governments and for me, 10 years in power is enough.”
He said it is critical for Government to change hands in good time to enhance democracy. Dr Scott said economic prosperity is closely linked to political change. The MMD stayed in power for 20 years in which it changed Presidents three times.
He also disclosed that Government is working on plans to list more public companies on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LUSE).
He was responding to a question from Luse chief executive Beatrice Nkanza, who wanted to know if Government intends to list more public companies on the local bourse in order to boost its growth.
“As soon as the ministries of Commerce and Finance work out policy memorandum, the Government will release huge chunks of public companies on the stock market,” Dr Scott said.
Dr Scott said the PF Government believes in a free market and will encourage privatisation.
“What we are fighting is the bogus privatisation that happened in the past two to three years. We don’t wish to repeat the mistake,” Dr Scott said. He said the PF Government will be happier with honest privatisation.
Dr Scott said during the last three years, selective rules were applied on certain foreign investments. He said there were special deals on taxation, immigration and other selective rules.
He said the PF Government will treat all foreign investments equally. And PF secretary-general Wynter Kabimba, who also attended the breakfast meeting, said it is criminal for political parties to use Government resources for their operations.
“We have tried to completely separate the party from Government. We will not dip our fingers into Government coffers,” he said. Mr Kabimba said the party is on an intensive recruitment drive for more members.
“We need more educated and dedicated members to join our party. We want people who can help to develop this country,” he said. Others in attendance were ministers for Defence Geoffrey Mwamba, Mines Wylbur Simuusa and Traditional and Chiefs Affairs Inonge Wina, among others.
Dr Scott also said President Sata should have actually become President in 2000 and not 20 years later after being “dribbled” and that as “his chola boy, I always knew he would lead the country one day.”
[Zambia Daily Mail]
George Kunda said MMD would rule up to 2050.
Well said Mr VP.RULE FOR 10 YRS AND LEAVE OFFICE FOR THE UNDER 5, WE SEE WHAT HE CAN DO IF AT ALL HE WILL BE GIVEN THAT CHANGE.hehehehehe
for once you hear a sensible politician in gov speaking.this is befitting a VP and a good leader. this is just great.wonderful idea.this is certainly innovative.
That won’t fly here in zed Mr Scott.Politics is a career for many and it comes first before the welfare of Zed.It is a chance for politicians to live the good life at public expense and its very addictive so they’ll make you a target.Achieving mediocrity for the public good won’t make the zambian politician grow some conscience to know when to leave.
This is practical sense and very encouraging. We need open discussions and other healthy, interactive fora so as to enrich each other on essential issues.Iam pleased with this article.
PF leadership dose not cease to impress me. I thank God for these Men and Women. Let’s fight and change the lives of our pipo.
actions and not words.
dreamer
muletashafye ba mambala; he has said the right thing!!!
Wynter says the party needs educated members. Mmmm. How did GBM and likes of Kambwili feel?
This a dull suggestion bwana Veep. What if the quality of opposition isn’t up to it?
Would this not also lead individuals flip flopping from one party to another at the end of the tenure?
You are right. I think they should just limit the presidency to 2 terms which is the case now
you are the one who is dull.
SATA WHILE IN SOUTH AFRICA A FEW DAYS AGO SAID PF CAN BE IN POWER FOR OVER A 100YEARS IF AT ALL THEY REMAIN SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE. THAT WAS A GOOD STATEMENT BECAUSE AS A PARTY, IT AIMS AT BEING SERVANTS. GUY IS NOW CONTRADICTING HIS BOSS AS A CHOLA BOY. BUT THIS IS ALSO A GOOD INSIGHT. I LIKE PF
From Sata to Guy Scott to sebastin Zulu we are safe at leadership level. Even professor Nkandu Luo is smart, then the circus in carbinet starts i.e Kambwili and GBM lol.
leave that up to the electrotes
We know that by then the two will be finished tired mbuyas. But there are also other leaders who may wish to continue in leadership after them. Are you saying pf will be no more after ten years or what?
Bogus privatization 2-3 years ago, Mr Sata is busy directing the DPP to look into RAMCOZ, LIMA BANK e.t.c was this 2-3 years ago when they were privatized? So your focus is on Rupiah’s three years of rule? who shall we believe between you and SATA. you 10 YRS ,SATA 100 YRS? Always contradicting each other on many issues ,are you one or what?
While this is encouraging thinking I see no reason why a party that may be doing well should be forced out after 10 years, especially if there is no credible opposition. Limiting presidency to 10 years is more than enough and I am sure that is part of the constitution already. As #10 ALaleh pointed out, this may lead for politicians flip flopping, effectively hampering progress. Just imagine in the second term, half of PF MPs will jump ship to which ever party will be popular at the time. The credibilty of parties will be measured at how many MPs you can sway and not what policies you will introduce.
Progressive thinking VP.
10yrs to short mwana,thats way they didnt leave instruments of power with you. you can hand them over to the opposition
Well sayd mr vp bt yo cobra from muchinga province wouldnt think lyk that,Thank God he created death thats the only way i see sata out of office.
Mr Guy scot if the government in power is doing good then it’s up to people to decide that,not you sugest
Guy Scott speaks a lot of sense but obviously that will not sit well with alot of Zambian
Uh… I believe the phrase should be to 10 years “at most” – MMD and UNIP already limited their stay to 10 years “at least”.
Else, I believe a better way to keep govt on its toes would be to have more frequent elections. Five years is a long time before having to go back to your constituency and I think is part of what breeds corruption since there is only infrequent need to answer to the people. How about what they do in the U.S. – 4 years for president, and maybe a 1/3 of parliament elected every 2 years? It may be costly to have more elections, but the price of having a complacent/smug government that only starts to worry about its voters in the last months before an election can be even worse.
Simply put, our leaders need to be more accountable!
Someone with sense. Power is an aphrodisiac just look at Mugabe and others. 10 years is a superb idea. Well done PF.
i have just been having sex with my girl friend and it was prolific and nice.Guys sex is nice when its cool like today.
we are now entering the swimming pool.she likes my cock and i hope dshe wont swallow for ever.have it and you will never go wrong.
Hear, hear ba Guy. 10 years is the natural life cycle of any political party in a democracy. The issue with us in africa is rigging, that’s why parties over-stay their welcome. Even in the UK, Labour was voted out after 10 years, in america Bush was voted out after two terms.
These are wise words, considering even the level of corruption, the difference between rich and poor in Africa. It will also give a chance to many to participate in politics.
LT,What is the meaning of atleast?
Chizungu ba Daily Mail, ati Parties Should Stay at Least 10 Years in Power! At least means more. You should have said At Most 10 Years! Anthony Mukwita, excitement for nothing
I wonder whether Sata is watching what is happening in Guy Scott’s anscestoral homeland, Scotland and the parallels and implications it has on Barotseland. The sooner you devolve powers the lesser the likelyhood of Barotseland butting out by fire and happily buggering off this failed colonial patchwork called Zambia.
Guy Scott is the man. I support him totally.
what is this? is scot campaigning that come 2021( if pf will still be in power) we should vote for the opposition.pls put this bright idea in to the new constitution.lets also limit term of office for MPs to one 5yr term.
On the face of it this is quite appealing and makes a lot of sense. However such a system would provide very few incentives to perform especially in the second five year term. Democracy is far from perfect but the one thing that forces politicians to act is the “fear” of the electorate. After winning the second election what would incentivise performance when the party (government) knows that regardless they will be out of power after that term……I would argue that the unintended consequence of such a system is that it would incentivise accumulation instead!
Sounds great,bwana Veep!
That should be for the electorate to decide. If you mess up after 4, you will be out at 5!
Scott is one of the rats that has overstayed in politics and has already started manifesting daylight corruption with his master. Pf should not go beyond 5yrs.
For sure this is sense or maybe because its coming from a muzungu. Ba Daily Mail I thought at least 10 years means more than 10 years. Am sure this is not the message you are giving us. It should read “at most 10 years.” I agree with 27. But and its a big but do the other PF kaponyas think in the same manner. I am quite sure that this maybe quite provocative to some selfish men like… The electorate should only decide who comes in after say 10 years and not to start getting bribes from some people to continue even after 10 years when they are not even performing. Guy for president then. He is dead right. I end here!
I doubt if PF will go beyond 5 years, Its good Guy scott has smelt a rat. There is serious corruption going on in PF. Donchi kubeba.
#24 Sikalamunanga – where chickens are kept, in Lozi. Enjoy the sex mbuya. Imwe kwanu niso chabbe kukonda ku nyokola. I will be having mine soon. Guy Scott is a very objective politician. I support him. I hope those who leave out of politics will not start defecting the ruling party to a promising opposition towards the end of 10 yrs. There should be caveat.
The chola boy has spoken well though badly written the reporter – I really admire the friendship between Sata and his chola boy – they are a perfect mate – may their friendship last longer – politics can be very dirty at times.
That wont go well with his boss
I would have thought that it is politicians who should go and not the party? Imagine if the UK and USA was still being governed by the same dinosaurs from the 1960s? In the current conservative govt in UK there is only one politician who was around during Maggie Thatcher’s time in 1980s but in Zambia we voted for a sickly colonial constable with a dodgy ticker who still thinks we are in the early 60s, can not read or write minutes and does not understand the workings of the internet!
Ten years is not enough to remove the dangerous toxins that MMD planted into the governance systems in the last 20 years. I suggest 15 years this time round before reverting to the 10 years that Guy has proposed.,
Did he really say “limit to at least 10 yeas”? That is gibberish, implies “limit to a minimum of 10 years”.
Ba za ku sortinga ba guy 10 yrs chabe! Iwee su ziba ati bwana ni unip through and through?
It changes the entire depiction of PF to hear some level of torerance from one associated with it like Guy Scott. While its appreciable to know whats in the mind of Scott on the lomitation of 10 years for a party/ government to be in power, democracy and objectives of being in power vis-as-vis uplifting people’s lives economically may be more of the determining factors that arbitrary limitation of 10 years. That doesn’t add up to. Dr Scott should thank the Zambians through freedom of expression that has put pressure on his own party and Mr Sata to enable him begin to act as republican Vice President. This was being argued as the preserve of the president to appoint who acts in his place. Pandets have been proved wrong and democracy has won the day. Welldone Zambians but the battle is on.
The main thing is to improve our economy and develop our nation. If we do this politics will start becoming less attractive as a career. Once we can produce our own Bill gates, Murdochs(not completely), Bransons, Maradona’s, Pele’s, etc. People will see that there is life beyond politics.
#42 Your argument would make sense if people like Sata and Scott himself were not part of the MMD administration for ten years! In fact you could argue that when the chaff such as Scott, Sata and Luo left the MMD it started to perform well and produce results under Mwanawasa and RB. The bumper harvests brought about by RB will be feeding the country next year whereas pf can not pay farmers for their hard work!
Primitive thinking. The problem is not political parties, but individuals in the parties. Scot should be getting examples from america and other western countries where political parties have lived decades and decade, but they judge leaders. He should be talking about limiting the number of political parties and help opposition to criticise their policies and not killing the opposition. What we need in Zambia is a strong govt and a strong opposition and a fair, credible media, judiciary, police and parliament, and not Scot is talking about.
Wanted to say change leaders
Scott wants a blank cheque for 10 years because he knows that after 10 years, he will be old and would not be able to challenge the upcoming young leaders. He has calculated that if it is recorded in the minds of many Zambian that the PF will only be in power for 10 years, then they will get the sympthy and support from Zambians to rule for 10 years. That is not the solution to the many problems Zambia is going through. The problem is poor leadership and not political parties and how long they stay in govt. Zambia voted overwhelmly for positive change, but what is seen today is negative change and blind justifications of bad policies from the Post and public media. And then one asks the question – does our politicians learn from past mistakes?
Good suggestion VP. Is this the reason he is not allowed to act as president?
There are some people who even if a dead man told them some thing to save their own miserable behinds, will react by looking for fault and criticising. History has demonstrated that political parties that stay longer than two terms in office become complacent, arrogant and abusive of people and resources. Kunda, Ala Bee and cohorts would never have dreamt of this even if a dead man told them.
PF should simply be applauded for acknowledging this good sense and wanting to take our democracy to a higher level.
If you have issues in your perdonal life, we don’t want to know about your crap please. Discuss it with the cockroaches and rats in your house (if you even have one).
The source of poverty in Zambia is not theft of public resources but we as a people have a tendency and the political bad habit of elevating our political leaders to the status of saints, living folklores and gods.PF has lamentably failed to fulfil its election promises and yet post newspapers and government media is inundated with sycophantic flattery and hyperbolic praises, which are slowly transforming president Sata(a liar) into a human political deity. It is a tragedy that some of Sata’s flatterers are academics, church leaders,hungry opposition and journalists who are falling over themselves to confirm to him his hallucinations of being indefatigable.Sata is a despot who if not stopped will take Zambia down to the proverbial dogs.
So you are one of those id=iots who actually believed the 90 days stuff? :d PF know they have a five year mandate. Stop dreaming about 90 days and get on with your life if you have one
Let the people decide!!!!
Scott & sata have already made too much money in their pockets within 90days.
Sata will fire Guy Scott soon…
Good job Scott, this the VP we like and not the Kundas who will work and till drop dead because love money despite his healthy. PAABBWWAATTOO with SCOTT.
My word, I wonder what is wrong with these politicians. Since when did this Scott begin to decide for the will of the majority of the people of Zambia?. I now doubt very much if these people are democrats at all as they proclaim. Dr Guy scott, the majority of the Zambian people decided to vote for your party in the 2011 Polls, please leave that to the Zambians to decide which party & which president rules and for how long- If you want to predetermine this try that in Britain not in Zambia. The Zambians will decide who rules them not your insinuations.
Good thinking. This is the Guy Scott we know. I am sure there is more where that came from.
Well, he is white so his thinking is different, very good
No where in the world does Guy Scots suggestion exists. A party can stay in governement as long as it delivers and wins open elections. Scot can say this and have a University of Zambia lecturer Gerald Mwale agree with him without having thought about it just because everything a muzungu says is great. The truth is this can not make sense or be accepted in Scotland or anywhere where there is democracy. He only said that because he knows that it’s sweet to an africans ears and he managed to get one from the University to admire his statement, then just think of their caddres. Thats why we have multiparty democracy and parliamentary elections so that people can be elected on party ticket or independent not a formulae of this party 10 years then that party. What does Guy think of us? Stupid?
The statement “limit their stay in office to at least 10 years” does not make any sense. ‘At least’ implies minimum. So, a party that serves for the next 50 to a 100 years would be well within the confines of that statement. On the other hand if you place term limits on parties as was intended by this statement, what is the purpose of democracy? I think term limits should only be applied to office bearers to include parliamentarians.
Limiting the tenure of power for a ruling party is a GOOD idea because in principle this idea is supported by the exact same arguments and reasons that brought about limiting the tenure of office for a head of state to TWO terms in our Country. That was after the telling experience we had with KK. This time we have had a telling experience with MMD as a party. Do we want PF to behave like MMD down the road? So lets be civil and debate the principle of it . i.e Lets avoid prejudice and debate its merits and demerits for our Country. Racism is for small backward-minded prejudiced people and should not be entertained.
#57, 59 etc Your Guy Scott can’t even act in place of Sata. You are economical with truth and can not be bold enough to tell the proprietor of PF Sata, that democractic rule is about collective governance. You are being unfair to Guy Scott but suits you to use him and afraid of Sata to let him follow party constitution structure.
@64 Muna, Point of correction. You are erroneously branding me as a PF supporter just because I happen to agree with the issue at hand in principle, and I’ve given my reasons @63, . A bit odd, wouldn’t you say? And I have reason to believe Guy Scott is of sound mind based on depth of thought he has put in his past articles with the Post . I am sure you have read some of them, but that doesn’t make you a PF supporter, does it now?
Muletasha bakolwe atemwa ba John white ( koswe umusungu)
I wonder if your ass ever gets jealous of your mouth with all the shit you talk.
There’s sense in the old man’s humorous speech. Big up PF
these old men have failed to govern Zambia..its like we still waiting for Mwanawasa to come back from France..
Some Zambians Are really pathetic, Kwati Tafyasambilila. F.o.o.ls *****s as Kaunda used to call you. Honestly what is wrong with this brilliant Idea by our intelligent, genuine Leaders that want everyone to benefit. Mufwayafye Mweka ukuiba for Life??
Well Done PF, let’s push this Idea further. 10 year for every party is enough, we have many lessons learnt
Ppoliticians like diapers must be changed regularly and for the same reason
I think what is more important is the growth of democracy as a whole other than what one party is doing. More civil liberties, free press, indepedent judiciary, local govt, sound constitution, stakeholder involvment, etc. We are doing well compared to other African countries, but we still need to do more.
It is a trick to campaign for a second term for the PF realising the fact that they will not deliver any of their campaign promises. PF is a one term ruling party. Period.
Anyway it is also a good suggestion as it will remind rulers that they wont be there forever like George Kunda thought. That gave them green light to plunder. This is thinking out of the box unlike most of the systems we have we just inherited from the west. Let it be included in the constitution. Well done Veep. Uli muzungu wanchendi.
#66 Grow up and learn to have a mature conversation. You might use a sudo name but what you have written is plain stupid and childish. Many on this blog have written mature statements and have agreed and disagreed, then you just come up with what you have written. Sit down and analyse yourself and just decide to have even a simple mature discussion. The fact that you can read and write tells me you have potential to have a mature discussion, agree and disagree with respect.
loud and clear. They want PF to finish with them alone since they are owners.
The headline is nonsensical: it means the opposite of what Scott said. Limiting to at least 10 years means that 10 years is the minimum. He meant a MAXIMUM OF or AT MOST 10 years!
#24 Grow up. Thats my word for you. Just grow up.
But Bwana VP we would love to see you take over after Mr. Sata’s 10 years and after your 10 years then we can let the opposition come in!
An order came just before I was expecting it that’s always a good thing. The deal was simply suitable as well as the method terrific. Needed some getting used to the brown leafy graphic but total I’m thrilled. Edan Aharony.