By L. Tembo
By and large, Zambia´s political landscape has in the recent past witnessed a rise in the number of preventable and unwanted by-elections especially at parliamentary level. The recent November 8th Mufumbwe by-election which saw the renegade Steven Masumba retaining the seat and now the looming Mpongwe by-election necessitated by the resignation of it´s area member of parliament Mr.Gabriel Namulambe (MMD) speaks volume.
However, getting down to the nitty-gritty, the basis and circumstances upon which these by-elections are held, reveals the gloomy picture of the political standing on the part of some of our legislators. Greedy,selfishness and the lust for acquisition of enomous wealth on the expense of the majority poor has taken centre stage of our political atmosphere. In as much as we appreciate the provisions in our current constitution vis-a-vis, freedom to choose and belong to any political party of choice, politics of the “belly” as opposed to offering “service” to the community has seen our country loosing billions of Kwacha´s for unnecessary by-elections.
For a small growing economy like ours, spending monies on an un-planned and budgeted activities will not help us in any way but rather have a severe ripple effect on the general welfare of the people. The large sums of money spent on these by-elections and campaigns could in one way or the other be used for construction of social services such as schools, health facilities, roads to name but a few instead of everytime lobbying for monetary assistance from the western countries. Aren´t we ashamed? It is really a paradox that a poor Europe and America vis-a-vis natural resources availability could still be feeding a rich Africa and Zambia in particular.
[pullquote]For a small growing economy like ours, spending monies on an un-planned and budgeted activities will not help us in any way but rather have a severe ripple effect on the general welfare of the people[/pullquote]
In as much as we appreciate and espouse working together of opposition political parties with the rulling government so as to foster development, It is in my strongest oppinion that any responsible and mature government of the people by the people for the people should not concentrate on dividing the opposition by way of wooing it´s members of parliament for unjustifiable government positions so as to keep itself in power in perpetual and weaken the opposition, but rather, it should focuss on formulating sound economic policies that would uplift the living conditions of the citizenry and eventually that provides a basis upon which to win trust and the mandate to rule.Alas! The situation at hand seems far from reality and difficult to comprehend.
In conclusion, more often than not, I tend to wonder whether the “concept” of relinquishing one´s opposition parliamentary seat in order to join the party in government has any space to fit into a political arena such as ours. The cost that comes with it is indeed mammoth to comprehend. For as long as poverty continues being our companion, the very founding tenets of our constitution such as the freedom of association to any political party of choice will always crash with the selfish and greedy personal needs of the people given the mandate to rule and better our social, political and economic status quo.
It’s because of selfishness of Sata and Kabimba now stop complaining you idddiots we told you. Just dance to the tune u voted for.
Shame indeed.
Do you know how many people get jobs with elections commission, how many bicycles end up in villages after campaigns to transport maize to grinding mills, have you seen how colorful churches becomes with members dressed in campaign T-shirts? Did you ever count how many mothers in campaign Chitenge materials at Under 5 clinic?…. Thats the way of distributing economy.
Lets continue to have by-elections, including Presidential!!
You fool
Nostradamus you are tinker if not checked you’ll seek help from a shrink.
:”>
Bye Elections are a product of a defective constitution like ours. Blaming Messi for being a record breaker at the expense of Zico and Ucar is a sheer waste of time. Lets change the constitution or rules/criterion used by FIFA.
Well said @Nostradamus. As for u stinking Octopus Paul BWALYA, go hang yourself with envy. You sound like an MMD or UPND failure who wants to be in GRZ at all cost. Your insults will not take you anywhere. The FACT is you are being led by MCS and PF whether you like it or not. You coward. No wonder you bark the way you do. We cisushi cafyumbu nembalala kabwa iwe. We know that it is bitterness that is speaking. I rest my case.
You are a typical Pathetic Fool PF kaponya
Let us work on the constitution then there will be no by elections. Any MP crossing the floor will do it without expenditure by the state. The constitution is defective as at now country men and women.
MPs defecting should not be allowed to contest any bye- elections because they have chosen to abandoned their five(5) years mandate in the seat. Bye elections should only be held in situations of death or criminal convictions of the incumbent MPs. Political parties trying to hijack a sit of their own MP must go through the courts and not their partsian National Executive Committees. MPs must also be protected from their own political parties one way or another by the law. #3 i don’t think people should be encouraged to profit from bye elections.
Brilliant comment #3. Perfect wealth distribution model. Nostradamus is clever boy. By elections are very good things. Ask Masumba.
Other than Barack Obama, the most inpsiring 2012 politician is Wynter Kabimba. then one of you f.o.o.l.s will say nyooooooooooooo
@3 Nostradamus You are right by-elections are an abrupt economic boom! Mufumbwe people have the least misery this time around.
If this theory really works, then it will be wise to have elections every year and our country will improve economically. However, to argue that by elections are good because they are provided for in our constitution is like arguing that my car has a speed liit of 200km and so, that is where I must drive all the time regardless of where I am. If you look forward to driving 200km/hr at the expense of your safety, you will soon look as foolish as someone who looks forward to a by-election at the expense of national development.