By Field Ruwe
It is 2013. If this year the opposition does not find a way of organizing itself, we are stuck with Michael Sata for the rest of his political career. I can tell you now that the Sata Dynasty is in the making and once created it will be impossible to dismantle. We will become a North Korea. Zambia will become a totalitarian hereditary dictatorship and a “Hermit Kingdom” like Zimbabwe, isolated from the rest of the world.
Why do I say this?
It is because our “Democracy Index” is fast falling. The Democracy Index is supposed to measure the state of democracy in a country. It is based on 60 indicators grouped in five different categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, functioning of government, political participation and political culture.
After a year of Sata’s presidency, Zambia has failed in all the categories and can now be categorized as a “flawed democracy” operating under a fledgling authoritarian regime. All signs point to a single-party state organized around Michael Sata (founder of the Patriotic Front Party), his family, and closest allies. Read Wynter Kabimba’s twisted lips: “It is not the PF who wants the one-party state. It is the people of Zambia.”
We may have succeeded in stopping FTJ from a third term bid. We must not bank on this one. There is a big difference between Frederick Titus Chiluba and Michael Chilufya Sata. Chiluba was covertly (quietly) aggressive. In trying to dominate and control us, he was deceptive enough to hide his behavior and true intentions. In the end we caught him—just on time.
Sata is the opposite. He is overtly (openly) aggressive. When he is determined to get something by hook or crook, he is open, direct and without shame. He uses “Reward Power” tactic to destroy his opponents. Beneficiaries respond in kind by blackmailing, defecting, or by carrying through with orders, requests and directions.
[pullquote]As at December 31, 2012, opposition parties were circling the drain like refuse, and it may be safe to say goodbye to almost all of them[/pullquote]
Remember how when he was sworn in, he made the destruction of The Post a priority? Right before our eyes, he ransacked the paper and left only the shell in the name of Fred Mmembe.
A year later, the newspaper is toothless and its Managing Editor wallows in the corridors of power, avoiding being run over. He spends the bulk of his time defending his ego and hoping for a bright day. Today, George Chellah, Amos Malupenga and other former senior staff have assumed powers beyond him.
Sata is still using distraction and diversion techniques to keep Mmembe off focus so that he can keep himself free to promote his self-serving hidden agenda.
Reward Power
It is with this same “Reward Power” weapon that Sata wishes to blast the opposition and create a one-party state. He put it to test back in June 2012 when he seduced Elias Chipimo (NAREP) and Edith Nawakwi (FDD) to accompany him to the Rio+20 summit in Brazil. He took them on a trip so as to lower their defenses. He wanted them to surrender their clout and ability to fight him.
He chose them not because they were the most aggressive opposition leaders. They posed the least threat. As a master manipulator and explorer, he was exploiting their greatest weakness—lavishness and opulence. Both Chipimo and Nawakwi have experienced certain kind of pleasure in the past; Chipimo through up-bringing, and Nawakwi through the MMD. Sata wanted them to relive it.
By asking them to accompany him on a free jolly ride overseas, he awakened in them the desires they have very little control over. With this positive reinforcement, they succumbed to him, and he felt respected and comfortable in their presence.
When he posed with them for photographs at Heathrow in London, and in Brazil he was showing us how powerful a manipulator he was and how gullible the opposition was. In the end, using his “Reward Power” weapon he knocked the molars out of their mouths. With only a few teeth left, Chipimo and Nawakwi went down their knees and thanked him for wounding them. They have not been the same since—more so Nawakwi.
I have said it before and I will say it again, FDD is going nowhere with Nawakwi at the helm. Marksman Sata shot her off the radar when he appointed her to oversee investment in the bio-fuel enterprise.
Religious vote
He quickly reloaded his “Reward Power” and turned it on a Catholic Priest of all the people—Father Frank Bwalya. Sata knows that religion is always a factor in Zambian politics. He uses Christian rhetoric to portray an image of empathy, morality and truthfulness, and makes political gain from his image as a Catholic.
There are about three million Catholics in Zambia (about a quarter of the population), making the church the largest religious institution. Previously, the church was a collaborator with the ruling party to preserve the status quo until the Evangelical FTJ declared Zambia a Christian nation. With that the Catholic Church was relegated to a pressure group and an auditor of public life.
In the past years the church has, intentionally or unintentionally, fronted a young Zambian priest, Father Frank Bwalya, to pose as a political activist. Sata knows how dangerous Bwalya is. Back in 2010 when Bwalya was arrested on suspicion of calling for the removal of Rupiah Banda, there was a massive protest.
Although they are friends, Sata knows that Bwalya is an ambitious agitator and provocateur, running an “opposition party” called “Get Involved or Die Zambia.” He is perhaps the biggest threat. Sata crippled him with a ZESCO Board member blast. He too has not been the same since.
The Opposition
As at December 31, 2012, opposition parties were circling the drain like refuse, and it may be safe to say goodbye to almost all of them. Fully aware of their vulnerability, Sata has turned his “Reward Power” arsenal into a weapon of mass destruction and he is shooting at the opposition trapped as they are in the drain.
Working within his presidential powers and with no care for consultation he is poaching opposition law legislators and party executives—offering many of them deputy ministerial jobs and executive positions in the corporate world.
It was a gesture such as this one that sent Nawakwi’s FDD in disarray in 2003 when Mwanawasa awarded key members of her party cabinet positions; Dipak Patel (Commerce Minister), Geoffrey Samukonga (Deputy Commerce Minister), and my buddy Chance Kabaghe (Deputy Agriculture Minister). Sata is not doing it in the same spirit as Mwanawasa. He is hoping that the appointments will put the last nail in the coffin of the opposition.
First, Sata has targeted the MMD, a party hamstrung by its own internal divisions. Even though to some people Nevers Mumba has made some impressive strides in this short period, it is too little too late.
Like Andrew Kashita has said, the MMD is on its deathbed. I have repeatedly said that it has long stopped to breathe. Now I can predict that the MMD is headed for a big splinter. It will take something pretty dramatic to stop the tsunami.
Nevers Mumba
A political dilettante, Nevers Mumba, is handing Sata a real opportunity to completely annihilate and cremate the MMD. His failure to find a way of connecting with his rivals in his party is most unfortunate and could be at his own peril, politically.
Where is his pastoral knack to bring the lost sheep together? Members like Major Richard Kachingwe have a right to freely express their fears and grievances, even to doubt their leader’s loyalty to the party.
If it is true that Mumba’s readmission to the MMD was rejected at a meeting chaired by Mwanawasa, MMD National Chairman Kabinga Pande, who Kachingwe says attended the meeting, should confirm or deny the claim. And if indeed Mumba is still running the Reform Party he should issue a statement to clear the air and apologize to his new followers. Being leader of the party does not make him indispensable.
Most of all, Pastor Nevers Mumba should have publicly castigated the people who beat up Kachingwe and prayed for their forgiveness. How is he going to save Zambia if he cannot save people in his own party? Expulsions and suspensions are fodder for Sata.
Hakainde Hichilema
As for Hakainde Hichilema, he has not gone over the hump of identity and belonging. His party is still usurped by tribal politics. He is struggling to tap into the people’s natural fear of supporting what they perceive as a “Tonga” party.
When he travels beyond southern province people see him the same way they saw Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula—a political leader of the Tonga people. This perception limits his ability to expand and pose a formidable challenge to the shrewdest and craftiest of them all. If elections were held today, Hichilema would still be playing fiddle to Sata.
This is Hichilema’s sixth year since he assumed the leadership of UPND and immediately received the endorsement of KK and got 25% in September 28, 2006. Many were hoping for an upward trend, but it has not been the case. He has remained in third position with a declivity performance of 19.7% in 2008, and 18.17% in 2011.
I have said it before that of all the opposition leaders, he understands Sata better. He has looked into Sata’s bloodshot and fierce eyes and seen what other opposition leaders have not. He knows how crafty and narcissistic Sata is. After the experience he had with him, it is etched in his mind that Sata is an exploiter of the worst kind.
This year Hichilema needs to figure out how to win. He needs to move his base from Lusaka to the Copperbelt and create strong UPND branches in Mansa, Kasama, and Chipata. There are a lot of disgruntled PF, MMD, and UNIP supporters to tap on in these areas. Most of all, the UPND and MMD must find a way of creating an impervious alliance.
Godfrey Miyanda/Tilyenji Kaunda
As for senior “politician” Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda, he’s is not worth the mention. He is either a smart conman or a heartless exploiter. Same can be said about Tilyenji Kaunda. The Heritage Party is fictitious and UNIP is deceased. As for the remaining opposition parties, I shall treat them the same way the U.S. treats the Green Party.
This year an energetic and assertive leader with social and political influence, one who is charismatic enough to enlist the support of miners on the Copperbelt, marketeers and kaponyas, chiefs, and religious leaders around the country, must emerge among us and put an end to this one-party nonsense. Come on Zambians, let’s make this a better democratic country—a country in which we all have an opportunity to realize our dreams. Happy New Year!
For a PhD candidate this article is biased and does not include any researched evidence. The question to be asked is who cares about the author’s opinion? So what, who cares? People voted for Sata and he is only in his second year in a 5 year term. The authors must be reading too much of the ZWD and their rants. Sata cannot create a one party state. If MMD or UPND dies it is by the hands of the leaders in those parties. Every political party would like to distroy its opponents. If the opponents fall for it, they should have themselves to blame. Sata might not be the best or smartest leader out there, but as Zambians we should know we are as strong as the leader we put in office. So to insult our leader you are insulting the wisdom of the people who put him there. Praise more criticise…
I get the gist of your criticism of Field Ruwe’s article and I agree with you on that. But surely, you can no longer call it ‘wisdom of the people who put Sata there’, when infact as large a population who voted for him are now openly regretting their vote decision at the time. We must respect our leaders, yes, but to suggest that a mere criticism of a serving president is insulting him and yet you still want to call yourselves a democractic country is infact quite insulting to the very principle of democracy itselt. In that regard, both Field Ruwe and YOURSELF are clearly guilty of being biased, albeit supporting different sides of the political divide.
“Bitter” – usual comment from PF diehards. Anyone who presence an alternative view is to be attacked and accused of bitterness – wow!
To the Author, you are entitled to your own views, you have analyzed so many things, pointing out some pin poles without giving some crews on what should be done to stop the rot from reaching the Head, Lets learn to observe the wrongs of others and enlighten with the solution than just be like an observer in your Country. The only difference between Sata and the opposition Politicians is that he the head of the Government, othjerwise they are one and the same, if Zambia were to be turned into a one state then the People of Zambia are to blame and not him, we can make him dictator if we dont tame our Politics. RB became too powerful to handle, were is he today, Chiluba, Kaunda they ere humbled. People from the Diasporra tend to think People living in zambia are dull to see what they can se
If i had a father who is not always home to be with his wife my mom and us his children to understand our needs and wants,emotionally,spiritually,physically etc yet he’s always bragging that he understands his family,i as his Son would deny it.Field Ruwe is in the USA.Whatever he’s writing here is not based on what is happening on the ground in our lovely Country Zambia but on what he reads on the internet[Mistake # 1].Right now most of us Zambians are happy about what is going on in our Great Nation.So,only us who walks on the soils of this Great Nation understands us,because we have the feel of what is ‘cutting’ in our terrain.In a nutshell,this story is misleading and brings…
Spot on.Thats the mistake some of us in the diaspora make.When we read stuff on facebook, zwd and others we take it as gospel truth ,while on the ground it is a different story.Go and ask my uncle or grand mother in shangombo to get a proper picture not just some chap who spends a big chunk of his day in front of the pc, while scratching his rebased kwacha challenged behind.
My friend – you are not being truthful because many Zambians actually regret having put you [PF] and your Sata in power. For you information – many times people who are outside your cuntry would be better placed to understand what is going on in your country. For you, it is normal – and surely if what is happening in Zambia is normal; then we have a big problem. It is just true that the Opposition needs to wake up and do something constructive for Mother Zambia or we will be running backwards…………100 miles/hour in the wrong direction!!!! Zambia shibuka!!!
This article is based on the fake materials from the Internet media stories, the author is wrong to think We the Zambians living in our beloved country are Dull, unlike him who prefer to provide solutions to other Countries because of his pocket hunger. Sata is a leader People entrusted with the vote to rule and he knows that very well. If our country is to be turned into one state, then we are to blame and not him, learn to provide issue based criticism than behaving an Angel just because you live abroad. we have to many problems in our country, come back home and be the change you want to see for the betterment of our Country.
i see a kapaso behind the president why
1. A year of surprises – I am seeing many a politician who will become helpless and in need of help in matters of sickness, disease, finances, death, etc. One of the causes: They have failed to reward those who helped them to succeed. This is the year of judgment, especially for politicians who use youth to support their political ambitions without reward after winning power. Tell your neighbour: Reward those who help you succeed now.TBJ
This prophecy is ours this year
Most Christians don’t take time to pray over prophecies. To worsen matters reading the Bible has become irrelevant to them. This is the reason why most prophecies are greatly misinterpreted. When such prophecies are done, it is time for well meaning and well grounded Christians to go on their knees
Where, in the scriptures, does Jesus talk about earthly rewards and rewarding those who help us?
I agree with you.HH is a rich politician,you have censored your comment.It also talks about rich politicians
this is your prophesy and a lot of you lot that keep beleiving this diabolical manTBJ. Utter rubbish
nonsense from the devils advocate
very rubish indeed, Rubish prophesy, Sata will live the years God has planed for him. How many times have you prayed for is death ?? God is with Sata. We will pray for Sata that these devilish prophesy of yours will be met with the wrath of the Lord God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ…amen.
This article was going to be nice if the writers motive was impartial. Its like someone wrote it for him then he changed one or two phrases to suit his old fashioned tv comedy antics. I am also not based in Zambia but read alot about the country, neither am i a supporter of PF but what is written in the article above is not a balanced view of info we recieve on line…..unless the writer has a long standing dislike of the current president. By the way Mr. Ruwe, you have not included the on going developments of roads and coming hospitals, schools as a strategy for Mr. Sata to consolidate his one party rule on Zambia.
I think you can do better as a comedian though your jokes are now out of fashion….try vimbuza dancing.
Alot of projects going on like roads were started by MMD, for your information the link Zambia road works Mr SATA commissioned are still at infancy level
Dear Mr Ruwe, the problem you have is you are not indigenous Zambian but Malawian. I for one is not interested in being told about my president who is indigenous. You can boast about what you have become because your Zambian wife took you to America. You are the one who is an opportunist because you ride on women’s backs. In fact short people like you think short. Coming to the topic, I am one of the voters for HEMS, one of the most intelligent leaders the political scene has ever produced. If what you are talking about is worth its salt, then the so called opposition leaders are dull. Please write to them directly and advise them. Don’t wast your lecturing time on trivial issues. I rest my case. Thank you
I think height with all due respect has no bearing on the intellect of someone. I’m quite a tall person but married to a short person and never in my life have I considered myself inherently intelligent as a direct result of my height. No wonder most of you guys hide your identity because you wouldn’t stand by what you write.
You are an imbecile. Why insult all short people in the world just because you disagree with the thoughts of one short person. Surely you are the one who thinks short because you cannot even argue on the substance of Ruwe’s article. You are not at the same intellectual level with Ruwe – you are inferior. By your logic, all the seven foot tall basketball players in the world would be geniuses. You are a dumbass. (FYI, i am neither short nor tall).
This article is clearly too advanced in structure for some of the people who have read and commented on it, especially PF cadres. Field Ruwe is merely expressing his opinion and a very educated opinion for that matter. If you don’t agree with his opinion just do your analysis anyway, but don’t rubbish his analysis just because you disagree with his opinion. Those that ignore this article have just forgotten what happened to kaunda, chiluba and RB – all these presidents ignored negative opinions. PF has no chance at the next elections…if you don’t know what is going on, then I conclude you only talk to other PF cadres. The fact is that all the projects that PF is doing now were those left behind by MMD. PF is yet to initiate its own projects, I don’t care what you think.
@Octopus Paul BWALYA, yes you are right, that prophesy is for you and your household, not for my and my family.
Not for my household either.
I too claim and plead the Blood of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ over my family. I rebuke that which God has not willed for myself and my country amen!
With due respect to Field Ruwe, his article seem to have been written with afore malice at heart – devoid of any positive consideration of the situation on the ground. Giving him the arm chair critic tag would be an understatement. Critics, especially those with some degree of sophistication and a good educational background must learn to balance their articles. He should take a leaf from Shishuwas Post articles for their inbuilt balancing act, something alien in Ruwe’s writings. Our voters spoke and gave Sata the mandate to rule our country. Ruwe should not assume that Sata came through a coup detat. While we are all entitled to our opinions, Ruwe’s article is so one sided to be enjoyed by intellectuals used to balanced articles.
Ruwe has done a good analysis, showing us Sata’s tactics to bring the opposition down as well as the oppositions weaknesses to stand against the PF. This is well balanced, though I may not agree with him on some of the points on Nawakwi and Chipimo. I think his descriptions are exaggerated and lacks factual details, otherwise Ruwe does a good job describing HH and Miyanda. #1, Educator sounds like a fanatic PF cadre who is in charge of land grabbing in Lusaka west.
@Mwau. I am neither a PF cadre nor politician. Like Ruwe, I am an academician domicile in Canada. The title of the article tells it all, “Stop Sata Dynasty”. As a scholar-practitioner I was merely pointing out that the article is biased. There are no tactics that Ruwe has listed. The whole article is just an unresearched opinion. The title suggests that Sata has created a dynasty in his one year rule of Zambia and must be stopped. I find this assetion hard to believe. Actually the whole article lacks facts. As a peer for Ruwe, this analysis of Zambian current affairs is flawed and cannot be past as a statement reflecting the status of Zambia. Peer review fail, Ruwe must rewrite the article and this time provide a balanced view.
whatever the case there is a lot of truth in this article
Is this some PHD thesis? Ba field give us a break.
I find one sided umbrella statements from people who claim to be intellectuals or Phd students very unfortunate and ridiculous. It is clear that Field Ruwe is writing as a political supporter of one section of our political divide and therefore paints one side black while glossing over the weaknesses of his preferred section and urging them to correct that!
It has been our habit as a nation not to appreciate the efforts of a sitting President until he leaves or passes on before we sing accolades for them. When HEMCS le4aves his office, people will remember him for infrastructure development, decentralisation by empowering councils and creatio of district compassion, e.g Robiana Muteka (NHSRIP), orphan children xmas Party at State House, pardoning of 59 female prisoners with their babies
Bwana Field Ruwe,
The other trouble you have is that being in the diaspora, courtesy of your wife, according to other bloggers, you think you are smarter than anyone based in the country! You are forgetting that you are basing your opinions of oe media outlet, probably the ZWD and that forms basis for your arguments which are out of touch!
Are you sure that you have not found anything positive undertaken by PF since its inception?? Re-capitalisation of NCZ, efforts at resuscitating Zambia Railways with a renowned Prof. Chirwa at the helm, several infrastrucuture developments, roads, stadia, hosting of sports events and soon the UNWTO with a lot of infrastructure going on. The renovation of UNZA hostels, creation and impending construction of universities? There have been mistakes…
Field Ruwe’s wife is then a proverbs 31 woman. You cannot go wrong with a woman of that wisdom and understanding.
What a useless piece of crap.And somebody tells me that the writer is a phd candidate ? I shudder to think about the material his students receive.
APART FROM OVER-READING THE ZWD, RUWE MUST BE SMOKING A LOT WEED (GANJA) IN THE STATES. I AM SAYING THIS BECAUSE EVEN WHEN HE WAS IN ZAMBIA AS A COMEDIAN, NO ONE LAUGHED TO HIS JOKES UNLESS YOU WERE PART OF THE AUDIENCE AT ZNBC AND WANT PRETEND THAT IT WAS A FUN JOKE- IN SHORT BEING A CHONGOLOLO. I WAS THEN A SCHOOL BOY AND I WONDERED, “WHAT A FOOL” THE MAN WAS MAKING HIMSELF. BY THAT TIME I COULDN’T FOR JJ (GOOD TIMES), BILL COSBY OR ZAMARTS TO COME ON THE SCREEN. SO, FIELD RUWE, STOP SMOK!NG GANJA WHICH YOU USED TO SM0KE IN ZAMBIA. BUT IF YOU HAVE CONTINUED AND PROBABLY NOW YOU ARE EVEN OVER DOING IT PLEASE SEPARATE WHAT YOU READ ON ZWD FROM WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND IN ZAMBIA. THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA ARE VERY HAPPY WITH SATA AND THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT PRAISE SONG CONTRARY TO YOUR…
Iam one of the many who used to laugh when this guy used to come on tv , he remains the worst comedian Zambia ever produced. I even read in local Kenyan tabloid were they compared him to a ghost comedian, we used to laugh more at him than at the jokes.
Not true; there is a dictatorship in Zambia!!
…from #14. PhD (PULL HIM DOWN) SONG. OF COURSE ZWD DOES NOT WRITE AND WILL NEVER WRITE ABOUT LINK ZAMBIA 8000, NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SCHOOLS, THE UNIVERSITIES, HEALTH CENTRES AND HOSPITALS, ETC. SO, WHEN YOU SM0KE GANJA, YOU ONLY READ ABOUT WHAT ZWD HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO WRITE BY ITS PAY MASTER, THE UNDER5. ITS IN THE SAME WAY YOU USED TO LAUGH TO YOUR OWN JOKES AS A DRY COMEDIAN WHEN THE AUDIENCE DID NOT SEE WHAT THEY SHOULD LAUGH AT. SO BAMBO RUWE, JUST CONTINUE SM0K!NG IT THERE IN THE STATES.
peter stop being bitter
This’ what happens when one pursues a doctoral thesis after one’s brains cells have lost their capacity to reason. Abash Field Ruwe rhetoric
Wow! great piece of writing, well done. Cant wait for your next piece.
Yah can’t wait for his next piece of crap.
Its shameful that you could also join in the publication of this gibberish by the former comedian, Field Ruwe, which is given so much prominence by the Dog online publication. Zambia is a democracy. If a party in power is comprised of family members as members, where can I find candidates to fill grz positions?
Field Ruwe tells it as it is about Sata and PF, and ofcourse I did not expect PF cadres to be happy. PF CADRES rubbishing this article means that Fiedl Ruwe has done a DAMN GOOD JOB. Zonda uza lema!!!!! It just goes to show the low intellect that sits among PF cadres…they even hate eduacted people and praise illiteracy and ignorance.
Field Ruwe. I just like his analysis on the under 5 HH and Mumba
From academics points of view Ba boss has failed himself….from comments by bloggers again also failing to cite some of the things written and giving the truth so us who might not know can put pieces together and learn socially and intellectually….. But we all Zambians and all written above just adds and subtracts our fears at large on our mother Zambia status economically and politically…..Interesting indeed
How can u call an article like this objective?U think getting your subjective data from zwd u have got how things are on the ground? l wish Mr Sata was really a dictator so that he makes Zambians work and behave in a real way.PLASTICS!
I would rather have a benevolent dictator than a thieving democrat. @OS you are spot on.
WHO THE HELL TOLD YOU TO CHANGE THE WEBSITE WHEN I WAS AWAY ON VACATION? this is a mess, someone will be fired.
What Sata is putting in place already cannot b compared to what mmd did in 20years. look at the infrustrature being intitiated and u are there in diaspora talking about things u have failed to do practically.Even those that listen to u lol at u.
Much for the criticism. Well spelled words and reasonably constructed sentences, however, when you are looking at Zambia from the US, you haven’t an idea what is going on in the country and you base your judgment on media you are exposed to. Truth be told, Zambians right now are excited about the new currency their government has introduced and your article, so to say, is badly timed!
The writer is not far from the truth. Zambians voted for PF and they decided the way they want their country to be ruled. Zambia can decide in 2016 if they want change.
is there still something that the Zambians need to be enlightened on concerning the leadership we have? i think we know and we have consciously chosen to accept them as they are .thanks
Even a broken clock is right at least twice a day Mr. Field Ruwe. Now you may sober up.
Why is it that most PhD holders in Zambia are broke? Individuals with masters degrees are more valuable. Just saying!
Apongozi start thinking before you open your mouth because we don’t want to listen to your nonsensical stereotypes. Zambia being in the middle of the continent and having had its borders done by foreigners will always have people originating from countries surrounding it. Everyone originally comes from somewhere else. You have a defect in the mind that you want to hide by pointing out how other people are different from you. And trying to make these differences a stigma. Shortness determines nothing about a person. As for Mr Ruwe why have you only become vocal about your country’s political leadership after emigrating to the US? That’s cowardice. In Kaunda’s time u were a quiet comedian but suddenly you are championing Press freedom as defined by americans! Zambia is an aspiring…
Its not the US, so stop seeing a Third World country from the upper echelons of american high society. You have made the assertion of a Sata dynasty but don’t offer any evidence of it. Put your money where your…
KABOVA, you are wrong to say that the Hospitals and schools that are coming up are Satas projects. These projects were initiated by MMD during FTJ ‘s time and came into fruition during LPM’ s time. RB was kind enough tom anhance on them and increased the number of projects which today are coming up during Sata’s time. In actual fact, Sata himself said that he will not abandon the projects that are well meaning, and the way it looks, its like all of them are well meaning, and this includes corruption.
On Field Ruwe, I think the man is right in way. People on this sight feel aggtrieved because they too support PF. Sata being a local government man will do better in infrastructure development but will prove to be a disaster in the economy. He is a spender and not a money maker.
Finally, your last sentence sums up what Field Ruwe must have said.
I THINK FIELD RUWE HAS TRIED TO BE OBJECTIVE. THOUGH YOU CANNOT AVOID SEEING THAT HE HAS HIS OWN POLITICAL INCLINATIONS ACROSS THE POLITICAL DIVIDE. IF ZAMBIA BECOMES A ONE PARTY STATE THEN IT WILL NOT BE SATAS FAULT. BUT ALL OF US HAVE TO BE BLAMED. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT IT IS NOT SATAS RESPONSIBILITY TO NURTURE THE OPPOSITION AND CARE FOR IT. IT IS NOT SATAS DUTY TO KEEP THE OPPOSITION INTACT. WE HAVE NEVER LEARNT TO STICK TO OUR PRINCIPLES IF WE HAVE ANY. WHEN WE REJECT A POLITICAL PARTY WE REJECT IT WHOLESOMELY. HOW CAN ONE EXPLAIN THE DEFECTIONS FROM PARTY TO PARTY? EVERY POLITICAL PARTY HAS THE RIGHT TO RECRUIT AS MANY MEMBERS AS POSSIBLE OR AS MANY AS THAT PARTY WANTS. THE CONTITUTION OF ZAMBIA DOES NOT LIMIT THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS THAT ONE RECRUITS.
Excellent observation.
Social Media is powerful, going by the many sponsored bloggers attacking a worthwhile article. My PAYE is close to ZMK45 million PER Month OR ZMV45 000/month; this together with my other compatriots and companies is what is developing this country not a politician. Field Ruwe, well done for warning us. Forget the bigoted cadres.
Fiel Ruwe normal these series of articles for ZDW.Have they differed,or is it the mention of HH as “a tribalisy”.
This is utter rubbish! HH is detroying himself by being tribal and not providing the checks and balances required of an opposition leader. All he does is criticising senselessly. Ba Nevers Mumba made a big mistake by leaving the church to join politics. It is not wrong for Christians to join politics but Nevers must have left somthing unfinished and must re-examine himself and seek God’s face for answers. He is a disgrace to Christians! Mumba has no inkling of how to behave as a political leader. The rest of the leaders, I leave to the judgement of sane Zambians? How many seats do they have in Parliament? How well known are they around mother Zambia. Ba Ruwe, please be serious. If you have not seen anything good done by PF since coming to power, then you a really blind. Be fair!
My dear proudly Zambian, it’s you that should re examine your patriotism. I live in the USA , but visits Zambia most regularly. Apart from what others left, the PF Have not done anything yet. They should not hide behind other people’s works. All the developments that you see now apart from what Unip left, should be credited to Mmd. THe right time to give accolades to PF will be 2016. If they ignore the people’s cries and keep listening to people like you with their heads buried in the sand, then 2016 will judge them harshly.
Good piece, Field. I am just afraid that it seems to have hit on deaf ears. It would take moving the whole country abroad to get most Zambians to understand this sort of article, unfortunately. An opinion in journalism has a specific meaning, which 90% of the people commenting clearly do not appreciate. I can only say that keep these analyses coming. But I am afraid Zambia is still sleeping – Sata is as ‘good’ as lucifer! Woe to those in Zed, upon whom the serpent has been thrown! I cannot see an angel Gabriel anytime soon to save this great nation wallowing in poverty.
i hope you are not drunk
Ruwe failed to show why PF is creating a one party state.
Secondly, sata’s future is very short. His health and age are issues that he regrets the most in his life.
Right now, sata is just solidifying the position of his party so that it does not become like unip after his death.
Sata may sound dictatorial and threatening just like any kaponya may sound, but thats how they express their view point. They dont mean to fight. Just take them on and you will see democracy. (democracy is not to speak and look nice at each other. Others like namugala, may want to walk naked to express it)
I MISS MUSHOTA ,WHERE IS SHE?
Hyvää Uutta Vuotta Sullekin!
The level of thinking of many people who have condermed Ruwe’s contribution worries me all what he is trying to do is warn us of the impending things to come if Sata succeeds in weakening the opposition,remember how Chiluba was worshiped and what he left behind,see how dirty our cities are because of street vending
The problem with us Zambians is bitterness and frustration at PF and Sata. Sata is president untill 2016 whether you like it or not. How can Sata kill the opposition as if he is the care taker of the opposition? Let the opposition care for itself , if they continue in their political folly they will go into oblivion.
Stop blaming Sata.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Ruwe, you have hit the nail on the head. The kaponyas are ashamed that their CNP has scored nothing other than riding on MMD left over projects. i have not seen any development initiated by CNP.
Total failures to an extent that a mentally disturbed man in Chisokone market could say Bafi*** baletubepa.
I dont need to be in zambia to understand what is on the ground. Ruwe has his opinion and analysis which i think carries a lot of weight. we should be impartial in the way we analyze issues instead of supporting blindly because the president is your tribesman or you a relative in his government. We need to defend our democracy by all cost. The alternative can be gravy.
I was in Zambia just two days ago. What Mr Ruwe has written is spot on. Ofcourse what he writes about is his opinion but he writes as someone who is in Zambia right now. Good observation Mr Ruwe. Most of the people who write as if there are from the diaspora ( Your Critics) are Embassy/High Commission press secretaries put there by the PF specifically to appear pro PF. Ladies and Gentlemen things are very very very bad in Zambia. The opposition therefore needs to wake up to save our country from sliding into a basket case.
i dont care wat this fu writs!!!! Am living
How does one vote on LT now? It seems selective. i must say that this is a challenge for HH to take seriously. He is the only hope now.
Another beneficiary of MMD writing a biased article just to satisfy his former masters. Claiming that HH knows Sata better is a very wrong assumption for a grad student to make. If HH knows Sata better he would have remained in the pact and we would be talking of Vice-president HH. He would have been nearer to the presidency than he is now and a good reader of people should have seen the signs that PF was going to win the elections and re-positioned himself in the pact instead of leaving.
The writer should also understand what the word Democracy means not Democracy indicators. The voters were not forced to vote for PF and the myth of dissatisfied PF supporters is a lie, how come the opposition are not winning by-elections?
Chikala zoona ulaponta
All this talk sounds pathetic. What a bunch of whiners. You talked shit about Kaunda, shit about Chiluba, shit about Mwanawasa, shit about RB and shit about sata. who do you want in office nevers, HH, miyanda? or do you see a Mandela in Zambia? Let’s make an effort for constructive, informed, educated and realistic criticism. Zambia is a 3rd world country economically as well as politically and is doing, in my opinion the best it can to do better. Does anyone understand dictatorship? look at Zimbambwe, DRC, CAR, Angola, Uganda, Sudan, list goes on. Guys let’s offer fair critique where due but also give credit where due.
ZWD IS A BUNCH OF WUSSIES & COWARDS. NO CREDIBILITY AT ALL.
For a Phd candidate, this is a very shallow paper and lacks critical analysis. To say the least, it is a very poorly researched article. Good luck with your Phd defence!!
It is good to see Field operating from this blog now. The insults from the comments at ZWD were really irritating. I hope it will be different with LT. As usual, this is an excellent article. Of course, every reader is entitled to their own opinions; but please stop the insult and don’t turn LT into something similar to ZWD.
well written and some degree of truth but a bit on the extreme side,well identified but please help come up corrective measures if you really mean well for the country,avoid smearing mad on your house at every opportunity but also give credit where its due. There are a few problems but generally they are trying though needs alot of watching.
I used to admire Field Ruwe as a comedian and still laugh when i remember his acts on ZBS then. I honestly feel now that in this artical Field has lost his act altogether with this bias and unwarranted attack on His Excellency MC Sata. Zambians in the diaspora are a real let down and need to be in touch with what is happening back home instead of just bubbling empty Hot Air for gee. Ba Ruwe youy are just a finished lumpen trying to earn a thesis at our expense. Grow up or is it in height???
39.1, you are saying that all the development we are seeing around Zambia is credited to UNIP and MMD – you are only 97% right. Nevertheless, UNIP was in power for 27 years, MMD for 20 years, do you seriously believe that PF which has only been in power for one year will be able to show as much tangible development? What PF has done is to put new policies in place which will lead to development as the years go by. Take for example the decentralisation of health services, this will not only create more jobs for the people but the local communities who know their communities better will be more able to run the services. I pray that the same will be done to education and other key services. You should know that this is the system being used in most developed countries! Please give PF time1
With due respect to our common African Heritage without boundaries as long as we are black people we are one people. Field Ruwe should humbly learn from other personalities with Malawians ancestry who have become Zambians like Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, Mr. Dennis Liwewe and many others who quietly settled in Zambia and contributed a lot without raising dust, farthers and egoist pride. Field too, is of Malawian ancestry. His father worked as Officer in Charge at PWD in Chingola where he was born. Field was my classmate at Chikola Secondary School from Form One to Form Five. he did not pass well in Form Five in 1972 and repeated to get a better GCE School Leaving Certificate which he passed well in 1973. Future Dr.Field Ruwe should spare us from the noise he makes in the media.
Fifty seven percent(57 %) of the electorate that cast the vote in 2011 did not vote for Sata. The 43 % that voted for Sata carried the day. The failure of Zambian Democracy is precisely this point. The minority (43%) determined the future of our country versus the majority (53%). In most countries where democracy has matured people have questioned this form of Democracy (Simple majority) which Zambia still clings to. Besides being a very shallow form of practice for a country like Zambia, it raises serious fundamental questions for a country with such “high literacy levels”. However, our learned fake certificate holders who characterize the legislative wing of Govt. coupled with a former police constable as heard of state does not help the situation either.
Depressing comments from locals( typical of umwana a shenda ignorance)…Why are people attacking Ruwe personally just because he is not based in Kasama and happens to be PHD student!.It is a FACT that Zambians based in developed countries are generally better informed and have access to wider sources of information than most locals.We are also able to contrast and compare how civilised society functions, Please stop this nonsense that Zambians abroad cannot contribute to the debate about mother Zambia.
The article may not be balanced…but SO WHAT? it is an opinion piece!! an informed piece that seeks to shed some light on Sata’s leadership style and illuminates what maybe behind some of Sata’s actions. In my view this is Ruwe’s more thoughtful…
Features Of The Looky 3.5 Inch Color Hand Held Video Magnifier 2 Hrs. of Battery Use!Electronic handheld video magnifierSee text in color or switch to black/whiteErgonomically designed folding handleFreeze functionMagnifies 3x-8x