The Parliamentary Committee on Reforms and Modernization says it is the duty of government to take development to the people regardless of their political affiliation.
Committee chairperson Patrick Mucheleka says there is no Member of Parliament (MP) or Cabinet Minister who can singularly guarantee and take development to the people on account of political recognition.
Mr. Mucheleka said the falsehood by some politicians during campaigns especially in rural areas that they will take development to those places once elected as MPs erodes the principles of democracy and must be stopped.
[pullquote]Mr. Mucheleka said the falsehood by some politicians during campaigns especially in rural areas that they will take development to those places once elected as MPs erodes the principles of democracy and must be stopped.[/pullquote]
He said Zambia is a democratic nation and as such people must be allowed to be identified with political parties of their choice without interference.
Mr. Mucheleka who is also Lubansenshi independent MP noted that the people of Zambia in 1991 decided to go the democratic way through plural politics to allow variety and participation of the citizenry.
However, he said unfortunately despite this paradigm shift some people still have the one party state mentality and have refused to embrace the dynamics of democracy to the detriment of the practice.
He urged the people of Luapula Province to look beyond party royalty and go for quality during elections arguing that even independent candidates should be evaluated on account of their own merit.
Mr. Mucheleka was speaking in Nchelenge District of Luapula Province yesterday during the Parliamentary Reforms and Modernization Committee public hearing held at the council.
The Lubansenshi parliamentarian was accompanied by Kasempa MMD MP Kabinga Mpande, Mwinilunga UPND MP Steven Katuka, Namwala UPND MP Moono Lubenzhi, Chasefu FDD MP Dr. Chifumu Banda (SC), Lumezi MMD MP Isaac Banda and Chama South PF MP Dr. Efron Lungu.
The Parliamentary Committee on Reforms and Modernization is on the tour of Luapula Province to raise awareness on the work of the MP, the National Assembly office and the government functions.
True, I agree completely. Don’t listen when they say this and that legacy. There’s no such thing as truth in Zambian politics.
If and only if, the people can heed to such advice and abide by it, only then can they get out of the ‘ I wish I knew’ catastrophe. Go for the best. Party affiliation is just a ‘vehicle’ but performance is not party-embedded. Let the most qualified person get the job and you never regret your choice.
Mucheleka belongs to the class of intellectuals. I love this man. Continue sharing your wisdom!
Thats putting it the way it should be! It is high time we viewed the competitors basing on their individual capacities. No wonder Mucheleka’s electorate must already be privy to this discernment for them to have elected him! This message must resound in all corners of the country and when we start applying it may start paying dividends for a better Zambia.