It’s Time To Write Our History

Zambia goes to the polls tomorrow 11th August 2016. This year’s General election is going to be a huge landmark in the political landscape in the history of this country. We have an interesting election note only because we have running mates and 50%+1, but also because this is the first time in 25 years that the election shall boil down to only two parties. In 1991, it was a two horse race between the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) under late Frederick Chiluba and the United National Independence Party (UNIP) under Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.

Every voter that shall cast their vote this year will be writing history. It is clear to me that Zambia is going to enter a new political dispensation. It is for this reason that as Zambians, we must exercise our right to vote with soberness and respect. We have to say goodbye to voting based on emotions and empty slogans, and graduate to issue based politics driven by analysis of all the candidates on the ballot. We have an opportunity to decide our own destiny.

There are about 1.7 million new registered voters which is very encouraging because this figure is more than the total ballots that were cast in the 2015 presidential by election. Most of the new voters are young people who will be voting for the first time and are excited to be exercising their right to vote for the first time. This means that the young people want their voices heard and be relevant to society. These are the people who shall one day take over the reins of leadership when the current crop of leaders retires. By getting involved now in the electoral process, they are preparing themselves well for the future.

Regardless of who one supports in the Presidential, Mayoral, Parliamentary or Council elections, I wish everyone to go out and vote peacefully and exercise your democratic right because the power is with you. The power to determine the course of history for Zambia in the next five years is now squarely and firmly in the hands of the citizens. We need to use the ballot to decide our future and that of our children.

We have had a rough campaign period characterised with violence and lack of tolerance. We now need to move forward and look at a bigger picture which is our country. Fighting and attacking each other won’t solve any of our problems. Let’s us go and vote for our preferred candidates in peace and quietly wait for the final results to be announced by the electoral commissions of Zambia. I urge the political party supporters from both the ruling and opposition political parties to avoid premature cerebrations as this has the potential to cause civil unrest.

We must all be ready to accept the results and avoid confrontation at all cost. I further want to urge the police to ensure that they do their best in ensuring that peace and unity prevails during and after elections. We must not allow ourselves to resort to violence no matter the amount of frustration. The media should also be factual in reporting and help in dissemination of information without diluting the right information.

I finally want to remind President Edgar Lungu and President Hakainde Hichilema that at this point the peace and unity of this country depends on how they will both behave during this very sensitive time. I urge the two leaders to be above selfish interests and put the interest of the Zambian people first. They have the potential to cause confusion in the country or build on the peace and unity we have enjoyed for a long time. We must not and should never take the peace we enjoy as a country for granted.

I wish all the participating political parties and indeed all the independent candidates all the best as we go for the polls tomorrow.

God Bless Zambia.