Former State House Press Aide George Chellah says it is no longer doubtful that Zambia is severely polarised.
Mr Chellah said the leadership on both ends of the crisis must not waste the opportunity for dialogue and that they must accurately read the prevailing mood and tempo in the nation.
Writing on his Facebook page, Mr Chellah said the country is now at a point where the parties responsible for this situation ought to put the country first.
Below is Mr Chellah full statement
TIME TO GIVE DIALOGUE A CHANCE
By George M. Chellah
It’s no longer doubtful that our country is severely polarized, and as a consequence the political temperature is high too. So, it would be highly clumsy and politically, economically and socially suicidal for us to linger on with pretense like its ‘business as usual’ yet the reality is that of ‘business than the usual’.
The bitter truth about our current state of affairs is that we are at a point where the parties responsible for this situation ought to put the country first and realize that we have tempted fate too far and its time we buried the hatchet, and discussed our differences flexibly.
The above concept directly feeds into Dean Pruitt’s argument in a paper entitled ‘Whither Ripeness Theory?’ Pruitt theorizes that ‘‘ripe moment’ concerns the thought process of decision-makers who turn to negotiation or mediation in severe conflicts in which the parties have been trying to defeat one another’ (Pruitt, 2005, p. 1).
The scholar’s broader definition of ‘ripe moment’ as a period when rational and enlightened decision-makers resolve that finding the middle ground is appropriate, validates both the hypothetical and feasible standpoints of the subject matter insofar as attaining a reconciliatory and progressive settlement is concerned.
In this case, the leadership on both ends of our crisis must not waste the opportunity for dialogue presented before us. They must accurately read the prevailing circumstances i.e. the mood and tempo, and how such can be exploited to the benefit of the country and its citizens before the situation escalates. Identifying the moment for dialogue is of essence, if positive results are to be scored.
Fonkem Achankeng in a paper entitled ‘Mutual Hurting Stalemates, Ripe Moments and Third- Party Interventions’, equates the concept of ‘ripeness’ to that of a fruit by illustrating that ‘once a fruit is plucked too early, it will not be ready for eating; nevertheless, if it is plucked too late, it will equally be inedible’ (Achankeng, 2012, p. 56).
Therefore, using Achankeng’s analogy I humbly submit that it’s time for Zambia to pluck its fruit and eat it before its too late.
We are all Zambians and we have a country to build, and more importantly, we must be cognizant of the fact that the dignity, growth and sovereignty we desire will only have meaning and guarantee if we split our problems into manageable portions, guided by the spirit of genuine brotherhood, patriotism and unity in diversity.
Chellah is right & speaking the truth.
Under visionless Lungu~sha economy, Zambia is no longer a democracy but a dictatorship.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Ignore this little toad who stole money and is living in an artificial world.
Those in glass houses ….
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Thanks
Bb2014,2016
It is unfortunate that a very good advise has come from George Chellah.
In Chellah’s time with the Cobra, good advise was often trashed .
Chella
The tension you are noticing today started when your Shikulu was in power and has only been exercerbated by the incumbent.Sata’s presidency did alot of damage in relations of PF and UPND.
Now the stones themselves are crying out.
WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP
================
We have ECL, HH, S.H. PRESS AID CHANDA, ED, WINA, KAMPYONGO,YALUMA, SILIYA to name a few, beating the drum today on one hand and KK, RB, CHELLA, KAMBWILI, MULENGA SATA, GUY, LUPANDO on the other who beat their drums yesterday. Yes a few of these gentlemen may come back to play the music in the future but one thing is certain here, the political melody of life will not be endless. There surely comes a time to dislodge and be entertained by other forms of orchestra of life elsewhere. Can you imagine how uninteresting LUPANDO sounds on the political podium. Its amazing how the youth of time flies away like an ending whistle. Chella sounds miserable.
George Chellah, please crawl back to the little stone from which you came and go to sleep. We don’t need thieves to tell us about the state of the country. I personally don’t see any crisis and your statement can only be described as sour grapes.
Chellah your house is not our Zambia. Get life.
I agree with you Mr. Chellah. An opportunity lost may never be realized. Your opinion is non-partisan. Nonetheless I believe that the President is the Father of the Nation. Even in a nucleus family there’s always a child or children who are disobedient. But as a Father, you can’t ask your disobedient Don to write down a list of reasons why he wants to talk to you. As a Father, you’re always open to embrace all your children, wether obedient or not. As in the case of the proverbial prodigal son, the Father still loved him and waited for him to come home. He didn’t ask for a list of things to discuss with him. So the buck stops at the President’s desk. It’s unfortunate that his advisors are advising him otherwise.
Spot on Lombe! Well articulated unlike all the jargon that Chellah wrote.
But how do you call Kaiser Zulu and those over excited boys at Statehouse as presidential advisers?Surely those are just the president’s friends.Any serious leader cant have those goons for advisers and the results of their handy work is there for all to see.The burden is now on Edgar to smell the coffee and the quicker he does so the better for him as the boys surrounding him have already dug his political grave and they are now laying the groundwork for a troubled future for Edgar.As i see it with the likes of Kaiser near Edgar even just remaining PF president will not be possible for Edgar.
Chellah should not make news even if he commits suicide.
Mr George what are you up to these days ? Where have u been . Wish u were maintained as press aide . Amos is not as good looking as you plus u are smarter than him
Only the biter and people from certain regions comment in certain manners. Mr Chela you lost your job so you are bitter.
The boys still wants to be politically relevant.
as if you had ears when people said there was chaos under Sata. You were big headed like that JERE boy under RB. Same as Amos. There is time for everything. Look at Kaiser Zulu, how are we to correct him.
Kays
My point exactly.Actually a dull person is his own worst enemy.If Kaiser and his friends had left the Post to operate it would have been a consistent irritation but it could have kept them on their toes.With critical media all but gone they have nothing to weigh against themselves hence the numerous childlike mistakes they keep making.But the real tragedy is the apparent failure to make the grade
as if you had ears when people said there was chaos under Sata. You were big headed like that JERE boy under RB. Same as Amos. There is time for everything. Look at Kaiser Zulu, who are we to correct him.
Rwandese in danger as Zambia signs extradition treaty with Rwanda
Edgar Lungu and Rwandan president Paul Kagame have signed an extradition treaty between Zambia and Rwanda.
The treaty will allow Zambia to hand over Rwandese asylum seekers based in Zambia back to their country to face trial once requested by the government of Rwanda.
A number of Rwandese who fled their country for fear of being killed by Kagame in 1994 were granted asylum in Zambia by successive governments.
But Lungu, known for treachery and corruption has agreed to handover the asylum seekers to Kagame for possible killing.
A number of Rwandese in Lusaka closed their shops today and went into hiding for fear of the Rwandan intelligence officers who have flooded Lusaka as Rwandan President Paul Kagame is…
And this dull Lungu says he wants to “learn from Rwanda”……
What does he want to learn? How to bring GENOCIDE to Zambia? He has nearly brought it here ALREADY!
That is what happens when a dull drunkard steals elections!!!!
Njala yakunyokola. I told you and I told even Richard Sakala before you and and I have told Amos Chanda the same. Don’t grow too big for your boots. Wasambilila nomba and welcome to the club of reality.
By the way, what is your qualification compared to a police officer who has a masters in Mass communication or Public administration? Wenze wamena mangala che as a junior journalist granted an opportunity you were lucky to have against genuine and experienced journalists. Kulo mone nomba.
Ba Chellah when GBM wanted to reconcile with Sata, are you not the one who was against the said reconcilliation. What has changed? Ni njala ka?
The current “problems” stem from one thing: THE ELECTIONS. As long as the winner is not acknowledged, there will be no dialogue. When the losing party accepts the results and move on, there will be no “problems”!! VERY SIMPLE.
Not sure if Chella would have written the same article if he was under the reigns of his grandpa MC Sata. I am seeing a similar trend in world politics – In USA Trump won by a marginal gap – NOW WE SEE AND SAY TRUMP IS ON FIRE. In UK during Brexit vote Theresa May won by a marginal gap (52% vs 48%) – NOW WE SEE AND SAY THERESA IN ON FIRE. In Zambia Lungu won by a marginal gap (51% vs 48%) – and NOW WE SEE AND SAY LUNGU IS ON FIRE.
With all these similarities life goes on in all these countries – BUSINESS AS USUAL; IN USA ECONOMY IS PICKING, IN ZAMBIA GDP IS GROWING AND INFLATION RATE DROPPING. Talk will continue until next elections which will bring new drama.
Prevention is better than cure. Pray that none of the countries you have mentioned will catch fire, and that none will one day look back and wish things had been done differently. The U.S. is experiencing Trump Tribulation. For the U.K. BREXIT is still a baby in the womb, yet to be born. We hope it will be a normal delivery, and the baby having all its organs working normally at birth. As for Zambia, it’s clear this is business unusual.
PF is responsible for causing the crisis. PF stole the elections with the help of the Concourt.
Problem with our democracy:
We copy-pasted western democracy without taking into account characteristics peculiar to our society, vis-Ã -vis ethnic diversity. Instead we should have domesticated our democracy and viewed it through the ethnic prism that hold us together as a country.
Given that the ethnic line cuts Zambia into NE and SW ethnic blocks, the Presidency ought to alternate across the dividing line.
To promote continuity of leadership under this arrangement, the veep will have to come from the other side, and be the next side’s president. Five year terms should do per side to increase a turnover of leadership.
Democracy in it
Cont./-
Democracy in its current form only works in the western world where chiefs and languages do not exist. Out there, for one to be British, he or she only needs to be English. Period. But down here, there is more to being Zambian – one also carries the ethnic identity.
It will take creative and imaginative minds to make it work, just as American founding fathers were when they set out to bring states together … way back in the 1700s.
The bottom line is: we gat to exploit our unity in diversity, as it were.
When people leave high profile offices they say and do very nice things contrary to what they used to do when they were still there. Amos Chanda will also be saying nice things when he leaves contrary to his deeds today
All is well on this earth and God is happy in His heaven. Democracy is rule of law, and not of man. Consequently, the pillars of democracy can not be removed in order to pave way for personal ambition, greed, self-aggrandizement. In a democracy, an offense committed publicly (criminal offense!) must be tried and punished in public (court). There is need to uphold and respect the integrity of the judiciary, even when the big fish or small fish are involved. From time to time, the judiciary will handle big cases. There is no country in which big cases do not exist. If big cases did not exist, then the big cases were committed and tried secretly.
Chellah must be a joker! I honestly believe the crisis he is referring to is that which is existing in his pockets! The chap is broke and he wants to be seen to be relevant…….if at all he has been relevant at Zambian political scene!
only a f00l would deny that Zambia is in a crisis
George Chellah is risking being Charged with Treason by saying Zambia is in a Crisis. Ostrich Lungu and RB see no crisis. Zambians are reaping the fruits of a rigged Election. Lungu and his Election Riggers underestimated the consequences of rigging the Election and blocking the Petition. The seeds of economic ruin have been sewn and the crop outturn will be bad. Without IMF Loan,Western Financial Assistance and Donor Aid the Zambian Economy will collapse just like the Zimbabwean Economy did. Next Year Zambia will default on its external Debts with dire consequences. Lungu and his Economic illiterate Advisers must be realising that u can rig an Election but u cant rig the Zambian Economy. You reap what u sew.
which one is George Chella, the para police? The guy walking more on red carpet than late President Sata? Or the one on gravel?
which one is George Chella, the para police? The guy walking more on red carpet than late President Sata? Or the one on gravel? ECL, I see ya
We have not forgotten how George Chella behaved when he was at state house. He has no integrity and morality to talk about these matters. He was part of the seed of arrogance that has now fully germinated in Zambia!
Don’t trash the baby with the bath water. George Chella is the bath water. What he has said is the baby.
Regardless, Chellah is spot on!
I am yawning. Chalo na chipena. Ati no crisis, Kwena
When your enemy speaks sense, accept and make amends. In life , you cannot afford to make permanent enemies.
GEORGE CHELLAH – Sometimes it is better to keep your mouth shut. People still remember how corrupt and arrogant you were in State House. Of all the people you have no moral right to condem anybody who is in power today, BECAUSE you set a terrible precedent and bad example. Just go and have your rich nshima. You condemning ECL is like a thief calling a robber all kinds of names. I don’t even know how Lusaka Times can stand up and give you this coverage!!! It is disgusting. Youe see now? You small-minded evil-spirited human-animals have short memory, you forget too easily: however, the people haven’t forgotten how evil you can be once given power. Go to hell with your moralizing…you are a wold in sheep-skin.
UPND supporters as usual will forget the vitriol that Chellah dished out on them when he was Sata’s chola boy just because he says the country is in crisis. If Kambwili joins UPND, all his alleged corruption and his links to jerabos will conveniently be forgotten.
Sata was dying at this point in the picture and everyone was pretending! Just like the rot happening in this country, all are pretending all is well. Timely advice, George Chella.
SADIST IN THIS NATION AS A RESULT OF THE LOVE OF MONEY,PRIDE AND SELFISHNESS
George Chella once responded to HH that State House at that time would not answer the Supreme Leader HH of the UPND until he revealed who his biological Father was… I still think it was a sacastic way of responding to your fellow human being…Now he’s broke and wants to be head, useless boy grow up and apologise to the Supreme Leader…
crooks lowly coming back and chella is just one of them, chella shud be the last rat talking these are the *****s who introduced huge debt on zambia with the late sata(mhsrp).