In the spirit of hosting an all-inclusive national dialogue process, the Zambia National Students Union (ZANASU) call on the church to postpone the proposed dialogue from the 18th January 2019 to a later date so as to allow for identification and engagement of all key stakeholders as opposed to having a political party-centred dialogue.
The legitimacy of the current church-led dialogue process is increasingly shredded into confusion and having a limited focus on political parties. We are neither satisfied nor sure that the church and the Zambia Center for Inter Party Dialogue (ZCID) have put their houses in order to facilitate a meaningful dialogue that will reflect a national character and have desirable results.
Firstly, to have a meaningful dialogue ground rules, overall objectives, issues and participants must be clearly defined to ensure expectations of the participants are properly managed but, most importantly, this will ensure participants prepare adequately and will contribute to the deliberations in a reasoned manner. ZANASU does not believe that this important national dialogue process should be reduced to a shadowy-boxing or a platform for settling political scores between the opposition and the ruling party.
We have also noted that there seem to be problems as to who should attend this dialogue process. In particular, the church cannot overlook the participation of students and the youth who have always been major players in Zambia’s democratic process while entertaining every Jim and Jack who form political parties to advance their personal agendas.
Our view is that there is serious cause of confusion and organisers of this dialogue must not be seen to be creating a platform for addressing intra-party disciplinary issues or an appeal platform for discussing disciplinary and issues that have been dealt with by court processes. We have noticed and take cognisant of the fact that the Secretariat for the dialogue which is supposed to have representation from the church, ZCID and the Ministry of Justice has not been put in place.
We are therefore convinced that the successful and meaningful national dialogue will only be a product of an inclusive process that embraces all stakeholders than the limited focus on political parties. We cannot reduce this national dialogue process to a political party dialogue because political parties have their own fora for ironing out their differences.
Issued by
Misheck Kakonde
President
Zambia National Students Union
Don’t waste your time. The whole thing is a farce. It’s aimed at appeasing one political player. Let the voters decide in August 2021. The Church like I have been saying all along has more devils than a tavern. I know this because I have been going to church all my life and have seen that you have more honest people among drunks, call boys etc than among church people.
The three church mother bodies have been swamped by christian for Lungu. There are also other elements such as Nakachinda whose presence would amount to nothing but PF dialogue on how to fix others. I think this failed project must be canceled and proper scrutiny of church representation should thoroughly done because there a strong PF cadres masquarading as men of God in the three church mother bodies. Please put off the the dialogue to some later date in order to also have time to tell Antonio Mwanza and his colleagues that its not PF dialogue where they hace to decide who attends.
I knew where my Catholic Church is present, there is trouble. Mmembe has his own agenda for dialogue just as HH and CK has own different agendas. Sadly too, church receives money from political player they don’t wanna disclose or show to ZCID.
Saw this from beginning. Don’t even know why they call it national dialogue when its a dialogue for political parties. This dialogue circus ought to cone to an end timveko vina!!!
Who has bewitched our politicians and the Church. Too much confusion in Zambia and sad part is Church doesn’t want to become commonly accountable with ZCID -both financially or otherwise. Where did the Church get the money for this dialogue that they ain’t want their friends see the money also?
Beggars belief how low the calibre of student representative we have, looks like he received a brown envelop
Confusion over this dialogue is so visible. I think Church should have taken back seat and allow politicians to drive it. In America, there is shut down and what we seeing are politicians talking to each other. Opposition walking in and out of White House.
Misheck u talk lots of sense but shave your beard otherwise u will be put on wanted CIA list of terrorists especially that u terrorissing opposition of late.
trouble is Hichilema sees this political dialogue as his survival strategy. while PF are busy campaigning, he is parading himself at political dialogue with elites. elections are never won from dialogue table and that ECL knows. wake up guys because I see u crying again in 2021
That’s Zambia’s opposition for you. They will tag this dialogue nonsense till 2021 but what do you expect when you got leaders with no real agenda? Church has brought the same confusion that ZCID brought to Commonwealth dialogue. Personally have no faith in both church and ZCID. Politicians must learn to resolve their differences away from self proclaimed men of God.
This dialogue has different meaning to each of participant. Church coming into it hasn’t really proven it any better than it was in hands of ZCID. Nothing has changed and now we hear Church wants own bank account where some politicians are putting in some some. So for Church, its about how much they walk away with after the dialogue. For Hakainde, dialogue is about why he was arrested and petition not heard, Kambwili why he was chased from PF, Mmembe why ECL closed Post, for Lungu reform rhetoric. So yes, ZANUSU is right. Let’s halt this money making venture that won’t produce result. GRZ must release draft bills
Strange reaction from people.. first of all.. no single organisation took a stance to try and bring these people together.. u call in the church and N am calling begins… okay Zambians in an ideal world who do u want to bring these rivals together… and Mr chikonde… if dialogue is not meant to end the shadow boxing and settling political scores… then what is the point??.. if these scores as u out them are not resolved then the spirit of confusion will continue to linger on… boss sometimes before u issue statement utilise your brain in full… don’t be 2 dimensional because we know from there u are joining politics so u are tryining to prepare a safe landing… zanasu graduate to politicians we know your play
Zambia’s biggest problem is our love for these high profile Boardroom meeting that add less value to transforming the lives of our Zambian people really. I just can’t imagine the entire Republican President seated in a meeting where politician throw their anger and frustration on him for things that add little value to common man. President Lungu must roll his sleeves up and get out there to deal with real problems our people in Chazanga, Malole face and allow his junior officials such as Kennedy Kamba to attend to dialogue with Kambwili and HH.
I fully agree with ZANASU
The suggestion that the inter-party dialogue should include youths ,students and other stake holders should not arise. Because, this is not a constituent assembly where every group, association is represented.This is an inter-party dialogue, which initially was being led by the Zcid .Therefore, the Zambia national students union should just be observers and not participants. As for the three church mother bodies please have integrity don’t be like Esau who sold his birth right for a morsal of bread and latter when he wanted to inherit it, he was rejected even though he sought it with tears. I know the economy is biting but let’s be content with what we have.
For us in UPND, we play along this dialogue with ruling PF and its campaign strategy. Nothing more. We don’t expect any meaningful outcome of it and we know the Clergymen and followers want to use it to fundraise but we don’t care so long it brings Lungu to the table for us to show him we can bring him to the table. We ain’t foolish to think something will come out.
For us in UPND, we play along this dialogue with ruling PF and its campaign strategy. Nothing more. We don’t expect any meaningful outcome of it and we know the Clergymen and followers want to use it to fundraise but we don’t care so long it brings Lungu to the table for us to show him we can bring him to the table. We ain’t foolish to think something will come out.
The church particularly the CATHOLIC CANYONS are on record for RWANDA GENOCIDE which claimed 800 lives only fortnight.The Catholic BISHOPS caused CIVIL WAR between the tutsi and hutsi.The same CHURCH canyon is on record of PROMOTING DISUNITY in DRC by refusing the national elections outcome.The wanted FAYULU to win because he is Catholic by faith.Cited examples are endless. Church mother bodies are looking for the pocketbook cheques.Anyway, even the LORD JESUS was crucified because of money.
Fayulu is also a proxy for Katumbi and we know how Katumbi is respected by the church.
Well spoken! The National dialogue must be a Kuta, Zango, Insaka, et al, if indeed it has to achieve the desired results. Political party issues must be dealt with at their own secretariat, the ZCID Offices – not at a National Indaba! This Dialogue must be all inclusive, by incorporating all key stakeholders, namely the Youths, Trade Unions, the Church, traditional leaders, politicians, women groups, CSO, NGOs, Student unions,and all!
Let us not make a mockery of this very important National issue.
The Church has its own agenda just like us from political parties have our own agenda. If the Clergymen can make a few Kwachas here and there fine. We from UPND, our agenda is to bring Lungu to the table so we can tell him straight off.
UPND has serious issues. Not knowing where they are nd where they want to go. Dialogue for them is all that they want to reach out to ECL. Sadly ECL is playing to their game.
What do you expect from trib.als? Clueless, directionless, politically bankrupt leaders, where can they lead you?
Dialogue is for Trib.al Hacks to show his trib.als that he is an important person by appearing on cameras seemingly to challenge the President. He has won absolutely nothing from ALL his court processes, now camera publicity can give him some consolation, with churchmen giving it some empty legitimacy.
He doent look like a student, seems to ayatola who has taken over the student movement, castrate him immediately