By Hon. Dr Jonas Chanda
During the debate in Parliament on the budget allocations to the Electoral Commission of Zambia, I reminded the main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) to stop the POLITICS of WHINING and COMPLAINTS and learn to be a responsible opposition party that can DIALOGUE with the government on key national issues and alternative solutions.
Instead of UPND always attacking ECZ and complaining about the ELECTORAL PROCESS, BYE ELECTIONS, ELECTORAL VIOLENCE, short duration of ELECTORAL PETITIONS in court, and lack of DELIMITATION of constituencies, they should realize that solutions to these challenges lie in the same processes and bills they are castigating and boycotting.
Rather than coming to DIALOGUE with government and other stakeholders to address the challenges they raise, UPND has chosen to politic and hypocritically castigated and boycotted the NATIONAL DIALOGUE process, ELECTORAL REFORMS AMENDMENT BILL (2019), PUBLIC ORDER BILL (2019), and submissions to the CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT BILL (2019).
ECZ, despite facing challenges, has conducted elections for the past five (5) years which even saw two (2) peaceful power transitions from a sitting government to an opposition party – in 1991 when the opposition MMD defeated the ruling UNIP, and in 2011 when the then opposition PF defeated the ruling MMD. This is a very rare occurrence anywhere in Africa and hence the reason Zambia is internationally recognized as a beacon of democracy and peace.
I also called on UPND and other opposition parties to stop making CHEAP POLITICAL CAPITAL out of the fight against CORRUPTION and instead collaborate with investigative agencies like ACC, DEC and Zambia Police by providing whatever EVIDENCE they claim to have to. The case in point is that of the infamous 48 houses (now 51) where UPND had alleged it was PF corruption when in fact the key suspect is a senior civil servant at Ministry of Finance with links to UPND who is also a nephew to a former Minister of Finance and now a UPND Member of Parliament and Opposition Whip.
My message to the Zambian Youths who constitute the majority of the population is NOT to allow politicians to use them as TOOLS of VIOLENCE because NO POLITICIAN IS WORTH DYING FOR, NO POLITICIAN IS WORTH SHEDDING BLOOD FOR.
True
Who supervises this civil servant who’s said to be related to the former minister of Finance? Is the civil servant a free agent in the ministry of Finance? Did this civil servant do similar things whn his uncle was heading the ministry at political level? Something isn’t quite clear.
Dishonourable Jonas Chanda, clearly you do not understand the fragility of the democratic process and the need for any opposition faction anywhere in the world to stay vigilant. I even wonder how TF you got into parliament, but I guess this is Zambia, the real Africa.
With regards the electoral process understand this one thing. For as long as the head of the Electoral Commission of Zambia is appointed by the office of the president, the ECZ is not and can not be independent. The appointee will always be biased towards the appointing individual. We need to change the system, not individuals. No matter how many well meaning individuals you appoint to head ECZ, they are only human and slaves to their stomachs. Let us have a system that places meritorious people in sensitive positions…
Excellent piece. UPNDEAD is inertia DNAed by H². They are opposition party meaning oppose all truth and facts.
Oppose the that the sun rises from the East and sets in the West.
They have to obey H². If he yells ‘Walk out‘, they all walk out. ‘Forge documents‘, they all forge documents. ‘Impeach on flimsy grounds‘ damn they all puppetry do like wise.
They are do nothings whining CRY BABIES, that is all they are and if you patriots think you can reason with the deads, you are wrong. They are just time killerz and wasterz. Don’t mind them though, do what you can to deliver under the limited time – 5 year tenure.
Zambians need to start paying attention to details especially when addressing the entire nation.
What is Chanda saying here:
ECZ, despite facing challenges, has conducted elections for the past five (5) years which even saw two (2) peaceful power transitions from a sitting government to an opposition party –
This happened in the past 5years??
Common sense.
5 elections.
UPND is a tribal H-organisation masquerading as Ha party.
This is good advice to all political parties and to UPND. The POLITICS of WHINING and COMPLAINTS were not there when Mazoka was President of UPND they came with Hakainde Hichilema in 2006. The UPND is now run like a chiefdom by Sammy Chitombwa (HH). According to Sammy Chitombwa, Zambia must be at a stand still until he becomes president.
The letter that he wrote to the Chinese asking them not to assist Zambia until he became president of Zambia is testimony of how cruel that human being is. The joy that he has about load shedding in Zambia is another testimony of a devil in our midst.
As we approach election time politicians will try to use the youth. Let me repeat the words of Hon. Chanda to the youths of Zambia regardless of their tribes and I quote “My message to the Zambian…
During the time of Mazoka, savage PF was not in power, there was MMD that at least respected the rights of citizens and the opposition.
UPND is not a party! It is a TRIBAL H-ORGANISATION.
… Youths who constitute the majority of the population is NOT to allow politicians to use them as TOOLS of VIOLENCE because NO POLITICIAN IS WORTH DYING FOR, NO POLITICIAN IS WORTH SHEDDING BLOOD FOR.
Let Zambia be bigger than any individual
Let us fight for Zambia as a united people
Let love lead the way.
51 houses now linked to Upnd wow that’s really interesting. That’s why it’s very important to speak slow and quick to listen. Upnd may have good reasons to condemn certain things but they have a long way to learn how to govern. They’re quick to speak without knowing what they’re talking about, to them been in opposition is opposing everything without thinking. Upnd is a good party but with wrong leadership starting from hh to the least.
How gullible? Give examples of issues that they criticized but were progressive and good. You believe that crap about ownership of 51 houses? How senile? Intellectually and morally, UPND members are far much refined than their PF counterparts.
@4.1
Hehehehehehe!
Really?
Just like Jack Mwimbu and Cornelius Mweetwa have land in Forest 27 but call PF and ECL corrupt daily….
How can we dialogue with fools and thieves like pf members ?
How can we dialogue with f.o.o.ls and thieves like pf members ? The biggest one being lungu
Its only prudent that all established political parties make use of every legitimate forum brought about to make the required changes in the constitution. Not talking to the streets. Every national gathering need to be taken serious. Emagine, HH gets to state house may be, during independence celebrations and greet each other with ECL. HH will have shown the world of what a statesman he is. There would be applauses to the advantage HH. Did people see what happened at the freedom statue. CK greeting ECL, people applauded much to the advantage of CK. That is what is required. No matter how trivial political parties may think of gathering, their presence and point of view need to be registered to go forward. Why? They will say, this is what we submitted.
Ba Neez, if can not respect others NO Zambian will take you serious, let alone respect you. If you can’t dialogue “f.o.o.l.s” in power, who then are you going to dialogue with? Because these “f.o.o.l.s” hold the instruments of power – mandate of the people. Neez don’t spoil the broth for UPND. I don’t think you know the damage you are doing, that is if you are genuinely upnd. Dr. Chanda says no politician is worth to die for and am saying, no politician is worth INSULTING for. Are you then going to dialogue to yourselves?
And we are waiting for Higer hachumbu to make an fb post over the 51 houses!!
HOW CAN THE OPPOSITION DIALOGUE WITH THE PF GOVT ON ANY ISSUE IF PF MINISTERS REFER TO OPPOSITION LEADERS AS IMPEFU (COCKROACHES)? CAN ANY ONE DIALOGUE WITH A FOUL-MOUTHED MINISTER JUST BECAUSE HE/SHE IS A MINISTER? THE JOB OF THE OPPOSITION IS POINT OUT WRONGS BEING DONE BY THE GOVT. SO WHAT DIALOGUE DOES JANUS WANT? THAT OPPOSITION STOPS EXPOSING PF VIOLENCE, APARTHEID, CORRUPTION AND OTHER FORMS OF PF THUGGERY?
Proverbs 14:7
“Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.”
King James Version (KJV)
UPND MPs have the democratic and biblical rights to walk out!
Yes, and so do not complain when decisions are made for you because of your f.oolishness.
@abilima,
Kwena walibilima chachine!
Us UPND supporters are now tired of trying to help Zambians to open their eyes to PF fraud. As such, we have resolved to sentence PF loving Zambians to another 10 years of PF wilderness policies. We are voting PF in 2021 to help fulfill the Dununa reverse prophecy for Zambia! Let the blind continue following the blind! One Zambia, one side!
UPND is the most useless political party under Sammy Chitombwa. Instead of being in parliament to amend pieces of legislation that disadvantage them. They stay away. When the current constitution was being amended, they opposed it without even reading it. Now they cry when the public order act is used on them.
People should know that money from Privatization was not well accounted for and HH lacks words to clear himself from this mess. We are told he even bought the house for LIMA BANK which he liquidated. Who is the big thief here? Bane ba upned you must accept the reality and possibly change your leaders who at the helm.
Who received money from privatized state enterprises? It’s the govt my friend. Ask them where they took the money. Nawakwi was in govt then and this question was asked all those years ago. The answer, at least from late Penza, was the money was used to pay for running the privatisation programme. HH was a hired hand and reported to the privatisation agency. His reports are there. Besides HH was an executive in a firm which was paid for its services and later paid its employees, paid taxes to govt, ren’t to ZCCM whose office building it rented space from. I hv dealt with HH in a professional capacity and exchanged correspondence wth him.
Has Lungu ever explained himself or asked for forgiveness from the poor person he swindled that led to him being bared from practicing as a lawyer? Can lungu account for quick accumulation of wealth, did lungu reveal to the zambian people the gift he got from mwsati until it was exposed and has he ever surrendered it to government?. Has lungu ever stated why he allowed findlay a non government official travel on the Jet purchased by the zambian people.
“Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.”
Proverbs 14:7
King James Version (KJV)
I have always pointed out that some of the most corrupt civil servants and senior civil servants are members of the trible UPND. Even as you hear the claim that their intention is to bring down the PF, the proceeds of that corruption goes into their pockets. And remember after criticising GBM for alleged corruption when he was in PF, the same “anti corrupt” UPND made him running mate or if you like future vice president. You could confidently say that if Trible HH was comfortable with a corrupt GBM, then the Trible HH must be corrupt himself as birds of a feather flock together. You can confidently sThe bottom line is that the trible UPND and trible HH have an equal share of corrupt leaders and members.
…as far as corruption in Zambia is concerned, trible upnd equally has long fingers, what they are looking for is an opportunity to put them to full use exactly as PF are doing.
“….. UPND and other opposition parties to stop making CHEAP POLITICAL CAPITAL out of the fight against CORRUPTION and instead collaborate with investigative agencies like ACC, DEC and Zambia Police by providing whatever EVIDENCE they claim to have to.”
Dr Jonas Chanda, honourable don’t try to play smart, in the last acquittal ACC withheld vital evidence, the new trend has to state capture ACC so that evidence is given but nothing happens to the accused.
@ jk
How on earth did you manage to put so much crap with so little brain? Perhaps you been using your large arse hole for s*hitting or your deep trouth for 5ucking?
When PF is leading the nation like children what do you expect. How were the PF acting when they were in opposition? If you are talking about dialogue why has edgar been shunning away from the time he stole the elections?. Point out anything meaningful that would benefit the people of Zambia that you came up with in parliament and UPND walked out on. All the policies you having been bringing forward, like increment of salaries, bill 10, etc are so that you thieves can benefit at the expense of the people of Zambia. Edgar is not concerned about this country his only concern is to himself only. How many illegalities or bad bills have you tried to push through parliament as PF no matter how bad the bill is as long as it benefits lungu alone you want it to succeed. We thank God UPND MP’s…
In fact UPND should do citizens a favour and just ‘do one,’ for us. PLEASE DISBAND you vagabonds! No hope of ever winning.
The way you vote in your provinces is instructive to other regions who will follow your example; they are the majority. It’s a no hoper, give up, surrender!!!! Please be nice ……….!
Continued: I thank God for the Opposition MP’S who have refused to compromise with thieves busy stealing in daylight like the PF are doing. Zambia fought for independence from colonialism it now time we fought for accountability from those we entrust with leadership of this great nation.
Hahaha is this dishonorable for real. Does he want the thieves to have a field day with our resources aikona man. When you have a hard time scoring in a football match do you ask your opposition to remove their defenders so that you can score? UPND has not agreed with you on bad bills or policies. Tell me did UPND oppose you on the statutory instrument for labour? No, why? because it was good bill and would benefit the working conditions and emoluments for workers both in private and the government. Be real baba you are dealing with peoples lives and livelihoods.
Jonas Chanda, what ECZ are you talking about. The same ECZ that failed to answer questions of irregularities in 2016 in full view of Europeans and the world. The same ECZ that watches and not condemn the loss of life especially if committed by the ruling party. ECZ bares a lot of blame for the many problems we are facing. PF did not win in 2016 they were handed the victory by ECZ. Look at their behavior afterward election after election bankrupting us. Now they’re dividing us with their tribalistic and hate talk. We can’t go a day without them insulting others as if they are clean themselves. They need to remove the speck in their eyes because it’s their speck which has an adverse effect on the people than the opposition.
UPND will opt to stay out of parliament during debates of important issues. The reason is obvious the chaps cannot dialogue and cannot defend anything other than their small god. So when they sit in parliament they are just as useless as when they are outside. So what they will do until 2021 is to walk out and cry from outside. But their petition will be thrown out after 14 days if they do not participate now. They talk of corruption or “mfwiti”, “mfwiti” but they overlook their own “mfwiti” behaviour of not being accountable to their own employers (electorate) but instead they are there to serve the interest of one man that has lost five times and counting. Is it not corruption to pretend that you are a representative of someone when in fact not, but you keep drawing a salary from tax…
Is it not corruption to pretend that you are a representative of someone when in fact not, but you keep drawing a salary from tax payers contributions?
The is strength in unity; there is ever greater strength in unity action in the pursuit of our common purpose, therefore the opposition political parties should be patient, they should not be in a hurry work with the government of the day, but help build this country develop. Bitterness will not provide solution, if they happened to form government they will also need many hands. We only have one Zambia.