By Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba,
In my letter to the Minister of Justice, copied to the President Mr Edgar C Lungu, I stated the position of the New Hope Movement for Multiparty Democracy on the Bill 10 debate.
It was our Position then and it is still our Position today that the consideration of this bill is not a priority at this time and shall only serve to divide our nation further.
Zambia faces a myriad of life threatening problems, among them a fast erosion of the economy. As of today, the dollar rate has hit a historic number of Seventeen kwacha to a dollar. This will have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of many Zambians. The Coronavirus pandemic has the potential to send our economy and fragile health sector into a tailspin. Zambia needs to choose her battles in the midst of such relentless forces working against our nation. It’s against this background that we insist that the timing of Bill 10 will injure the prospects of unity during a time of great distress in the nation. It is not about who is right and who is wrong concerning the bill. It is simply that, we don’t need anything that compromises our chances of a unified nation in the face of so much suffering. We must be united to fight the devastating effects of coronavirus.
As we had anticipated, the bill on its first day in parliament succeeded in dividing the nation not on Ideological grounds but on Regional lines. Bill 10 yesterday divided the South against the North. With the South, we see Western and Northwestern provinces going along. With the North we see Eastern Province going along. Such a paralysis only works against the progress of our country and diminishes the chances of solving the overwhelming problems facing our nation. We must disengage and reflect on the depth of the injury this singular action will cause. If we have ever needed unity, it is now. If we don’t unite as one people, the smallest problem will scatter us.
I am convinced that the current political paralysis is being energized by political expedience. This is no longer about the content of Bill 10 but a political fight based on political and not national interests. It’s about winning the fight and defeating the opponent and not on mitigating the needs of the ordinary Zambian. As the saying goes, when two elephants fight, its the grass that suffers. The PF and UPND are “horn locked” in a senseless fight while the grass, the Zambian people suffer. It is at this point that the New Hope Movement must focus on improving the quality of life for all Zambians regardless of tribe and party affiliation. Zambians are tired of the current politics that undermine any prospect of unity.
It is against this background that we offer the New Hope MMD to the Zambian people. It’s mandate is to save the “grass” which is being trampled upon by the two dominant parties in Parliament. MMD has a history of delivery in the areas of the economy, democracy, the rule of law and jobs. We have done this before. We however have gone a step further by renewing the party and casting away all that Zambians detested about the old MMD.
It is for this reason that the new Movement is now called, the New Hope Movement for MultiParty Democracy. We have come back with hope that Zambians deserve better and shall be better.
I call on all Zambian youth not to fold your arms while the nation screams out for new leadership. Your hard earned diplomas and degrees shall go to waste unless you are willing to join hands in the fight to restore faith in the system of government.
The New Hope MMD has been specifically designed to accommodate the highest numbers of our youth.
Bill 10 must be suspended until Zambia is ready.
The masses have historically made poor choices, hopefully, the ‘hour has come, to choose hope.’
“New Hope MMD” just sounds styupid.
Why not just:
MMD
New MMD
Hope MMD ,
Changing names means that idyot Nakachinda remains alone with MMD, and he deserves to continue holding to all vehicles.
wisdom
I choose to be in UPND camp.
Hitler gassed his people, Saddam Hussein of Iraq also gassed his people and in Zambia (ASK GBM – the Bemba crook)
Unqualified Concourt Judges/Corrupt Chief Justice
Corrupt ECZ
Corrupt PF politicians
The President who failed Maths
Corrupt and unprofessional Z police employed only to deal with HH only
Corrupt Bill 10.
VIVA UPND, VIVA GARRY, VIVA DIPAK and VIVA HH
Chimutengo who told you Saddam Hussein gassed his people…stop believing in the Western Propaganda
To start with, 4 MMD mps are in parliament right now participating in Bill 10. So who do you speak for?? Utufulo twamu court don’t mean much, Nevers. Rather stick to the pulpit where you will impact Zambians, you are a political failure, mwishi. Bill 10 is a national issue which must be dispensed. The economic delivery you speak by MMD-signing contracts that allow foreigners to export all our capital and selling off national assets like mines or ZANACO is economic delivery?? Spare us the stale rhetoric, Nevers….
Although Nervers is himself guilty of having failed to reconcile with Felix Chipota Mutati, the most sensible thing he has recognized is that the PF and UPND have engaged in a senseless battle for superiority. Even the Constitutional amendment process has been reduced to a senseless struggle to outwit each other. I am sure that whenever the PF Central Committee and the UPND National Management Committee meet all they discuss is how to derail and outdo each other. Leaders in both parties have lost their senses, they don’t talk about Zambia. Their senseless greed drives their agendas. We are in a country of senseless politicians, God help us
Ema politics! Kupusana nangu abanenu nabalanda ifyamano. That is why we are called opposition parties. We know bill 10 is good for Zambia . But because we are called opposition…we will never ever agree with it. We will keep walking out.
The only time we agree with them ison proposals to increase MPs allowances!!
sounds good Doc
Yes we don’t want Zambia to keep suffering this way. However bill 10 is not right. Bring bills that hinge on bettering people’s lives and fostering development in Zambia and not bills that seek to benefit a few selfish individuals and help defaulting govts cling on to power. With the current power the president enjoys what good gas come out of it? Is it not the same power mwanawasa had and used it for good while others abused it too? What will lungu do with increased presidential power? If PF really mean well for the country they have sufficient power to do that which is right and honorable it’s never too late. Zambians don’t need manipulators and self seekers we need men and women dedicated to the cause of the nation and not an individual. May the gallant people stand up for Zambia.
Why ddnt u ask your MPs to also walk out of parliament if Bill 10 is not an issue. Tell them to walk out also then we shall know you are serious. Otherwise just sit down and stop talkig matusi.
Disaster!!!
Nevers, you started your article sensibly but then chose to use this platform to campaign for your party. What kind of leadership is this? I thought you will tell the readership that because of the prevailing Coronavirus situation, our efforts as Zambians and govt should be directed at fighting off the spread of this disease and not concentrating on Bill 10 as Hh has done. Learn from other countries, now is not the time for politicking but we need to unite as a country and ward off this scourge. So Mr Nevers, no room for new hope this or that, no bwana, twakana.
Only a foool would listen to this man he tries to make himself stand out like some morality guide yet his backyard has skeletons….why dont you invite Felix Mutati if you want to talk about unity. He is in no position to talk about such issues.
No No No Let Us Choose Corona Virus above Bill 10
None of those two will take Zambia anywhere, I mean, nearly 60 years after independence and look what a joke of a nation we still are, complete with an alcoholic clueless clown for president. Zambia should actually be declared defunct. The Brits made a big mistake of bundling bakolwe, bakoswe na hopanis all together in one zoo called Rhodesia thinking that it will work, no. The sooner we realise bakolwe must leg off to the trees, the koswes back to their underground tunnels and hopanis back to the water the better, this coorperative has miserably failed.
Where is the Church in Zambia ? we nned the guidance of the Church on Bill 10 and many other pressing issues. Where are the ZCCB atleast they make sense when they direct on all national issues. Ho how i wish the Church in Zambia now in 2020 can be like the Church we hard in 1989 – 2008.