By Fred M’membe
By pointing out the mistakes, weaknesses and even abuses of those ruling our country today, we have not turned ourselves into enemies of our people.
Our opposition to the third term bid by those in government today doesn’t make us unpatriotic.
Socialists are patriots and we wish to see our country succeed, with or without us.
You will never see us gloat over national reverses, nor talk down the achievements of those running government. We wish to see the economy recover and do well. We do not look to defeat those running government today on the back of national failure. There will be sufficient grounds without that to argue for their removal. We will not win merely by default, but by our ability to capture the public mood.
Those in government today seem to be guided by the wish to destroy any meaningful opposition; by the determination to have a third term of office for their supreme leader. That is not a recipe for governing well. Theirs is a political party held together by the fear of losing power and its benefits. That will to retain power is the one idea they hold in common. But with the passage of time, that will prove an insubstantial glue. The wheel of fortune turns and that which once appeared fresh, with the passing of time goes to seed.
For us, there’s no choice between being principled and unelectable; and electable and unprincipled. We should win because of what we believe in. A new and complex era such as this requires principles more than ever. It requires a lot more awareness.
This awareness is built by adding experiences of the past and present together with a vision of an anticipated future. It has to be built by adding together all the revolutionary thoughts, the best ethical and humane ideas of all authentic religions, the sum total of the preaching of many political thinkers, of many progressive schools of thought. And political ideas are worthless if they are not inspired by noble, selfless sentiments.
Likewise, noble sentiments are worthless if they are not based on correct and fair ideas.
It is our principles and values that make us a party of compassion; of social justice; of struggle against poverty and inequality; of liberty; of basic human solidarity; and the day we lose those things is the day we keep the name of the Socialist Party but lose the reason for its existence. And ours is a simple enough vision. But it will require supreme national effort. It is a task for a whole people, and not one fixer, genius or MacGyver. Great challenges. But great rewards for all of us if we can rise to them as we can.
We need the good that is in the heart of each of us to serve the good of all of us.
Politics without principles, values or standards seem to be engendering a tendency for our politicians and their supporters to jettison long-term goals for immediate gains.
This forgetting of the great, the principal considerations for the momentary interests of the day, this struggling and striving for the success of the moment regardless of later consequences, this sacrifice of the future for present, may be ‘honestly’ meant, but it is and remains opportunism, and ‘honest’ opportunism is perhaps the most dangerous of all.
Fully agree with Fred. The Zambian presidency belongs to all Zambians and is guided by the constitution which must be respected. We must all follow the constitution. If it says someone sworn in twice regardsless of timeline cannot run then let’s respect the constitution. You mean PF does not people and they all don’t to be president. Lungu has tried but unfortunately his performance as president is far below poor – he has been unable to do the job. Very simple and it’s showing in the economy as well social deterioration.
Sick gay fred there is no such thing as third term bid. The constitutional courts ruled on this issue and yet you choose to act ignorant. So you went to night school to study law and yet you are still so ignorant about how the law works in this country. How can anyone have confidence in a twerp like you leading this country ? Managing a propaganda newspaper is not like managing a country. Fuseke
In Lungu’s government there’s only abject poverty and suffering for most families, Zambian people are being used as slaves in their own country by foreigners like the Chinese who are now Manganese Mine owners, that pay hard working Zambians slave wages of less than 2 dollars per day and less than 70 dollars per month. Zambian people are sick and tired of Lungu and his visionless leadership
”A visionless person is a purposeless person. Yes! besides that, a visionless life is equally not worth living at all. Thus, you’ve got to be a visionary, as well discover and fulfill your purpose for being here (on earth)”. Emeasoba George
You can not reason with empty tins Fred next they will call you a UPND supporter as their small brains only see red and green even here its evident!!
While ECL has rights for another term, he has no right for a 3rd term.
What’s why our courts are smart. The Constitutional court ably ruled.
Do you chaps live in Zambia or Mars.
We have gone past that ECL will be on the ballot and y’all niggaz with an opposite position are f’ed.
Ineee , Iam not a lawyer so can’t comment on the intricacies of lungus 3rd term…..
but fter having run zambias economy into the ground , I know he is not fit for purpose and is just forcing himself onto Zambians for fear of having to explain his vast wealth that is not adding up with his salary.
I also know lungu can never win any free and fair election……
Most tuma tunthemba parties are looking for all sorts of faint opportunities to be seen. This communist party has no hope