Thursday, March 28, 2024

Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad – Nkandu Luo’s Appointment

Share

By Henry Kabinga

“Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad” is a popular seventeenth century saying. I find this very apt in describing president Lungu’s seemingly bizarre appointment of Nkandu Luo as his presidential running mate.

This is because from an independent point of view, this is an irrational, poorly thought out and highly absurd appointment for a number of reasons.

Nkandu Luo’s political history, going back to her time in MMD, through her political hiatus, and her bouncing back under the PF has been mired in controversy. She raises toxic political dust wherever she goes.

  • Under the MMD, when she was a minister of transport, Luo raised a political storm with minibus drivers and owners when she forced through a Statutory Instrument (SI) that compelled all taxi and minibuses to be branded in MMD colours, blue and white. Typical of her character, there was no consultation with stakeholders on this whole exercise and all objections were met with arrogant pushbacks typical of her motor mouth.
  • When she was minister of health, she had another toxic relationship with health workers that led to a massive number of doctors and nurses leaving Zambia for neighbouring countries as well as abroad to countries like the UK, USA and Australia. That her background was in health spoke of how poor her public relations were if she could force persons that shared her profession to take such drastic steps as to leave their jobs on account of her maladministration.
  • Fast track to 2013 and Luo is now minister of chiefs and traditional affairs under the PF and one of our enduring memories of that year is the epic fight she had with her own traditional ruler, the current paramount chief Chitimukulu when she got embroiled in chieftaincy succession wrangles where she wanted her own preference to succeed to the leadership of that chieftaincy.
  • As if that was not enough, when she moved to the ministry of higher education, she picked fights with literally all those under her ministry – students, when she abolished meal allowances as well as lecturers and administrators over all sorts of things. These constant wrangles that she is always quick to start, culminated into the closure of the Copperbelt University for several months leading to the delayed graduation of students.

The question should logically arise as to why president Lungu has picked on probably the worst choice he could have been provided with for a running mate. It would seem judging from his answer to this question, that Mr. Lungu chose Nkandu Luo personally and with no consultation with anyone else whatsoever. What others see as minuses or deficiencies of character and leadership qualities of his subordinates appear to be pluses for this president.

The question is why should this be so? My own answer, as I conclude my brief treatise, is that Mr. Lungu would like to carry on running the affairs of this country even beyond 2026 should he win this year’s election. By choosing a very poor and unpopular person for vice president, the question of who takes over from him in 2026 is made much easier as there will be no question about Nkandu Luo’s unsuitability in any mind both within and outside the Patriotic Front. Having manoeuvred through into an illegal third term, what stops Mr. Lungu from going on into a fourth, fifth or more terms in the manner we have seen with his mentor, Mr. Yoweri Museveni of Uganda?

16 COMMENTS

  1. This can be the only explanation as to why President Lungu would choose such a toxic running mate. There is nothing I can think of that she has done successfully. Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.

    23
    17
  2. The Vice President is not only a spare President, but s/he is the leader of government business in Parliament. IF (God forbid) this LuLu ticket goes through, parliamentarians must brace for a hostile leader of government business. We could even see miniskirts coming back into parliament!

    19
    17
  3. Amen, Amen

    why worry when you know this is
    God’s workings for those who not take Godly advise
    and wisdom .

    16
    9
  4. @Henry Kabinga

    Ask yourself whose name and portrait voters look out for in the voters’ booth. Is is that of the presidential candidate, the running mate or both the presidential candidate and the running mate? My honest response is, the presidential candidate. Besides, it is not automatic that a running mate who later becomes Vice-President will take over after the end of the tenure of office of the President. He or she will still need to endear herself or himself to the electorate depending on how he or she performs as Vice-President.

    7
    1
  5. TOXIC-VEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MOVE FROM HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER WHICH FITS A PROFESSOR TO FISHERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KIKIKIKIKI REALLY TOXIC…………………..

    9
    6
  6. Nigerians have this saying: When a monkey wants to die, every tree branch becomes slippery!
    Someone seems to be under a “Do As I Say” self destruction charm.
    As if the Running mate Liability was not enough, he goes on to host a botched interview with madam ‘I am appealing’ kikikiki

    7
    5
  7. The two worst candidates in all of Africa
    Both corrupt both are thugs both are ugly both have no vision both have savagery in them

    5
    3
  8. Donkeys never learn. It’s no about attacking characters that will convince voters, it’s your policies and ideas that will do the trick. Bembas say-“kalya usulile, ekopa noko.” Prof. Luo is a capable politician who can handle that job, full stop. Attacking her character won’t win you votes, upnd.

  9. Patriotic Front is mad too so its ripe for destruction by the gods.How else do you explain a party systematically destroying Zambia’s economy for 10yrs?

  10. there is a problem with the ballot paper if running mates are not appearing on the ballot but just ride on the backs of presidential candidates! It becomes confusing more that lawyer Sangwa is calling for nullification of running mate filings.

  11. When SATA became president of Zambia, he appointed Luo as Local govt minister. I remember, barely two months after taking office, she instructed councils to send bailiffs to those who had voted for them for owing council ground rates

  12. As someone who has lived abroad from the MMD eraI cannot argue with the points raised in this article as pointer of my sister Nkandu Luo’s toxic attributes of her character on which the author of based his conclusion of Prof Nkandu Luo unfit & wild pick for a running-mate. However this article only points out negative/ evil side of Nkandu’s character traits as a person & -ve deeds in her ministerial roles. The first thing i will say is that the author does not know the real Nkandu. She is a No nonsense courageous hardworking person. She is not moved by a wimp whenever she takes a stand on motion she believes in. And goes to expeditiously executes it passionately with a bold driving force. That is critical Leadership quality for a leader in turbulent times. On the her political history…

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading