Although this may ruffle a few feathers; we shall call a spade a spade, and not a spoon to please a few folks! Former president Micheal Sata used to say for one to be an effective leader in politics, they ought to have commenced their political journey from the grassroots – the branch of you like, and he’d refer to himself as a perfect example.
A good number of us would take umbrage and castigate the King Cobra for what we perceived as outdated thinking. We actually argued that this was akin to suggesting that before anyone can aspire for a lofty position as Chief Executive Officer of a business, they must at least have served as a ‘malonda’ frisking the staff at the gate on their way out!
Although some of us may not have quite agreed with his kind of politics; in light of what we know now, King Cobra had a valid point, cast in gold in fact. If we take stock of how some Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Members of Parliament, Diplomats or even the District Commissioners have ‘insulated’ themselves from ordinary people, we are left with no choice but to somehow concur with the old man. He knew what he was talking about.
Why do we say so?
As a servant of the people, a politician is expected to be in constant touch with the people. This way, you’re at least able to have an ear to the ground which would help you greatly in decision making. There can never be a perfect place to master the craft of politics than the grassroots – shanty compounds! We’ve in mind places such as Chipulukusu in Ndola, Chibolya in Lusaka, Mulenga in Kitwe and Kapisha in Chingola where survival is indeed a real struggle.
Once politicians becomes exposed to such settlements, they’ve simply undergone ‘political baptism’ which enables them broaden their worldview. When faced with situations such as strangers calling you in the middle of the night informing you a relative has died or is seriously sick; people frequently knocking on your door requesting for assistance to buy a coffin or transport to fetch firewood and party cadres inundating you with phonecalls to say they “just wanted to greet you,” you’re already in a privileged position to respond accordingly.
We shall give a practical example. Not so long ago, Zambia News Information Services (ZANIS) staffer Kalani Muchima revealed that one day, he found himself at the PF Secretariat to cover an event. Davis Mwila, the Secretary General of the party at the time, looked at him and jokingly remarked he looked as if he was starving. Mwila invited him to his office. And voila, he was lashed a K5 pin, just like that!
Of course we are not suggesting government and party officials should emulate Mwila and start going around dishing-out loads of cash, anyhow! However, our leaders should endeavour to always share the ‘little’ that they have or at least just pay attention to the masses and listen to their lamentations.
Truth be told, the political science theories inculcated to students in lecture theatres at our universities may not resonate with places mentioned above, but may be in New York, London or Paris! This is why we support the thinking of those who insist Africa desperately needs its own homegrown solutions for whatever our woes and not necessarily copying and pasting everything from the West.
Barack Obama, arguably one of the greatest US presidents, did not hone his leadership skills and abilities by attending Ivy League schools but rather getting involved in community mobilization from a tender age. He has clearly explained this in one of his books.
When you see several individuals calling it quits from their occupations as doctors, lawyers, business executives, journalists, economists etc to join the frenzy of politics amidst a cloud of excuses that they are doing so in order to serve our people; just know ni boza, wenye, bubela, bufi, makudi, plain lies! They’re simply looking for an easy route to further create wealth for themselves and their families while the rest of the population remains suffocating in abject poverty.
Next time a politician comes your way claiming they want to serve you better, take time to interrogate their credentials: Are they generous? Have they rendered support to anyone in their communities? Do they have a history of community service?
All in all, most politicians are just chancers; they are motivated by nothing but the trappings of power!
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
And still Sata became a useless President…..he started doing exactly the opposite from his campaign promises…..in opposition he sounded very intelligent just the Supreme leader the Almighty Ayatollah Hakainde Hichilema
Sir not true very academic and not possible in modern setup.How many councilors do we have,so we should all line up,to be one of the ward leaders for us to be national leaders.Thats a village concept.
It should be a spirit of servanthood that should make one aspire to lead.
TB.
There are two kinds of leaders: those that start from the Top and those that begin from the very Bottom. Those who rise through the ranks meet up with several people within the alumni. Those from the top can take time to occasionally mingle with commoners. Good leadership doesn’t seek popularity, but interactions.
Do not compare HH to a thief. The tribalist Sata found US $800 million in the RDA coffers, and he stole it. Satan illegally created and funded an office for his wench, Christina Kaseba. Satan started the US $33 billion borrowing and looting spree by which Zambia was mortgaged to international shylocks. Satan worked hand in hand with Frederick Chipuba to sabotage the economy of Southern Province, by engineering the deaths of millions of our Tonga cows, and then selling off our Tonga agricultural land only to the Boers. Satan then tried to finish off Southern Province by stealing Siavonga and Itezhi tezhi which supply electricity to Zambia with no benefit to Southern Province. Satan is dead, and not a moment too soon. May the rotten-toothed tribalist rot in his grave
Good piece of thinking.
Do not compare HH to a thief. The tribalist Sata found US $800 million in the RDA coffers, and stole it. Satan illegally created and funded an office for his wench, Christina Kaseba. Satan started the US $33 billion borrowing and looting spree by which Zambia was mortgaged to international shylocks. Satan worked hand in hand with Frederick Chipuba to sabotage the economy of Southern Province, by engineering the deaths of millions of our Tonga cows, and then selling off our Tonga agricultural land only to the Boers. Satan then tried to finish off Southern Province by stealing Siavonga and Itezhi tezhi which supply electricity to Zambia with no benefit to Southern Province. Satan is dead, and not a moment too soon. May the rotten-toothed tribalist rot in his grave
That’s like saying you need to start from being a cleaner/janitor before you can become the CEO of an organization
There are two kinds of leaders: those that start from the Top and those that begin from the very Bottom. Those who rise through the ranks meet up with several people within the alumni. Those from the top can take time to occasionally mingle with commoners. Good leadership doesn’t seek popularity, but interactions. Effective two-way communication is paramount and it does not matter whether that leader is an easygoing liberal or a typical tyrant.
The thief and tribalist Michael Satan sold out the freedom fighters to the English during the Independence struggle. When we won, he ran to England, where lacking education, the kaponya became a street sweeper at paddington station. Kaunda mercifully forgave and allowed it to return to Zambia
I do not always agree with you. But on this one, I give you credit. I am sure you are shocked at how fast UPND leaders have lost touch with the people. You conclusion is that they have not had any connection with the people from the very beginning. They just used people to catapult themselves into power. Not really that they worked with people to improve their well-being. It was all about changing their own lives.
HH is dropping the ball. Botswana is crying about having no place to store its elephants as their numbers have grown beyond control. Botswana recently even gave Angola 8000 free elephants. HH needs to go Botswana, get 10 000 elephants and put them in Kafue and Musi O Tunya National parks where their numbers were decimated by poaching. After that, he needs to hire more game wardens, equip them with drones, and hold them accountable for protecting those elephants. If Botswana wants to give 20 000 elephants, even better.
Sata was not right …on politics ,economy ,sports ,foreign relations,street vending ,religious values .He’s the reason why Zambia is in economic & social mess.
He was NOT!!