By F.Chalabesa
Democracy comes from the Greek language which means ‘rule by the people’. It is defined as a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people, and leaders are chosen through elections. Democratic leadership style is where the leaders facilitate conversations, they encourage people to share ideas and then synthesize the gathered information into best possible decisions.
True democracy is characterised by the rule of law, respect for human rights and recognition of the dignity of all human beings. In democracy, every citizen has basic rights which no one including the state cannot take away from them. These rights are: the right to fair trial and process, freedom of speech and expression, the right to free and perturbed media, the right to vote freely and in public and open elections and the right to worship in a free setting. There is also a link between economic development and democracy; economic development whenever it occurs will lead to democracy. Democracy can only be maintained if people are able to maintain a minimum standard of living which in turn requires a level of development.
As Zambians, there are a few things we can boast about our country being democratic. First and foremost, Zambia is one country that has not produced refugees or asylum seekers. I comfortably tell people, I am where I am today by choice and not by chance. I can buy a ticket and travel back home anytime. Zambia is another country where people physically go to the polls freely, with no tight Security. Most of all, the peace that we enjoy, Zambia has never experienced war and I am sure this in simple terms describes it as a peaceful nation, and the freedom to worship freely which is enjoyed by many Zambians.
What about the supreme power? Who is it vested in? Is it the citizens or the leaders? In democracy citizens are the highest form of political authority, power flows from the citizens to the leaders who rule temporarily. While Zambian citizens are very good at observing democracy, are our leaders exercising democracy?
Do we see leaders who want to stay in power forever? Leaders that bribe people to win support. In other words voters do not vote freely psychologically. Do we see justice in the judicial system? With the police acting in favour of the ruling party, will cite the recent beating of students by police.
There are other forms of leadership I would like to briefly talk about. Autocratic leadership is where leaders possess individual control over all decisions and no or little input from other groups. Leaders who have control of all the workers in the country. In this type of leadership, the leader has the power to fire and appoint people out and into positions. Dictatorship is another form of autocratic leadership of absolute rule by the leader, unrestricted by the law, where leaders swim above the law. These leaders who are given big titles like ‘H.E’ His excellence.
In democracy the public is involved in the law making process through select committees. People from different professions and lay people are called to sit on these committees to review proposed laws before they are passed. The government is also clear about the sources of the ideas, whether it is from the manifesto of the party or individual MPs, groups i.e. NGOs or individual citizens. This in true democracy is what is called ‘gathering information from the public.’ Proceedings are made public through the media at some stage, I am not sure whether this happens in Zambia. If it does why do people get so surprised or confused when decisions are made by the government i.e. the recent decision on the minimum wage?
I have heard of leaders who have woken up one day and renamed trees with names from the back of their minds without any consultation. Leaders who have fired and appointed people in and out of positions without notice or warning. This has left the leaders under him with no power to say anything against the party as this might lead to being fired. I have heard of leaders who have redrawn the map of Zambia. Politicians who have no respect for each other, they exchange insults in public and they reveal all the secrets about each other in the effort to bring down the other. What would happen if these people were to be called to a political debate? Is this democracy? Much needs to be done in the political arena for Zambians to enjoy true Democracy.
Why showing a picture of PF cadres as they are the pioneers of democracy? From the President to the bottom are all appointees.
Why showing a picture of PF cadres as if they are the pioneers of democracy? From the President to the bottom are all appointees.
More like a stagnant democracy
WHAT ABOUT LEADERS WHO USE STATUARY INSTRUMENT IN ENACTING THE LAW INSTEAD OF TAKING IT TO PARLIAMENT FOR DEBATE .DOLLAR BAN BY SIs AND MINIMUM WAGE BY SIs.ZAMBIA YOUR LEADERS MUST BE SCHOOLED ON DEMOCRECY.UNFORTUNATELY MOST ZAMBIAN POLITICIANS HATE BOOKS AND SCHOOL.
NA IMWE IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO BLOG WHY NOT JUST KEEP QUIET AND LET THE GOVT DO ITS JOB.
This rings true and the more your yearn for development and true democracy in Zambia the more dissappointed you get. We just haven’t managed to move that one step forward to get onto the real path to democracy. Poverty and greed is so ingrained in our society that we remain enslaved by it and by those who rule over Zambia.Â
Even in the so called true democracies of the western world, poverty ingrains every strata of society!
Bottom line: Africa and democracy can’t mix, we as a people from time immemorial have been governed by our chiefs! so western perspectives of democracy will only take root in Africa in about millennia, I bet!!!
The writer claims that, ”Zambians enjoy peace because there has never been war”. Maybe you have never heard the saying, ”Peace is not only the absence of war”. The majority of Zambians are not at peace due to abject poverty and hopelessness. How are you at peace when your women manually crush stones all day long with babies strapped on their backs? No medical care and the leaders don’t care because they can fly abroad for a knee check-up and dental care.
The national cake is only available to the leaders, their families and friends and they only think of the poor at election time.
..good accession mwaice :)
For sure we are far away, those who are in power at a time, they dont want to get views from peaple who gives them power, and the owners or rulers of government in democracy. I think poverty and gready are the causers of this.
useless article. ZAMBIA needs prayers for total deliverance from evil..too many accidents as a result.
Befriending the unpopular and dying side of Zimbabwean political system is a step in the wrong direction for Zambia. There’s no question that Michael Sata and his PF government are undermining the concerted effort of the international community that is trying to remove Mugabe from power. What more the seeds of hostility now being sown by Sata against Zimbabwe’s government-in-waiting to be led by the opposition in that country. It would have been wiser for Sata to take a neutral stance that stand against the will of the Zimbabwean people and that of the international community. The anger among Zimbabweans against Sata is mounting. This is not what it means to be a good neighbour. Zambia has never played such contradictory diplomacy before. Shame on Sata.
Pan- African-ism!  Zambia is not politically be-friending Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe and will never do so… I bet you get fed and listens and watch ( TV, radios,internet) western rhetoric about Africa. We can never be a Zimbabwe, and yes, we have played a telling diplomatic stance before by openly supporting Zimbabwe ( Northern Rhodesia)  during their colonial struggles for total independence…
Chalabesa, you need to be up to date about leadership, maybe, u have to stop educating ppl using a book or using Internet for research, the book made a global melt down. Zambias problems are not grounded on leadership, but the zambian people. it took Bush former president of USA demonstrating a leadership which even RB or Chiluba ever did, dont look for leaders, a nation that is able to select its leader with responsibility always never just a mare complaint. never take advantage of the poor to make yourself a man, when you can be one without# You are being an ***** just like some
“This rings true and the more your yearn for development and true democracy in Zambia the more dissappointed you get. We just haven’t managed to move that one step forward to get onto the real path to democracy. Poverty and greed is so ingrained in our society that we remain enslaved by it and by those who rule over Zambia.”
Care to expand on your final point? Â What parts of society?
Good evening
Democracy in a developing nation like ours needs to be groomed – one step at a time.
It is easier said than done.
Democracy comes from a greek word democratia which means rule by the people. This is what you would have written.
Corrections:
‘economic development whenever it occurs will lead to democracy’ should be ‘DEMOCRATIC development whenever it occurs will lead to ECONOMIC development’
‘Zambia is one country that has not produced refugees or asylum seekers’. Zambia has had a lot of economic refugees which is even more damaging than political refugees as there is a loss of skills and economic leadership.
This is a very good article but I feel you were saying too many things at once
try to polish up next time,otherwise its a gud start.
Are you saying the government has no right to make any decision unless you approve first? That would be a lame duck government. Some of your criticisms is damn dull. Renaming of some infrastructure is not bad at all. This writing your history in living memory! All over the world it happens, if you have any revered national heroes. Washington was the name of the founding President of USA. You find JFK…
In Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta airport. In South Africa, Oliver Tambo or Mandela what what. In Britain, Churchill or Darwin what what uko. You want consultations on this as well? Bull shit. Our main issues are about the economy. That is what should engage our minds and is worth the debate. For God’s sake, there is democracy in Zambia. You never get it 100% as your theory prescribes. Be happy and continue writing freely
Expect a government to touch every aspect of human endeavor. Not what you bafoons have been hallucinating. Expect far reaching changes when a government changes. Talk of democracy, you have it. You do express yourselves fully. You even swear at people, insult them including the President. On what issue don’t you speak? Zambia has democracy! Oh yeah, let’s talk about the economy now huh.
Good article but i think its missing clarity on two types of Democracy liberal and iliberal democracy and which Zambia apllies to. I would also argue that economic development does not lead to Democracy but vise vesa. Just my arguement, otherwise good article
two types of democracies
Talking about Democracy and diverting a little bit, In my strategy class, everyone was for giving Aid to African to overhaul poverty. One said “we need to Give them Aid” My response was no we don’t need it. I think the underlying causes of Poverty are vested in a culture. Until we start moving with Modernity poverty levels will continue to increansing and continue to drag the global economy.
We should be debating these issues more often. As future leaders of Zambia we need to have heads up on how Strategic Culture can positively influence Leadership and livelihoods.
In my view, we have done a commendable job pa Zambia, because we have this level of democracy despite our poverty. Because as you are saying, economic development is the one that leads to democracy. So if you are blubbing about democracy, let’s improve the economy first. A better economy assures you good education, better health, well fed nationals who debate well in a democracy. Educated, healthy and well-fed.
Zambia has never being at peace since 1991. Just move around the townships of Lusaka and see the abject poverty. Whilst its true Zambia has never had civil war or even war with a neighbour its becoz Zambia has no oil and copper is a wasting asset and is only found in Western province now called Copperbelt. With the style of leadership of UKWA and the beriberi umpire war could have broken out a long time. No one is eager to support a civil war in Zambia the profit is not there. That’s why the Barotse issue can’t have enough spark becoz no one is interested not that the Beriberis have suppressed our educated brothers the lozi speaking pipo. I thank u.
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Democracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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