By Kasabo S. Kalussa
After the ascension of the opposition Patriotic Front to power in the fall of 2011, the country’s political landscape has undergone major changes.
The era of MMD hegemony is fast coming to an end. In its heydays as the dominant political grouping, the party was impervious.
At its zenith, it had managed to establish a near quasi one party rule under the guise of plural politics; along came other political groupings and fast they went or were soon swallowed and knocked over by the whirl wind of the MMD.
That was the almighty MMD then! The ensuing years from 2012 will be a bitter phase. Being in opposition is one thing the party has never known.
It is conventional thinking that recent events have nevertheless consigned the party on the wrong side of the frail. The MMD is in the firm grip of a very uncertain future and Zambians are closely watching from the political terraces.Many have argued that the party is like a plant, it will wither fast in the absence of government resources.
Others will even be tempted to draw comparisons to what befell UNIP in the wake of the 1991 landslide defeat and the predicament that its eventual successor finds itself in today.The genesis of the slow death of the party can be traced as far back as 2006 with what started as an urban revolt. The party had become smug and had lost touch with the masses.They thought the unmitigated conceit and malaise that had characterized their government would never catch up with them.People nevertheless rose in unison and sang ‘Donchi Kubeba’
Today the party is in a frantic search for its inner soul that made it a force to reckon with and has retreated to lick its wounds.
By all accounts, the current breed of the newly ushered leadership is not doing much to compliment that effort.[pullquote]Among the major factors that played into the MMD’s defeat was its failure to embrace the future. It could not tap and harness the energies of its young supporters.[/pullquote]
If Dr Nevers Mumba is to chart an effective path and reclaim the party’s lost glory, he will need to conduct a full autopsy on what really made an under resourced entity in the PF to unseat a party that was deeply reliant on the bottomless pocket of state coffers as the MMD.
Also the party needs to understand that Zambians have finally moved on from the era of the ‘One Man Syndrome’. That age died with UNIP but for MMD resurrecting it with substantial sleaze.The notion of one single leader wielding so much power to the exclusion of others is what led to President Banda’s humiliating downfall.His regime crumbled fast like a small dummy house of cards owing to the fact that Banda was reputed to have maintained an enclosed inner elite circle that insulated itself from grassroots advice and subsequently criticism albeit constructive!
These are the same tendencies that are slowly permeating the higher echelons of the PF leadership; they better wake up and realize the inherent democratic right of a dissenting opinion as a bedrock of progress![pullquote]
It is certain nevertheless that the MMD unlike UNIP’s fate after being ousted from power has suffered less party defections and has largely maintained a clustered team though vastly politically demoralized
[/pullquote]Further, Rupiah Banda presided over a party that was beset by subdued but extreme rivalries in the later part of his rule.He had the unusual tendencies of breeding and nurturing sacred cows within party ranks whilst sidelining others. At times he even played them against each other and distancing himself from the fall out.Mumba should instead jump the gun and present a united front to
Zambians.
It is with no doubt that this fiery ex-tele evangelist of the ‘Zambia Shall Be Saved’ days has inherited a poisoned chalice.What Mumba is effectively attempting to do is flog a dead horse amidst slithering snakes.
It is certain nevertheless that the MMD unlike UNIP’s fate after being ousted from power has suffered less party defections and has largely maintained a clustered team though vastly politically demoralized.
The departure from the old corrupt inept and elitist MMD should definitely not involve a name change as some have suggested. The new architects of the New MMD should channel their energies in re-assuring the public that the party will provide a new kind of governance and mitigate fears that its links to institutionalized graft would never characterize it.
Among the major factors that played into the MMD’s defeat was its failure to embrace the future. It could not tap and harness the energies of its young supporters.
The party eventually decimated as large droves of youths could not resist the messages of hope and economic salvation that were beamed from the PF.
Mumba like President Sata is a man endowed with extreme charisma and such an exercise of propagating a new sense of optimism will be a credit to increasing his flock as he steers the MMD towards 2016.
A realistic starting point for such would be spotting out the major flaws of the current ruling party. Such hype would be an important element for the 2016 polls and can get the entire PF party machinery trotting and could keep President Sata on his toes.
Further, an internal purge of discredited party leaders ought to be carried out. In the eyes of the public, the MMD is highly contaminated after the horrors of buried money, numerous concealed bicycles and various dubiously acquired properties were paraded and exposed on state media.
The road to reclaiming power in Zambia is all pain and it is imperative those characters perceived to be politically radioactive in the MMD be flushed out!
Good article, tell these MMD thieves. They thought Zambia was theirs alone, mmm, look at how they are clueless now. Behaving like a mad person who does not know his direction. PF should also learn from MMD , they should not think that Zambians are dull, if PF does not deliver they must know that no Zambian is going to vote for them. I voted for PF but if they dont deliver for these 5 years, I will not in 2016. But there is no opposition at present , all are behaving like kids without any alternative policy.
MR. KASAB KALUSSA – Your analysis is shallow and too simplistic. First of all, Sata doesn’t really care what happens to PF after he leaves office, if he did care he would not tolerate the politically damaging behaviour exhibited by PF. Sata would be pleased to see PF crumble when leaves, as a way of cementing himself in the annals of Zambia’s political history as an exceptionally capable leader whose political skills have no match in his party because they will fail to keep PF together in his absence. Secondly, Nevers Mumba’s position is not as simple as just requiring a bit of a tweak to his message to recapture nationwide support for his MMD party. Nevers still has regional demons to overcome – put your ear to the ground. 2016 will be a complex election like no other in the past.
What can Pastor Mumbwe do? He himself is a political Failure. Can you really and realistically entrust him with the role of resurrecting the dead MMD? Give me break!! The MMD had an opportunity to rise but not with Pastor Mumbwe. Even HH and Elias are better.
Constructive comments are better mwana. Insulting an adult is not right! Dr Nevers Mumba is a senior citizen.
Opposition Members are behaving like kids.Please we need the opposition that will compel PF government to be working to the beterment of the citizen not just politicking otherwise they may live to regreat .
We should do everything to ensure that UNIP, MMD, PF and UPND do not die because each one of them has a historical contribution to our democratic dispensation. Both PF and UPND are in between UNIP and MMD. They carry ideologies that range from Socialist to Capitalist, although what appeals to the majority of poor Zambians are Socialist ideologies of free education, medical care, farming inputs etc. Therefore nobody should rejoice if any of these parties went in oblivion because that will be synonymous to erasing our history.
Never say Never to Nevers.
mumba will be president soon watch the space.
Good article and well reserched. The bottom line is Sata is a seasond political strategist. At the pace that he’s going in terms of development and vision for mother Zambia, he is likely to get more than 70% in 2016 with or without “tribal or ethinic votes”. He seem to be much more closer to the common man and the poor than the his rich and educated contenders on the political market. He understand them and they understand him too. He’s becoming very popular in the rurals mostly because of his humbleness and his persived “poor image” as a result they feel close to him and despite being poor he gives them hope something his rivals call “force promises”
Great article
We haven’t seen such accurate and balanced analysis in a long time. Keep it up LT
MMD has no chance, too corrupt to the hilt.Too many thieves still waiting to go into another plunder season without investing, looking for a cheap formula. They will not gt it now. Mumba must go and be a pastor, his days are gone, unless he off loads his money from Canada.PF is definiteley failing to govern and so we have UPND.But they are not allowed to talk, its going to be a long haul, but definiteley, not MMD.TOO corrupt.
Good article.
IMWE, I FORGOT THAT SATA IS IN STATE HOUSE. YA ! ALA CHALIWAMA ICHICHENA. KALEBALIKA SHI CHILUFYA WESU!
wonderful article.kp it up to imform us balaced, views.
MMD will never rule again. it will melt like ice towards 2016. watch the space. UPND will be big threat to PF not MMD and their pastor
The problem with you upnd is that you are shallow in your thinking.
You have no respect for others. You have packed your senses to think if its not you then no one.
You are not the oly brains. That’s why you left the pact thinking if you were not part of it no one can be, despite being the minority partner you still wanted to be calling shots.
Look where you are today. Pride has brought you this low, and you will sink into the sand as long as you don’t value other people.
I used to be sympathetic toward you but not anymore.
So arrogant.
#5 Cozmocowjr —- Are you talking about the same Sata all of us know as the current president? Which rural areas are those that you go to that see him as one of them? Try tell your ignorance to farmers in Mbala, Mkushi, Mumbwa; try tell your ignorance to people who are rioting as we speak in Ndola, to those who were rioting in Kitwe a week or two ago; try tell your ignorance to UNZA students… You are either out of touch with reality or you are one of those congenitally brain-damaged people who are so retarded you can’t tell a pot from a drum. You need a brain transplant.
No matter what you say HE Sata is being recognised by the international community fir there are very leaders with such a high CV.HE MSC has won the hearts of many Zambians.He is the man of action.What has HH got to show plundering Luanshya Mine, providing wrong information to the Chief Justice about his wealth hating certain tribe …
mmm!! sinjonjo @ 12, why being so sacarstic over your friend’s views. just post yours without getting heated up. its called freedom of expression in the civilised society we the civilised, live in. in case you are not in it.
You have got that one right. Democracy is about agreeing to disagree without throwing insults at others just because their view is different from your own. Grow up @sinjonjo. If you think you know better than others, that’s okey, but don’t try to stifle their freedom of expression just because you don’t agree with them.
Its interestingly sabtle to note that most Zambians can not extrapolate beyond today in as far as continuity of political parties are concerned in Zambia. Scan through each party with definitive indicators, conclusion may baffle majority of Zambians. A simple test is who takes over from Mr Sata? to find a clue you may debate for one year and never find a clue at all. Here is a lead for thoughts that Mr Sata’s view is lingering on stability for the nation and that in his absence Dr Nevers Mumba could be the likely person to lead a stable Zambia. This may shock others but fundamental schools of thought and well researched ideological view holds this scenario highly. The international community is viewing this opinion carefully.
Very informative and well articulated article. We need more of such fare and balanced articles than the usual tribal nonsense tribalists keep preaching about. Job well done ba Kasabo S Kalussa.
Heey people, Where are Senior Citizen and Maestrol hehehehe Mwanga Mungungulu an SDA elder? Have they hanged themselves after Sata’s victory? Please notify me when you see them. We told them to take it easy but they could not listen. I hear Senior Citizen has no access to computer any more as the MMD is broke, while Maestrol Hehehe Mwanga Mungungulu has gone on a treat for UPND. Guys take it easy these are just politics.
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