By Mingeli Palata
The other day I got on a bus from Stanley bar in Lusaka town and if you have been on a woodlands flash bus at 9pm then you know what my experience was like. There were two or three drunk guys headed for Kabwata, the ‘working class and a couple of other nobody’s like myself. I sat in the corner making sure my phone was hidden from the infamous Staley Bar phone snatchers while getting some fresh air from the open window.
The late night bus discussion started soon after we took off and this time around it was about the extension of the proposed National Constitutional Conference mandate by twelve months. I was surprised to learn how the chaps I stereotyped as loud and drunk possible PF cadres articulated themselves in their arguments against the extension of the NCC’s mandate. In their opinion, the extension of the National Constitutional Conference is not in the best interests of Zambians seeing as the country is facing a number of problems like the souring food prices and lack of fertilizer in the districts. In their own wisdom, they noted that the NCC costs K300m every year and that the money could for instance help the homeless in Mazyopa. (Internally displaced people)
The debate got sweeter by second and I was getting tempted to get off my shelf so as to add to the discussion. But before I could put my thoughts together, the discussion switched to the issue of the so called rebel PF MP’s and so I quickly lost interest and put my i-pod on- pressed play on a song by the Mulemena boys- intambi. Yet soon thereafter, a commotion developed in the bus- forcing my attention. Apparently a big argument was taking place between some MMD and PF cadres. The two parties obviously disagreed on some issues and were now venting out insults against each other. What really bothers me is that this is not the first time I have heard or witnessed party cadres squabbling. You may be saying come Mingeli! What do you expect? Those are just party cadres! But wait a minute! Can RB stand Sata’s presence or the other way round? Why is it that the two cannot stand on one platform to debate issues of national importance?
There is grave lack of intolerance and reason in the way Zambian politics are played. You may say that’s it’s the way politicians are and call me naive but I think its much more then politics because its starts with you actually. Some of you may recall the articles I wrote prior to the October 30th Elections, it was quite interesting how when I criticized RB- I was called a PF sympathizer, when I questioned HH- I became tribalist and when I ridiculed Michael Sata- I was called RB’s boy. Ironic, isn’t? Now imagine if any of the operatives belonging to the aforementioned political parties took the questions I raised into serious consideration, the political landscape would have been a little different. As I speak there is trouble in the UPND camp, the same questions we raised are being echoed by some prominent UPND members. Sata lost the elections due to the same regionalism and the personality cult mentality we spoke about and RB’s image is not the best today because of the companions we had warned him about.
If only we could debate constructively, this country would go a long way. Instead of completely brushing aside views that seem to challenge your own, it will be good to try and listen. There was a cheaper way of ushering a new constitution, if only the civil society, politicians and leftist commentators like the author were heard.The situation would have been different but now we may not even have the 2011 elections under a new constitution. Further to which one wonders what is wrong with PEACEFUL demonstrations calling on the government to put their act together visa-vies the food, employment and fuel situation in the country. This is the same freedom of expression that we keep talking about. What harm does a hungry person demonstrating his displeasure over the fact that he can no longer afford a bag of mealie meal cause to a mighty state?
We are way past political and social infancy and should now strive towards embracing divergent views and putting politics aside to focus on making ours a better country. This calls each and every one of us to focus on the more important things; the welfare of the Zambian people and not politics. Did you notice that a combination of the MMD, PF and UPND manifestos is actually the panacea to Zambia’s economic misfortunes? Yet before we put shallow politics aside, before we concentrate on the gist and not the pizza and before we open our arms to opposing views; we are but miles away from reaching the Promised Land.
1. Ho Ho Ho
baby where a u :d/
baby c are u sleeping above for you as well :d/
# 2
Am here! What a long article! Ilefwaika ukubikamo akabwali first.
bloggers muli ku moba? 🙁
🙁
Baby C Father Christmas is on the ball today! Yipee.
Up in the North East to watch the Arsenal!
Geordies make me laugh! Do you know why?
😡
Father Christmas
No! Tell me!
Father Christmas
Am also an Asernal fan. That makes two of us. :)>-;;)
Baby C their accent! My daughter immitates them and it is hilarious! Sad she couldn`t come. I only manage to get two tickets!
Cheers guys. Got to go in, in a few! (Brit English here)
<:-p
Father Xmas
Yea!indeed its a dialect of English spoken by Geordies.Funny!
Baby C Iam great and you my dear? Thanks so much you have really helped me you guys.I promise you guys my first salary will go to you and God.
Baby c.
Morning. I just rolled out of bed
i guess politicians should be answerable to the people and if they think they can do anything and get away with it! it will not happen!they are misusing our money! we need politicians to be given performane apprasals if you not performing vote of no confidence you pack and leave, you go home!Others have been in govt for more than 20 years with nothing to show for, only worsening the situation!unemployment high taxes ,high maize prices!we need change in zambia!IS THIS WHAT A FREE MARKET SHOULD BE LIKE CERTAINTLY NOT!GOD BLESS ZAMBIA!
Sarah Jones
hello dear. How are you?
Baby c.
Have you read the article above coz I haven’t, I will read it when am really bored
Its too long my dear.I have only read half of it….boring!
Where is Sweet thang today? I reaaly need a good laugh, the weather is terrible, its just so grey and it has not stopped raining either.
Mingeli Palata.
Pizza and mealie meal
Sarah jones
Hmmm! dont know were most of these bloggers ar! hangover i guess!
its boring…. tell me something sweet mama
Zambia 1
Angola 0
am also nursing a terrible hangover. Well maybe Matworld can crack us with some jokes. Ask him to do us a favour
Sarah Jones How are you?Iam also waiting for the guys.I tell you Iam bored.
Baby C., Sarah Jones and Others i share ur boredom. hope this will get the day goin:
A housewife buys a parrot to keep her company during the day.
The clerk warns that the parrot was donated by a brothel, where he may have picked up some colorful language.
The housewife doesn’t mind and brings the parrot home. When she uncovers the cage, the parrot says, “Brawkk! New Madam. Hello Madam.”
When her three daughters come home from school, the parrot says, “Brawkk! New Girls. Hello Girls.”
Finally, her husband, Phil, comes home from work, just in time for dinner.
When he walks past the parrot, the parrot says, “Brawkk! Hi Phil!”
now this realy cackled me up…………
At the pet shop, a man spots a parrot without any feet. The man leans in, “Hey buddy, how do you hang onto your perch without any feet?”
“I wrap my little parrot penis around this wooden bar, kind of like a hook.”
“Wow,” says the guy. “I can’t believe you’re so smart! I’m taking you home.”
Weeks go by, and the parrot not only understands everything the man says, but he gives good advice. The guy is delighted.
One day the guy comes home from work and the parrot says, “Hey, I don’t know if I should tell you this or not, but it’s about your wife and the mailman.”
“What happened?” asks the guy. [cntd below]
“Well,” the parrot says, “when the mailman came to the door today, your wife greeted him in a sheer nightgown and kissed him on the mouth.”
“What happened then?” asks the guy.
“Then, the mailman came into the house and lifted up your wife’s nightgown,” reports the parrot.
“Oh no!” the guy says. “Then what?”
“I don’t know,” says the parrot. “I got a hard-on and fell off my perch.”
Q: If your wife is shouting at the front door and your dog is barking at the back door, who do you let in first?
A: The dog, of course. At least he’ll shut up after you let him in.
Mingeli Palata
Stories for the blog should be short, to the point and thought or controversy provocking. Your article is fit for some sermon at a reconciliation meeting of politicians with divergent views. Do a good job next time. I would rather concentrate on sipping my lager and watching football, though my team Gunners is struggling with Boro right now. Bye for now as my lager may get warm and i wont enjoy it.
This article is too long and tedious. Just read 2 paragraphs then lost track….. :-?:-\”[-([-(8->8->8->8->:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-:-:-:-@-)@-)
#29
I would rather let the wife in befor our neighbours hear our secrets.
Funny!
[-( your article is way too long & sorry to sat is a bit boring:-\”
Sarah Jones is a man. #32
I bet he got a hard on.
#34, Thats scary… to hear Sarah Jones is a man…. :o:o:o:o:o:o:o:-@:-@:-@:-:-:-:-
helo mwebana uko……this is nyama soya here. I know what u say about me, olo…i will wait for u at lusaka airport when you come to zambia..olo u wont get passport…dont u know nyama soya is president of smart guys:::: :(:d
The more Rupiah Banda threatens people who have opposing views, the more he attracts trouble to himself and to Zambia. If Rupiah Banda continues on his present path, there will be more trouble in Zambia. For trouble has a tendency to create more trouble.
those of u chatting about stuff irrelevant to the topic, ever heard of msn? add each other bangwele imwe…ata…that way you’ll save us the troublee of ploughing through gabage to get to intelligent comments……%-(
seriously bane thinkk about it
Father Kwanzaa is in the house you all. I got it all Candy lotions and all you ever needed boys and girls
Only Six paragraphs bloggers are complaining that the article is too long. This indicates to me that Ta mwajoba. Either you are Grade 9 drop outs or mere Grade 12s. For those who have been to college ie Evelyn Hone, NIPA, etc University ie Cavendish, UNZA G.East campus, CBU, think of the backload of work compared to 6 paragraghs.
Mingeli,the trouble with the political leadership is they do not believe in any idiology so how do you expect them to articulate any different opinion for or against.Like those cadres on the bus they know only loud mouthing and force.