Elections are the central institution of democratic representative governments. In a democracy, the authority of the government derives solely from the consent of the governed.
The principal mechanism for translating that consent into governmental authority is the holding of free, peaceful and fair elections at their intended time.
Jeane Kirkpatrick, a scholar and former United States of America (USA) envoy to the United Nations (UN), who once offered the definition of democratic elections as, “Democratic elections are not merely symbolic, they are competitive, periodic, inclusive, definitive in which the chief decision makers in a government are selected by citizens who enjoy broad freedom to genuine criticise governments and to present alternatives,”
Renowned former USA President Abraham Lincoln who is revered to be the pioneer of liberal democracy stated that “Democracy is a government of the people by the people for the people.”
In a lay man’s language this simply means government leaders are legally ushered in office with the blessing of the electorate themselves, through credible elections.
Historically known for their love for peace, Zambians would be on the spot light again eager to cast their vote to choose credible leaders who would deliver on the successful developmental programmes that the current Government of President Rupiah Banda and the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) are continuing to score.
Recently, United Kingdom (UK) envoy to Zambia, Ms Caroline Davidson praised the peaceful manner the Zambians exhibit during elections time.
As per elections tradition, Zambians who are registered voters are later this year expected to vote in the forthcoming tripartite polls.
Republican President Banda has and is continuing at various foras, urging the citizenry to maintain the peace that the country is known for as a beacon of tranquillity not only in Sub-Saharan Africa but the world at large.
“What is the purpose of having so many political parties when on the ground there is only MMD, UPND and PF which are worth calling active,” Ms Mwandila states.
Polls in the past elections have been perceived to be characterised by regional voting, especially in regions where the opposition political parties claim to command a lion share of supporters.
But the MMD seems to be the only genuine political party among the more than 40 registered parties with the Registrar of Societies Act Cap 119, to genuinely claim that they for sure exist in all corners of the country.
Without mentioning names, some of the political groupings are only regionally based in either a single province or in a district in Zambia, while other political clubs exist only on paper gathering dust on shelves.
Similar sentiments were echoed by a cross section of the public. Ms Ruth Mwandila, a resident of Kitwe’s Chimwemwe Township but came for her shopping in Lusaka, was of the view that some political parties that seem not to be active are supposed to be deregistered by the Registrar of Societies.
“What is the purpose of having so many political parties when on the ground there is only MMD, UPND and PF which are worth calling active,” Ms Mwandila states.
Kenneth Mafuta a resident of Lusaka’s Kamanga Township questioned as to why in his views, some opposition political parties do not hold conventions like the way the ruling MMD party converged its delegates to elect office bearers in Kabwe recently.
To substantiate this fact, the ruling party under the able leadership of President Banda got overwhelming results of 708,683 from all the 73 districts of the nation in the 2008 Presidential by- election held on October 30.
The elections were occasioned following the untimely death of late Republican president Levy Mwanawasa who died on August 19, 2008 at the Percy Military Hospital in France.
To name one constituency in Central Province’s Chitambo as an example, official results declared by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) indicate that President Banda garnered 2,752 votes while PF leader Michael Sata managed to get 1000 with UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema collecting a paltry 93 votes.
In Chisamba President Banda polled 6,376 votes with Mr Hichilema grabbing 4,234 votes while Mr Sata got only 489 votes.
The region mentioned is an area where the president does not even hail from.
It is worth mentioning that even in parliamentary by- elections like the one that was held in the Chitambo Constituency on August 13, 2009, the ruling MMD retained the seat with a run-away victory against their closest contenders the PF-UPND pact candidate.
MMD’s Solomon Musonda won the polls with 3,149 votes beating the defunct PF-UPND pact’s Chanda Mutale who garnered 1,803 votes, while Timothy Kapolo who stood on the former ruling party UNIP only poured 309 votes.
Southern Province which is no doubt the stronghold of the UPND but recently the ruling party seems to make inroads and this surely is sending shivers in the opposition camp.
For the record, in the 2008 Presidential polls, in Chikankata Constituency where the UPND and Mr Hichilema got 8,782 votes, President Banda and the MMD garnered a convincing 2,131 votes there by proving that the party in power has a nationalwide support to its cadreships.
In Lusaka Province which is perceived to a PF stronghold, official results indicate that in Chawama Constituency, President Banda amassed 9,918 votes while Mr Sata and his PF received 17,563, the UPND’s Hichilema got 4,052.
In Solwezi Central Constituency, the cosmopolitan capital of North-Western Province, President Banda garnered a whopping 9,622, Mr Hichilema got 2,562 and Mr Sata trailed with 2,270 votes.
In Luanshya Constituency, President Banda polled 6,188 while Mr Sata got 9,620, with Mr Hichilema managing a paltry 829.
The results of the last presidential polls confirms that where as some opposition political parties that are still active command votes in few regions of the country, the MMD is the only party that has a high traffic of cadres whom they would be courting to give them another mandate if the citizenry are happy with the huge developmental programmes that the State is tirelessly embarking on.
Needless to state that in as much as armchair critics of the Government would want to blind themselves from appreciating and giving credit to the State where it deserves it, the public are able to see for themselves the various projects that have either been completed or are currently under way.
Against this back ground, every peace loving Zambians who are registered voters should indeed turn up in large numbers to cast their votes.
[ Times of Zambia ]
