By Elias Munshya wa Munshya
Michael Sata is undoubtedly the most popular personality in Zambian politics. President Banda has admitted to being charmed by Sata. One of the reasons why Mwanawasa had to order Sata’s medical evacuation to South Africa when he suffered a stroke was due to the likeability or, for a lack of a better term, “the playability” of Sata. Mwanawasa quipped, “It is good to still have you alive”. President Chiluba had such allure for Sata that he affectionately called him “King Cobra.” Kaunda still warms up to Sata. Kaunda’s downfall could have been far much earlier had it not been for Sata’s populist politics as Governor of Lusaka.
Sata’s likeability is not limited to the presidents, however. To the ordinary millions in Zambia, Sata is likeable. When he addresses meetings be it in Lusaka, Luanshya or Lukashya, thousands turn up to see the Cobra. Even in the south where people seldom vote for him, when Sata visits Choma or Kalomo southerners turn up in numbers. Going by the numbers of people who went to see him in Mongu and Kalabo, it seems that the Cobra has charmed the West too. On whether these charms will translate into his election as president this year remains to be seen, however.
Sata’s opportunism is responsible for his popularity. Having noticed a crack in the Barotse wall, he is using it to gain attention in Mongu. Opportunism is a quality derided by many Zambians and yet admired by as many. Sata misses no chance to use people and events for his own benefit. When miners protested on the Copperbelt under the Mwanawasa regime for reasons unrelated to Sata, he claimed responsibility for their action. By so claiming, Sata had identified himself with the suffering of the ordinary folk. Mwanawasa was swift to lock him up for inciting violence and espionage. He was only rescued by the judiciary, even after the DPP had signed a certificate of indefinite detention for espionage—a very serious offence under our laws. To date, Sata has not been called back to answer those charges.
Sata’s alleged moral life also brings him into bracket of the common struggles for many people in Zambia. He does not fit the definition of a man of good morals and neither could “sober manners” be used to describe him. But it is this common flair and common touch that make him popular. No ordinary person would feel adjudged to be in Sata’s presence. Sata’s common flair makes him likeable as a person.
Recently, there had been talk of the need for moral men and women to take over politics. The major champion of this has been Nevers Mumba, who even authored a popular book on the subject “Integrity with Fire”. A stump political speech of Nevers’, centers on allowing people of integrity and character to join and participate in politics. Realistically, however, moral integrity seldom translates into political clout. Zambians do not necessarily like politicians simply because they have good moral character. Mumba’s crusade for more moral leadership is an ideal that lacks common and popular appeal. Given the choice between the ideal man and the real man, people in politics go for a real man since they identity themselves with a real person who faces the same challenges as they do. In politics, people seldom go for the ideal character that makes it difficult if not impossible to become. Thus, between Mumba and Sata, Sata would be more likeable because the masses see themselves in him. This is more reason why using Sata’s family scandals to bring him down has not worked.
Sata is liked because he is seen as a practical person. Robbed of complex theoretical analyses, Sata reduces everything around him to its utility. He is a utilitarian politician par-excellence. For him education should be able to translate into practical benefit. Thus, when he was minister of health he removed all hindrances that made it difficult for Zambia Enrolled Nurses to become registered nurses. He categorically encouraged many ZENs to enrol and become RNs.
Chiluba last year castigated Sata for failure to write MMD minutes in proper English. He crudely compared Sata’s English writing skills to writing “Taiwanese.” But this is now. When Sata was actually writing wrong syntax, Chiluba found no problems with him at all because of the political benefits he derived from having a populist figure as his National Secretary. Zambians do not care about written English as much they do about whether their leader would be able to care practically for their interests. Sata understands very well that politics is not about writing English as much as it is about meeting people in compounds and drinking “katata” with them. Given the choice between a good writer and a caring person, it looks like the people of Zambia like a caring person better.
In these 2011 elections, Sata will be very difficult to beat, partly because people are just frustrated with Banda and partly because of Sata’s personal touch. On the common front, Hakainde Hichilema’s failure to work on popular characteristics has downgraded him to a third level candidate.
What is most telling about HH is the fact to date; Zambians have not been introduced to his wife or to his children. HH might have good reasons for his decision to shield his family from public view. But this is where he misses the point. In politics, you need to show the people that you are just like them. That means that if you have a family, you need to show the people your spouse and your children. Zambians deserve to know and meet and see Mrs Hichilema and their children. If HH continues to hide his family, State House will be unworthy of him. Zambians want to know him, but more than that, they want to know his wife—the way she looks, the way she combs her wetlook or perm and the way she ties her Chitenge. Zambians want to gossip about her. In Zambia, as elsewhere, it is through the gossip of popular figures that ordinary people find connection with them.
Zambians had their own gossip about Mama Betty Kaunda. And about her children, both the well-behaved ones and the naughty ones, like Kambarage. When the stories of Kambarage surfaced, Zambians disliked this Kaunda naughty boy. But Kambarage’s naughtiness only went to show that the Kaunda family, even if he was president, still had common problems that many Zambian families face. Zambians had lots to gossip about Vera Chiluba and her children too. Each time that Castro misbehaved Zambians did not like it, but at least it humanized Frederick Chiluba. Mrs Mwanawasa had her own share of gossip too.
Rupiah Banda’s family life is also very fascinating. Moreover, while some Zambians would dislike his choice of a wife, it is clear that the folder for gossip has gone a long way to reassure the people that the old Rupiah Banda is as human as any other Zambian is. Young Thandiwe has demonstrated the truth of the song, “Age aint nothing but a number.” In our fascination of why she went for a husband old enough to be her own grandfather, we find the answer in the fact that she is as human as any Zambian can be. In fact, many girls from Chipata to Chililabombwe find themselves in situations very similar to hers. And many do choose husbands their senior.
With regard to presidential aspirants, Sata has shown us his wife and the adversities of his children are in the public domain. People have had to make their opinions about Dr. Kaseba. How she looks, what she does, and how passionate she is about seeing her husband get into State House. She is as ambitious as her husband is. She and her husband are quite looking forward to getting into State House. That ambition is a quality that a common person in the compounds of Mongu would expect from an aspiring first family. But as for HH, he has chosen to take the ideal way and shield his family from public glare. HH should learn populist politics from Kaunda, Chiluba and Sata.
I do question whether Michael Sata has the intelligence or the temperament to lead our great nation. But one thing I do not doubt for a bit, is the fact that Sata is a man of the people. He is a common man. And whether Zambians will give him the keys to State House this year remains to be seen. But for now we wait for another one of Sata’s mammoth rallies in Chadiza, Chiwempala and Chaisa. At these rallies, Sata’s message is simple—“change in ninety days” and “more money in your pockets”—populist slogans from a populist politician.
