By Elias Munshya wa Munshya
Nothing makes politics more fascinating than when political manipulators get manipulated by their own manipulation. Chiluba remains a political controversy not so much by the state houses he sold sitting tenants than by the way he was dribbled by his own political dribbling. The self-confessed political engineer tasted the bitter taste of his own medicine when Mwanawasa, the person he specially fashioned, spurned him. Political history has a way of repeating itself, and today it is Mike Mulongoti who is getting to be played by the same game he played against others.
It is undoubted that Mulongoti was a very influential political player. In his admission, President Mwanawasa fished him out of political exile, nominated him to parliament and tasked him with the duty of identifying other political retirees and exiles that could work with the Mwanawasa government. Mwanawasa himself had to go for retirees because he could not fish from a cadre of active MMD members because they were all thoroughly faithful to Frederick Chiluba. Mulongoti got going and his major scoop was identifying a 70-year old retiree from a farm in Chipata. Whatever qualities Mulongoti saw from the Chipata retiree, it was clear that he and Mwanawasa were going to use this Rupiah Bwezani Banda for many months to come. When Mwanawasa won the 2006 elections he quite naturally went to Banda to be his vice-president. Mulongoti’s role had become all but assuring.[pullquote]No party in Zambia holds free and fair intra-party elections. The only fair intra-party elections in Zambia were UNIP’s first post-independence convention in 1968 and the MMD’s first convention in 1991.
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When Mwanawasa died, Mulongoti wanted to go for the presidency. But realising the hurdle before him, he was happy to settle for the role of kingmaker. He and Tetamashimba made it clear that it was Rupiah Banda who was going to be anointed king. To do this, Mulongoti and Teta became more vocal and frustrated the likes of Magande-Mwanawasa’s preferred successor. But things did not end there, Mulongoti continued with his crusade to the extent that anyone who stood in his way was either fired by Rupiah Banda or out-rightly expelled from the MMD. The most famous exchanges in this endeavour were between Mulongoti and George Mpombo. Mpombo never hesitated to call Mulongoti as “braggadocio.” Banda reciprocated Mulongoti and Teta’s support by giving them a visible role in the party. Additionally, Banda rewarded Mulongoti with senior government appointments.
But Mulongoti’s initial ambition to be president never died down. Come 2011, the only way he could achieve his ambition was aim for the MMD vice-presidency. As a member of the MMD he had the freedom to do that. However, Mulongoti assumed quite wrongly that since he had done Banda such a huge favour, by fishing him from the farm, it was now time for Banda to repay this favour, by fishing Mulongoti from the political farm to the government house. He thought that the only way Banda should show that favour was by either supporting Mulongoti for MMD vice-presidency or by remaining neutral as Mulongoti takes on Republican vice-president George Kunda. But Mulongoti was sadly mistaken. It was time for him to get played, and Rupiah Banda was ready for him.
Mulongoti got played by his own ungratefulness. Banda had already aptly rewarded him by giving him one of the senior cabinet posts. As minister of works and supply, Mulongoti was in charge of all government properties and tenders. Whatever got into Mulongoti’s head to think that Banda owed him more than that contributed to this player getting played.
Mulongoti got played by his own pride. Here is a guy who when he is fired, justifies his arrogance by alleging that he had sacrificed a lot for politics. In fact, he even has the audacity to mention that at the time the MMD was fighting UNIP dictatorship in 1990, he had sacrificed a personal-to-holder car as a marketing manager to join the MMD. While not discounting the contribution he may have made to the fall of Kaunda, Mulongoti should not over exalt his role. There are many people who did not just lose a car, but lost more than that in fighting Kaunda. Pride has a way letting political players get played.
Mulongoti got played by his lack of political calculation. No party in Zambia holds free and fair intra-party elections. The only fair intra-party elections in Zambia were UNIP’s first post-independence convention in 1968 and the MMD’s first convention in 1991. In case of the MMD, except for Arthur Wina, none of its leader has ever guaranteed free and fair elections as currently demanded by Mulongoti. Mwanawasa’s convention is even more interesting in this regard in the sense that due to political manipulations and confusions he unilaterally froze the position of vice-president. He also expelled Nevers Mumba his challenger for the MMD presidency. The only person to survive the great Mwanawasa manipulation is Katele Kalumba and that is because Katele possessed very rare political qualities that Mulongoti should have emulated.
At the ascension of Mwanawasa in 2002, Katele been arrested on a myriad of charges beginning from stealing a motor vehicle to corruption. However, the way Katele got himself back into the MMD’s political limelight offers some wisdom that anyone wanting to challenge an incumbent or the wish of the incumbent should emulate. Mulongoti should have learnt a lesson or two from Katele who in Kabwe walloped VJ Mwaanga for the position of National Secretary.
In spite of all indications that Mwanawasa was supporting Mwaanga for this position, Katele still went ahead to beat Mwanawasa’s preferred candidate. To beat a preferred candidate, Katele never for once insulted Mwaanga and neither did he disrespect Mwanawasa for showing support for Mwaanga. In fact, a week before the convention it was still not certain whether indeed Katele was going to seek the position at Kabwe. Katele instead concentrated on a silent campaign that mixed two important elements: history and tribal balancing. This campaign strategy worked so well that before Mwanawasa realized it, the provincial chairpersons had already settled for a Bemba speaking Katele to be National Secretary. The elections pulled a surprise and Mwaanga had been defeated.
Mwanawasa was not too pleased with the choice of the national convention, however. To not disappoint Mwaanga further, he was ably rewarded with a ministerial position. Telling Mwaanga, “the national convention rejected you.” The relationship between Katele and Mwanawasa could be characterised as the most bizarre of all political relationships in modern Zambian politics. Katele, a criminal suspect and staunch Chiluba loyalist was rubbing shoulders with President Mwanawasa. His political ingenuity and calculation had paid off! If Mulongoti was serious and realistic about campaigning against Kunda who is Banda’s vice-president and Banda’s preferred choice he should have used a little bit more wisdom. He should have used the Katele Kalumba strategy. Mulongoti for failing to heed Katele’s strategy got played!
For now, we wait another opportunity for Mulongoti to get fished from the political doldrums. It may not be for too long however, since politicians have a way of rising from a farm in Chipata to Nkwazi House in Woodlands. Just hoping that next time he gets to play the game Mulongoti will play a fairer game.
