As I See: Politics of hate

By Chanoda Ngwira

It is interesting to note that Zambia is slowly turning into a nightmare where politics is concerned. Politics is slowly becoming dangerous for a common Zambian who has interests in joining this game, it is a threat to get into politics of late because it is becoming a precarious venture. People who would want to honestly and with gusto give a service to the Zambian people through politics are getting scared to do so due to the unwelcoming environment that is characterizing this game.

It is practically seen and known that politics is a game of hate, resentment, retribution and payback; these are the main things that are characterizing our politics and the people that play it or who are involved in it, it is quite sad to see our politicians getting at each other every now and then due to hate, the norm of scores to settle is settling in our politicians at a rather tremendous pace. This happens within political parties and between political parties.

For instance, we see what is happening within the circles of MMD and PF, there is no doubt that hate has taken course in these political parties, we see groups budding from these parties, leaders are grouped making the grassroots which is the common Zambian to be left at a cross road failing to decide who to support or not to support.

This trend makes sad reading and is not safe for our young democracy. For example in MMD, we have seen calls from some sections within the party that Dr. Nevers Mumba must step down, while the other section, we see calls of the opposite, is this how we run our infantile democracy? Certainly not, we need to live above petty hatred and jealousy.

This is not only happening in MMD, PF is also on record where we see cabinet Ministers making groups of who takes over from the incumbent after his time, we read in the media about the Defense Minister going round the nation endorsing Mr. Sata’s candidature for 2016, on the other hand, we see the Lusaka province chairperson Geoffrey Chuumbwe condemning such, this is no good for mother Zambia and we must by all means try to abstain from such.

Even so, we have seen as I stated above, individual politicians from different political parties fight day in day out just to settle scores between each other, this trend has grown especially between former heads of state, as we speak, we have seen Rupiah Banda’s immunity being lifted and he is currently facing charges in courts of law, we see him losing his diplomatic passport.

Rupiah is being tossed left, right and center.. This in my opinion has to do with hate under the norm of ‘he did this to me when he was in power’ and ‘I have to also revenge for what he did’. Surely, are we being fair to each other?

Who do we inspire if this is the trend that we set as politicians, I thought political office is service to the people who put us in office, alas, it is totally different from it being a service, but it is a game of scores to settle.

Am not in any way trying to say that corruption must not be fought, it must be, however, there must be level headedness by our politicians. This is so sad and my prayer is that, our politicians must by all means introspect themselves and save us from the shame we are subjected to by them… MAY GOD BLESS ZAMBIA and forever it shall be ONE ZAMBIA ONE NATION.