Hakainde’s National Unity Government

HH with ADD president Charles Milupi after a media briefing

By Henry Kabinga

Recent political events confirm that this country is tottering on the precipice of anarchy. The ruling party is totally divided and in disarray with this deep division extending to Cabinet, the highest executive organ of Government.

Intra party violence within two major political parties is on the rise, our very existence as a peaceful nation is under threat.

It is against the above background that I welcome the statement by the Opposition Members of Parliament to support a Government of National Unity via the endorsement of Hakainde Hichilema for the presidency of Zambia in the January 2015 election. A national unity government in the two years leading to the 2016 elections is very desirable, nay, imperative under the current circumstances.

The three years of PF rule have been the most divisive and antagonistic Zambia has ever seen and the current malaise is as a result of this. These years have seen very high levels of regionalism, ethnicism, tribalism and nepotism(for the first time since independence, not a single Cabinet Minister came from North Western Province, a serious indictment on the PF). Governance in general has been very poor with mediocrity in the administration of Government institutions the norm.

A national unity Government can start the process of healing the country of the ‘violence, insecurity and mediocrity in leadership’ that the MPs in their statement alluded to.HakaindeHichilema has promised an inclusive Government. His current campaign slogan ‘Zambia United’ is very apt for the current confusion Zambia is in.

It is appropriate that the idea of an inclusive Government that Hichilema has promised to bring is being supported by Members of Parliament. Cabinet under our current constitution is appointed by the President ‘from among members of the National Assembly’. Hichilema, even by force of circumstances, will have to appoint a Cabinet made up of more than one political party meaning that all parties represented in Parliament stand a chance of being appointed. Here I would think even PF MPs can be brought on board if they are corrupt free and hardworking.

The idea being proposed above is in contrast to Elias Chipimo’s proposal of an interim ‘neutral’ or ‘non-partisan’ President. Chipimo’s novel idea though appealing is simply not supported by our current constitution and is a nullity ab initio, as our learned friends would say. Zambians should start to think of the January election as one ushering in an interim phase prior to the 2016 election when all parties can compete independently.

It is my submission that an inclusive government will start the process of healing the country, reduce the bottlenecks that a minority presidency may engender, and most importantly, will guarantee that a new, people driven constitution is ushered in before the 2016 Presidential and General election. This is Hichilema’s undertaking. We all need to support him on this.