Msoni demands immediate formation of coalition govt

All People’s Congress president Nason Msoni has called for the formation of an all in-clusive grand coalition government to deal with issues rekindling constant partisan interests.

In a press release to Zambian Eye on Sunday, Msoni said time is now ripe for political leaders and all visible stakeholders to engage into a serious and meaningful political discussion concerning the future of Zambia given that the current regime in power has miserably and lamentably failed the people.

Below is his statement in full:

Press Release

We are now demanding for an all-inclusive grand coalition government to deal with issues rekindling constant partisan interests. We think time is now ripe for political leaders and all visible stakeholders to engage into a serious and meaningful political discussion concerning the future of this country given that the current regime in power has miserably and lamentably failed the Zambian people.

We think the alternative form of government envisaged should be one that is broadly inclusive and which truly without any form of deception should represent the character of our people. We also think that the current party in government should be part and parcel of the proposed political transition of the broad coalition government to be formed at the earliest opportunity with the support and encouragement of the international community.

We propose that the reminder of the period of the current mandate of the party in government should be used as the transition period of the grand coalition. The aim of the proposed grand coalition government is not to usurp power but rather it is the appropriate timely collective intervention of all legitimate stakeholders aimed at reforming non-performing organs of the state devoid of any partisan interests.

The grand coalition will prepare a level playing field for holding a credible and democratic election slated for 2016. There is no further debate that the country is dangerously gliding and sleepwalking into a deeper political crisis. We fervently believe that it is prudent to act now in good time before anarchy and destruction of state institutions completely spins-out-of-control.

To this end we appeal to all our bilateral and multilateral partners and representatives of foreign government accredited to Zambia and all our fraternal friends from the international community to prevail and counsel President Sata to give way to a grand coalition government in which he as the incumbent President should retain the presidency but must share power with other coalition partners.

This should be a real power-sharing deal which must be financially supported and endorsed by the representatives of the international community. No one believes that the current polarized environment under the Patriotic Front partisan arrangement can provide and deliver a peaceful and credible election acceptable to all stakeholders. Reasons for forming the grand coalition government

1. The PF government’s poor governance record on human rights remains appallingly high and unacceptable as evidenced by the recently released US state department report.

2. The continued inducement of unnecessary by-elections in areas which they had previously lost in the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections thereby precipitating and creating a crisis and thereby denying most areas the legitimate representation of members of parliament.

3. The greater part of those serving in the Zambian government hail from one region where the incumbent president originates. The current character of appointments under this administration is a clear prescription of anarchy and social strife given that other tribes feel treated less favourably than the preferred ruling ethnic tribe clearly given this deliberately created polarization the country is now teetering on the brink of a structural disintegration.

4. The number of nullified parliamentary seats may have directly invalidated the much acclaimed mandate arising-out of the free and fair elections which were held in the 2011 tripartite elections that give the Patriotic Front the mandate to form government by political deception.

5. The heavily polarized constitutional making process clearly has rekindled excessive partisan interests in the Patriotic Front government and continues to act in bad faith thereby creating serious doubts on the possibly of delivering a credible and acceptable document.

6. All necessary governance organs of state are virtually crippled as the appointees continue to exhibit partisan and ethnic allegiance to the appointing authority who in this case is the President.

7. Opposition leaders continue to face state harassments and incarcerations on flimsy charges.

8. The once promising vibrant and robust Zambian economy is nose-diving and crumbling downwards very fast signalling mismanagement and gross incompetence.

9. The crucial (3)arms of government that comprise the executive , Judiciary and the legislature are deeply partisan and compromised and controlled by the executive branch of government thereby breaching with impunity the principal of separation of powers.

10. Rampant high levels of corruption in government and the general lack of transparency and accountability in the procurement system.

11. Wanton abuse of state resources by a few elements in government to the exclusion of the majority.

12. Government is chiefly operated and run with the assistance of facebook clearly depicting lack of seriousness.

13. Foreign Service appointments are clearly ethnic and tribal to the exclusion of the majority tribes.

14. The constitutional making process has been ruthlessly hijacked and it’s a matter of time before hypocrisy is exposed.

15. Imposition of disqualified appointees like the acting chief justice.

16. Creation of useless tribunals to service private interest under defiance of advice and common-sense for personal appeasement of appointees. The Judge Lovemore Chikopa tribunal has literally become a permanent fixture by default thereby siphoning public resources for doing no work.

17. Reckless appointments of commission of inquiry whose reports remain a mystery or where applicable commissions of inquiry are used to white-wash friends and to absorb their wrong-doing at great cost to tax-payers. Given the above reasons we think we have made a good case for constituting a forward-looking grand coalition government to help our country move forward.

The proposed super structure of the grand-coalition government with President Sata at the helm of government should include (2) vice-presidents who should be coalition partners. Deputy Vice-presidents (4) one from the President Sata’s side and (3) from the coalition partners.

The positions of cabinet ministers are to be shared equitably by the coalition partners whose numbers would depend on the numbers of participating coalition partners in the constituting agreement.

The numbers of deputy ministers are also to be shared by consultation among principals of participating coalition partners. All civil service senior appointments are to be made in consultation with coalition partners and their input is necessary for the stability of the coalition government.