Former presidents should participate in politics-Anamela
The United National Independence Party (UNIP) says it is wrong for Zambians to stop Former Presidents from participating in politics.
Speaking in Lusaka at a meeting organized by the press freedom committee of the Post Newspaper, UNIP Vice President Njekwa Anamela said people should note that former heads of state are politicians and have experience in handling political issues.
Anamela said former heads of state belong to political parties and it would be irresponsible if they denounced the parties that brought them into power.
Meanwhile, Former Defense Minister George Mpombo said the role of former presidents should be to unify the nation.
He noted that politics are shifty so it is vital that citizens ensure that former leaders play a constructive role in national development.
Speaking at the same meeting, United Party for National Development (UPND) Siavonga MP Douglas Siakalima said it is wrong for former leaders to participate in active politics.
He further advised former heads of state to emulate former South African President Nelson Mandela, whose main focus has been to unite the nation.
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the former presidents shud stay out of politics and be advisors not cadres like chiluba..
Anonymous,
Former Presidents like all human beings are political animals. They have their own unconcealed political views and alignments based on strong shared values they’re identified with. This is a reality world over if you look at their voting records and trend of thoughts. One does not need to be a degreed Presidential politics scholar to see the deeply flawed logic of the anti Chiluba league in contention. They lack basic constitutional ground to drive the discourse but exposing their defeated chauvinistic and xenophobic emotions needlessly.
Look at the world’s oldest democracy the US Presidents during and after elections. The trend is the same. In 2008 we saw President Jimmy Carter campaigning through his books while Bill Clinton spent 2008 on the campaign trail for the DNC and not GOP.
This is why even the Zambian constitution protects our former Presidents in their right of association and speech. As long as they are not seeking any political office, support for their own bid or indeed aligning for such, they are not being unconstitutional. This is why you see that immediately KK dropped from his UNIP Presidency and bid for continuity, he started receiving his benefits. Now that KK has no political position or campaigning for any, his right of political participation is being fully restored and enjoyed.
Since retirement in 2001 the country has seen KK openly support Mazoka and Nervous Mumba. In 2006 he openly endorsed Ichilema and made a national appeal that anyone not behind Ichilema was not being Zambian enough. That was his political opinion which MMD could not curtail except that PF cadres in their usual undiplomatic hysteria cried foul and insulted him with impunity.
As if this is not enough, in 2006 we saw President Chiluba vigorously campaigning for Sata in Chingola, Ndola, Luanshya and Kitwe. PF cadres heralded, gloved and wiggled to different rhythms for him on every spot calling FJT an iconic leader that Mwanawasa was just victimizing because he is a Bemba. It was on this premise that Sata publicly made a decree that he was going to overturn Mwanawasa’s vindictive culture with squashing off all charges against Chiluba within 48 hours of his Communist style mass inauguration in Independence Stadium.
Today after introspection, President Chiluba within his constitutional right which in the US is enshrined in the Bill of rights, has regretted his 2006 decision and found RB as a people’s President to support in best National interest againstpolitics of individualism and personality cult to nowhere. By this President Chiluba is in no bleach of the constitution unless we are intelligently proved wrong with constitutional clauses we can drive our debate on. President Chiluba is acting within his constitutional right and any cry over this mere support other than self aspiration of office, is incantation of sore losers to nowhere.
The Pact (PF/UPND) has made clear statements that if put in power, they will (however illegally) bring back to court ‘dropped’ charges against Chiluba. Do they (Mr. Sata and his cronies) suppose that FTJ will simply fold his arms and welcome their threats with defeated disdain? Hah!
What seems absolutely logical for Chiluba is to protect his future legal status and the best and surest way to do this in light of what can only be termed as ‘threats’ is to ensure that MMD remains in power. What options do they leave him with when they blatantly threaten him? Why do they expect him to remain silent? Under the current regime, it has been shown that an ‘accused person remains innocent until proven guilty. What Sata promises is a dark cloud in which the ‘accused remains guilty until proven innocent’.
Among the PF followers, Sata is reputed as a goal achiever – he bought uniforms for the nurses – so we are told. On that score, they have lined him up for the top position.
Assuming his earned reputation, Mr. Sata has gone ahead to make starling promises – especially towards and during election time.
Hoping to fulfill expectation, during the 2008 election campaigns, Mr. Sata made a jaw dropping promise: “I will build Power Stations in every Province within 90 days into office.”
Amidst the excitement then, no one among his people bothered to question the veracity of the statement.
Now with Mr. Sata facing prodding questions from his nemesis, perhaps someone might just be bothered to ask. Will he give answer to the question?
However, his mumbling and disjointed statements of late do not promise much. Tongues I have not heard him speak before! Has he become a prophet as well?
I might as well ask: Mr. Sata whence cometh this habit of running to the courts when simple questions are asked?