By Sishuwa Sishuwa
Last week, the United Party for National Development (UPND) resolved not to field a candidate in the forthcoming Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election, slated for November 8, in support of its loose alliance partner, the MMD.
Although a common candidate does not guarantee victory to the opposition alliance, the move by the country’s third largest political party is highly commendable as it fosters the strength and unity of the opposition, and diminishes rampant perceptions and criticism that they are selfish and incapable of working with other political parties.
Although independents and other small opposition parties are also likely to contest the by-election, the battle for Mufumbwe will be between the ruling PF and the opposition MMD-UPND alliance. The stakes are high and whichever way the result goes, the outcome will have important implications for both the ruling and opposition parties.
A PF victory, securing its first parliamentary seat in the region, will strongly reinforce claims that the ruling party is on the rise in North-Western Province, spreading its support base beyond its traditional constituencies.
A defeat will smash such assertions. An electoral triumph for the MMD will enhance the view that that North-Western Province remains the former ruling party’s stronghold, a great response to its critics that the party is no longer a force to reckon with, having lost its status as a ruling party.
It will also be interpreted as a victory for the opposition, especially the MMD-UPND alliance, and will enhance their prospects for working together in future elections.
The UPND and MMD should understand that political alliances require collectivism, sacrifices and a synthesis of intentions, objectives, strategies and guiding principles. The success of any political alliance is largely dependent on the ability of the partners to rise above party boundaries and reconcile their differences to advance a common goal.
The UPND should thus see its decision on Mufumbwe not as one to support the MMD candidate, but instead to support itself through the progress of the pact and the triumph of opposition unity.
The MMD should equally not see itself as defending its seat in Mufumbwe but defending the objectives and throne of the informal alliance, of which it is an essential component. This is an effective way of averting the bapeleni abene bakayonawile syndrome, which seems to have infiltrated the ranks of the UPND-MMD electoral alliance.
Recent media reports indicating that the UPND campaign machinery will not be in Mufumbwe to back the MMD candidate suggest that the UPND has made the decision not to field its candidate to prove that MMD is not capable or popular enough to scoop the Mufumbwe seat.
This suggests that the two parties are not honest with each other and that they are using the alliance to pursue objectives that are inimical to the success of the other partner. What is needed is for the two political allies to complement each other’s strengths and flaws in the true spirit of their informal electoral alliance.
With the reported adoption of Steven Masumba by the ruling party, the PF should ensure that the supporters of both Elliot Kamondo and Masumba understand that Masumba’s adoption is based not on personal preferences but on collective political strategy that works for the good of the ruling party.
Instead of conducting themselves in a manner that may instigate intra-party factions, because their preferred candidate has not been adopted, Masumba’s and Kamondo’s supporters should harmonise their affiliations into one arsenal capable of defeating the potentially formidable opposition. They should transfer their support to the adopted candidate and channel their energies towards ensuring that the PF scoops its maiden seat in North-Western Province.
Kamondo’s reported acceptance of the decision made by the national
leadership to adopt Masumba, his pledge to remain a loyal member of the ruling party, and his appeal to his supporters to support Masumba are all important considerations in this respect. If he chose to show the slightest disdain for the PF central committee’s decision, his erstwhile supporters may choose to redirect their vote as a protest.
May democracy win in Mufumbwe!
Ba HH a UPND, Mwacita Cintu Cibotu Ku Mufumbwe added by on
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But you guys should acknowledge that this story is from the Post.
Nice one.
VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND, VIVA UPND
GO GO UPND-MMD TEAM!
GO GO PF!
DA BOAT IS SAILING,IT NEEDS KOLOKO’MMD’ 2B ON SCHEDULE N ‘UPND’2GO 4WARD.
WE R 1.
IT’S A CIRCLE OF LIFE
The fact is PF is in power, Viva PF, Viva Sata.
THERE IS NO VIVA UPND WHY PACT WITH MMD MUZAKULA LITHI.
BE AS PF WHO GROWN FROM SMALL TO BIG WITHOUT ANY BODY
good article ..you should also do your research bafikamba..
The going to be interesting between kamondo and muzungu,not these 2 chaps.
Am wThe same barotse issue have they discussed it with other countries?coz the boundary of barotseland does not encompus western province alone.I think to solve this problem for once and all let us all start marrying these lozi women even if it means 4-4 so that we wipe out this selfish tribe.their superiority complex is very nauseating.
I like this guy,i like the way he analyses issues. He is always balanced in his analysis.
HH and the part for pipo dats “UPND”,Nizi.Pipo lets return the word of thanks when things are good.May GOD bless u
@duncan, I concur wth u my man. I am already dating 3 lozi ladies. Am not being selfish. I jst want to help them become civilized.
masumba is an imposed chap by kabimba. azakhaula
politics at its best,,
That’s a good atticle from Shishuwa. However, writing the heading in tonga isn’t being creative but an admition on Shishuwa’s part that UPND is a tonga party. This wouldn’t consciously come out of Shishuwa’s mouth but it’s something unconsciously embeded in him and so many other Zambians. HH and UPND need to work hard at removing this Tonga tag from their party.
Upnd and mmd has no vision and the 2 part will cease in blank an d faint extinction. @duncan and @northener do not expose your soiled dirt pants in public your comments indicates your shallow reasoning and lambstade calibre.a lesson to u young men is that barotseland stands to its ground firm without fear and will sucede.
The only vision PF has is to buy off other parties so that we have a one-party state. As they say, you can get a villager into town but you can’t remove the bush from his/her head. Similalry, Chiluba got Sata from UNIP into MMD but failed to remove the one-party state mentality from his head.