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The Opposition And Its Challenges: ‘There Is No Doubt the Opposition Partys are In Shambles’
There is no doubt that our opposition is in shambles and is facing serious problems and challenges.
But they don’t want to admit it. They want to pretend all is well, save for the acts of destabilisation from the Patriotic Front government and the media that is hostile to them.
But can this be said to be true? Can one really say the opposition has no problems of its own other than those created for them by their opponents? The opposition has problems of its own – many of them self-created.
Our opposition has serious financial difficulties. And for the new member of the opposition, MMD, this is even worse. The MMD doesn’t know how to operate without a lot of money. They were used to receiving a lot of money from all sorts of characters doing business with government. And the MMD was also parasitic on government institutions for resources. All that has dried up and with it the opportunities for patronage have disappeared. It has moved from being a political party where there was a lot of eating to a political party of hunger. Many of their members are not used to this type of thing and are seeking opportunities where they think the living is easier. And there wasn’t much else that bound the leaders and members of the MMD together for a long time other than money and eating. Today that glue has become very weak and they can hardly hold together. As a result of this, a series of other problems have appeared. They have abandoned almost completely the qualities of loyalty and the bonds of party without which they effectively cease to exist. Passions about the future of their party rightly fired people up, but wrongly led them to attack and despise their colleagues. Is it going to be possible for them to rediscover the old instincts that glued them together in these new times and new circumstances? The impact of disunity upon them is clear to see. They must in the very near future learn again to display the camaraderie and common purpose that are fundamental to a party’s prospects. If they don’t do so, they stand no chance of being re-elected.
And the other key opposition political party, UPND, that was bound together by regional, cultural and language ties is also now failing to conceal its problems and challenges. The regional, tribal and cultural glue that held them together is also starting to weaken. The hopes that they had of getting into government by 2011 have disappeared. The illusions that they had about their popularity have also dried up. And they can no longer deny the fact that they are a regional political party that has serious problems and challenges becoming national. The party leadership seems to have no clue on how they should work their way to Eastern, Muchinga, Northern, Luapula, Copperbelt and the major parts of Central and Lusaka provinces. Their arrogance and pomposity can no longer carry them. The bragging of being this and that has proved unsustainable because it is unrealistic. They can no longer claim to be the most educated, the most knowledgeable when it comes to business and economic matters, the leading entrepreneurs. Parliamentary statistics actually show that UPND has the least educated members of parliament of the three major political parties. And their leader, Hakainde Hichilema, who tried to project himself as a leading entrepreneur, an outstanding economist and a very rich man can no longer lay much claim to these credentials. People have seen through him that he is not what he claims to be and he doesn’t have much of what he claims to have. And as a result his supporters, members and cadres are increasingly becoming dispirited. UPND is facing real problems and challenges which they need to face in an absolutely honest and sincere manner if they have to harbour any hope of a reversal of political fortunes.
But these problems, both for MMD and UPND, are not insurmountable. Every serious and successful organisation, political party or otherwise, has faced problems and challenges. However, the successful ones are those who know how to deal with their problems and overcome them; those who are able to learn from their own errors. Those who know how to correct their mistakes, their errors, their weaknesses gain prestige. The fact that they know how to make corrections will give them prestige. It will give them all the strength which organisations have when they know how to purify themselves of errors, weaknesses and evils, when they know how to overcome their difficulties. This is so because every obstacle, challenge or difficulty introduces a person to himself, a political party to itself. How we respond to difficulties, problems, challenges is of ultimate importance.
The greatest example of the right response to a challenge, a problem, a difficulty is the story of the giant Goliath, who confronted and intimidated the armies of Israel, including the brothers of a young shepherd named David. David’s brothers chose not to do anything about the problems, difficulties, challenges before them, but David did. What was the difference? The way each viewed the problem, the challenge, the difficulty. The brothers looked at the problem, challenge, difficulty and figured it was too big to hit, but David looked at it and figured it was too big to miss.
The way you look at any problem, challenge or difficulty in your life, in your political party, in anything you are involved in, makes all the difference. Let each new problem, challenge or difficulty force you to go to the next level. No problem, challenge or difficulty will ever leave you the way it found you. You will be better, or you will be worse.
Keep in mind this important fact about problems, challenges, difficulties: every one of them has a limited lifespan. We worried about things last year which we can even remember today. Don’t believe them when they tell you that things will not change, that they will not pass. Problems, challenges, difficulties subdue mediocre people, but great leaders rise above them. We need to be like the great man who, when asked what helped him overcome the problems, challenges, difficulties of life, responded, “the other problems, challenges, difficulties.” We should be like a kite that rises against the wind. Every problem has a soft spot; there is an answer.
Many people think most of their problems, challenges and difficulties are money related. This is also what our opposition seem to think and believe. But the correct perspective is to know that a problem, a challenge, a difficulty that can be solved with money is not really a problem, a challenge, a difficulty; it is an expense. You get the money, pay and the problem, challenge or difficulty is over. You don’t need to do much. All you need to do is pay and the problem, challenge, difficulty is over.
Someone said that problems, challenges, obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off the goal. Keep your eyes on the goal. And remember that in times of adversity, you don’t have a problem, a challenge, a difficulty; you have a choice.
There is no need for our opposition leaders, their cadres and members to pretend all is well except the bad things the Patriotic Front and its government and the hostile media are doing to them and reporting about them. The ostrich type approach to politics doesn’t work and won’t do. Problems, challenges and difficulties have to be admitted and addressed openly. You cannot solve or address a problem, a challenge, a difficulty you do not acknowledge, you do not accept.
Posted by Editor
on January 21, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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isaac
January 21, 2013 at 11:04 am
It is in total sumbles to say the least. Come 2015 PF by then would deliver according to its campaign promises and oppsitions will have nothing to say.
Democrat
January 21, 2013 at 11:28 am
@Isaac ulekula na maano mwaice. Nipa bwatoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! For life.
Tonga Bull
January 21, 2013 at 11:58 am
you PF cadres are very funny. so you are going to spend the whole 5 years talking about the Opposition instead of developing the country. you claim upnd is not a threat and yet a day cannot pass without you mentioning HH and UPND. Just focuss on developing the country instead of trying to arrest people, otherwise you will be kicked out earlier than your exit date 2016.
Munaile
January 21, 2013 at 11:59 am
What can you get from Pastor Mumbwe? Failed politician through and through.
Janet c
January 21, 2013 at 12:05 pm
@ Tonga BUll – NEVER, ba kateka will deliver on his campaign promises – you wait and see
Kolwe Mwanakolwe
January 21, 2013 at 12:05 pm
Spot on, very Good Article. There is no opposition to talk about in Zambia.
nakadinya
January 21, 2013 at 12:18 pm
@ tonga bull you are a tribalist shut up hh is not a threat he is drawing everbodys attention so that he makes himself popular he will never get there unless he grows up he is too childish like you
am a serious PF DIE HARD.
January 21, 2013 at 12:25 pm
we are tribalists.. i come from isoka and can see from the appointments in government.
Koko Jinx
January 22, 2013 at 9:14 am
Facts are that Sata appoints his administration on tribal merits, that’s how Zambian politics has been of late. The only person who tried to balance national appointments was KK, may he leave longer.These chaps that followed, especially FTJ, RB and Sata divided our beloved country into distinctive regions which are in themselves a remedy for ethnic conflict, example being Bemba dominated administration that extends to segregates in terms of common employment. This is despite Bemba being multi-lingual. Face it, Bemba land is not Kasama only and that the copperbelt and cental province are not bembaland. Much of these areas are Lambaland. Some of sata’s appointments are even made on family connections. So guys in as much as you want to point at HH as being tribalist be realistic enough to tell our beloved President Sata to avoid being seen as tribalist as well. God bless Zambia
am a serious PF DIE HARD.
January 21, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Actually the oppostion is very much strong this can be seen from PF fearing of allowing the opposition to hold rallies. I have just come from the village and it appears MMD is highly missed by farmers on there organised fertiliser distribution compared to what is happening now. Some farmers have not received D completely while ther is no trace of urea yet and a time when this should have been with farmers ready to start applying.themaize is truning yellow already.Only a few pwople in town think the opposition is not strong.PF must work hard otherwise we can see hunger this year due to poor maize harvest.let take this message seriously.
CNP-4U
January 21, 2013 at 12:23 pm
the PF has more problems than our opposition parties..very soon they are crumbling..watch the space..
isaac
January 22, 2013 at 3:14 pm
My will not come to pass my friend, PF crumbling? Day dreaming man they have all the machinery at their disposal.
The Zambian Ghandi
January 21, 2013 at 12:33 pm
if there is no opposition in zambia then let them hold rallies, what are you afraid of. tell us what you are afraid of.
Tonga Bull
January 21, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Uselees PF writer.
Real Zambian
January 21, 2013 at 2:25 pm
@Tonga bull, you are right, you are a tribalist. Shut up!!!
Chanda
January 21, 2013 at 3:13 pm
My fellow Zambians this is quite interesting. Who is the opposition? What is their role, Who do they represent? Hold your fire, I believe we need to educate each other well enough as we engage in this debate. I believe in having a strong and community based opposition. So far,I strongly feel that we have no representation whatsover. Everyone is busy eyeing to be at plot one at all costs. This has made most of the opposition parties if not all to loose focus of who really they must represent. We need to be carefull as citizens and monitor the opposition aswell as the party in government. You know what, we will never achieve meaning full development if we allow our selves to be taken for granted. Let us cultivate politics that are driven by the interests of Zambians and not individuals. I love you all
Janet c
January 21, 2013 at 3:45 pm
Chipimo of NAREP is the real opposition
Ba medza
January 21, 2013 at 3:46 pm
The oposition has nothing to offer,they are dead & burried. Viva PF pabwatoooooooo!
James
January 21, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Sounds like Post editorial.
James
January 21, 2013 at 5:15 pm
The PF is even more confused despite having the advantage of incumbency. It has too many problems actually. Only that it is in power.
MICKEY MOUSE
January 21, 2013 at 10:59 pm
shambles is a better word,its actually crumbles!
I.C.U.
January 22, 2013 at 4:51 am
@ Janet c, I AGREE WITH YOU DEAR.
NAREP IS LIKE WATER! IT IS BUSY PAVING ITS WAY THROUGH CRACKS THAT UPND AND MMD ARE MAKING.
OUR OPPOSITION IS STILL IN REBASING PROCESS
(IN CIRCUMSISION ROOM)
I.C.U.
January 22, 2013 at 5:13 am
@ Tonga Bull, I ADMIRE YOUR PRIDE OVER YOUR TRIBE.IT’S NOT A BAD THING DUDE.JUST TRY TO STOP BEING OR SOUNDING SO TRIBALIST.
parties/partys
January 22, 2013 at 9:41 am
mhh..
am a serious PF DIE HARD.
January 22, 2013 at 10:25 am
well but NAREP is only known by maybe 50 people in Lusaka. Go to any other district they will be shocked when you ask if they have ever heard of NAREP. Wait and see the mpongwe by election. ypou will prove me right. if they will get 10 votes. it will be the family of the guy who will stand on NAREP and nothing more. NAREP is plastic and they can never make it in zambian politics. they are small time waster with no communication starategy to the poor majority.