Lunacy, lack of civility in PF
What is going on in the Patriotic Front and its government is pure lunacy.
And lunacy is always distressing, but sometimes it is dangerous; and when you get it manifested in a political party and government’s top or key leaders, it is about time it should be ruthlessly put away.
The confusion and anarchy that is going on in the Patriotic Front and its government is starting to have effect on the operations of government. Most of the operations are paralysed, ministers are not working as they should be working. But they are being paid salaries, they are driving government automobiles and burning government fuel; they are using government phones and talk time to fan anarchy, to quarrel among themselves.
And as if this was not enough, they are taking to the streets, to the central business district and are paralysing business. Traders have to close their shops in fear of looting. Vendors have to move their merchandise away. Of course, all this is at a cost. Production of economic goods and services is halted or disrupted. For what benefit?
If these squabbles, if this infighting in the Patriotic Front continues for a few more days or weeks in this way, the economic loss to the nation will be gigantic. And those responsible for this loss should be made to account to the Zambian people. Money, people’s money cannot be lost in such a reckless way.
We are not saying Patriotic Front members should not quarrel, should not fight with each other or among themselves. What we are saying is that their internal party fights should not have such a cost on the nation, on the country. They should keep their fights among themselves in such a way that there is no spillover to the lives of others who have nothing to do with their problems.
It would be naive and dishonest for anyone to expect a party of the size, diversity and complexity of the Patriotic Front to have no problems, no conflicts between or among its members. But if they want to remain in government and continue to be the country’s ruling party, they have to behave differently and address their problems and challenges differently.
And in our view, there is no better way to solve problems or differences in a political party than the democratic way. Democracy is there for this sole purpose – resolving differences among people. This is so because as human beings, we possess a variety of sometimes contradictory desires. We want safety, yet we relish adventure; we aspire to individual freedom yet we demand social equality.
Democracy in any organisation or institution is no different. And it is important to recognise that many of the tensions, conflicts or even paradoxes that we see in the Patriotic Front today are present in many organisations and institutions. A central paradox exists between conflict and consensus. Democracy is in many ways nothing more than a set of rules for managing conflict or disagreements among people, organisations and institutions. At the same time, these disagreements or conflicts must be managed within certain limits and result in compromises, consensus or some other agreements that all sides accept as legitimate.
An over-emphasis on one side of the equation can threaten the entire undertaking. If individuals or groups of individuals perceive democracy as nothing more than a forum in which they can press for their demands – as we have been hearing from the Patriotic Front in the last few days where it is being argued that those cadres being paid to go on the street and disrupt public business demanding the removal of the secretary general of their party are acting within their democratic right – their political party can shatter from within.
Democracy in any organisation or institution is not a machine that runs by itself once the proper principles and procedures are inserted. A democratic political party, like every other democratic institution or organisation, needs the commitment of its members and leaders who accept the inevitability of conflict as well as the necessity for tolerance, moderation and restraint.
It is for these reasons that the culture of democracy is so important to develop in our political parties and indeed in the management or administration of our national affairs. Individuals and groups must be willing, at a minimum, to tolerate each other’s differences, recognising that the other side has valid rights and a legitimate point of view. And various sides to a dispute, disagreement or conflict can then meet in a spirit of compromise and seek a specific solution that builds on the general principle of majority rule and minority rights. This can be reached through debate and compromise.
In any organisation or institution, the essence of democratic action is coalition building. This is so because it teaches groups within an institution or organisation to compromise and work within the rules and procedures of the organisation or institution. In this way, those with differences, disagreements or conflicts learn how to argue peaceably, how to pursue their goals in a democratic manner, with civility and ultimately how to live in a world of diversity.
Clearly, democracy is not a set of revealed, unchanging truths, but the mechanism by which, through the clash and compromise of ideas, individuals and groups, the people can, however imperfectly, reach for truth. Democracy is pragmatic. Ideas and solutions to problems, differences or conflicts are not tested against a rigid ideology but tried in the real world where they can be argued over and changed, accepted or discarded.
And as we are starting to witness, democracy cannot protect against mistakes, end tribal strife or guarantee economic prosperity. It does, however, allow for debate and examination that can identify mistakes, permit groups to meet and resolve differences.
This is why we are insisting that the Patriotic Front leaders and members mull over things and look at their differences soberly and in a democratic way. There is no alternative to resolving their differences in a democratic way if they have to continue holding together. The alternative to this is a split, separation, expulsions or chasing of each other. Will this strengthen them or weaken them? Will this increase their capacity to deliver on the promises and pledges they made to the Zambian people in the run-up to the 2011 elections?
PostNewspaper
Zwiki Poison
September 27, 2013 at 2:51 pm
M’membe warning is timely! SATA lucks leadership; he is weak; and can’t exercise leadership! The “PF” is a party which is like an “Headless Chicken”…..running around with no direction because there is no “Head”!
kolwe
September 27, 2013 at 3:50 pm
hmm ba tumfweko,arent you all pro pf,i thought you would be here defending whats happening. now because fred has said something,you also agree and follow in his words. do you people have your own thoughts,where is you intuition,creativity,self determination (spirit of kujichaguliya)?
Id!ot!
September 27, 2013 at 5:50 pm
You must be a retard! What has this got to do with Sata who is currently away from home iwe chee color? Wait for him to come back home and see what he will do, then you show your luck of ”own thoughts” like kolwe puts…ijoot!
Twiggyjinx
September 28, 2013 at 6:51 am
He usually does nothing.
Mailon
September 28, 2013 at 8:48 am
But M’membe has kept quiet and watched this nonsense getting out of hand.Now that his interests are threatened he wants to preach to us what democracy is about.HH said this experiment has failed no one listened.
mwansa kabinga
September 27, 2013 at 2:59 pm
Its true the rulling party should behalve or else. They shouldnt take us for granted.
Zambia is for all Zambians
September 27, 2013 at 3:13 pm
The ruling party is just shaking off dead leaves. It will blossom very soon.
What can happen when Zambia Police has made sure that the opposition is not heard by Zambians?
samba
September 27, 2013 at 3:16 pm
That warning is not in good faith. M’membe knows that this confusion will affect him badly especially knowing he has his preferred man( Kabimba) in soup. We cant have a Nation controlled by a newspaper. Everything has its time and guess R.B is saying Neo nemiwozyani ati osafaka amambala mu Govt. SATA needs to get himself out of these people using him like a pawn in the game of chess
Jairos
September 27, 2013 at 3:40 pm
But we told you that PF is a tribal and confused party. Fred Mmembe, you are asking PF to sort out their problems in a democratic way? Wonder shall never cease, PF, DEMOCRACY?
Trixy
September 27, 2013 at 4:13 pm
@ Sampa….I feel you my brother. We cant have a paper controlling the nation. I am patiently waiting for Fred’s time to come and it will surely come. Every dog has got its day. One day the Zambia Airways issue will be unveiled…..Sata will not be there to shield it….
icinshikululwa
September 27, 2013 at 4:28 pm
The problem in PF is sovebble.
bodybuilder
September 27, 2013 at 4:41 pm
The KK show needs to end. That is the. Kambwili and Kabimba show. Let’s get on with governing Zambia instead.
wisemam
September 27, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Post plus ………….,plus……..= Govt.
Kasenge Richard
September 27, 2013 at 5:30 pm
If you throw the stone of today u will kill the bird of tomorrow.Mmembe is advicing,listen to people’s advise today and the problem will be solved tomorrow.
wajimona
September 27, 2013 at 6:52 pm
@Kasanga Richard.You are right . Having thrown a stone of yesterday kills a bird of today! Eshu confuser of Men.
Democrat
September 27, 2013 at 7:24 pm
Membe is feeling the heat. You can fool some pipo some tym, but you cant fool all the pipo all the tym. Apa nailuka boyi membe.
Muntu Na Muntu
September 27, 2013 at 7:43 pm
Lunacy is the word. Watch this pace. if tumfweko can carry such an editorial! If Mmembe can use words like lunacy, lack of civility to describe PF today. Watch this pace.
Mungeli
September 27, 2013 at 7:56 pm
There problems rily in P.F. & Sata is a contributing factor. just imagine how can he discourge the atacks on Wynter on one hand but on the other he goes on to comfirm dat guy chikwelete as the lusaka province P.F chairman?
barotse diaspora
September 27, 2013 at 8:28 pm
Boss m’menbe could be right.there is madness,defiant characters.the real fight hasnt started yet.thats just a scratch of the earth surface.
nkem Owoh
September 27, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Those aspiring to be politicians must undergo a Mental State Examination(MSE)to establish their psychological functioning. It appears that “some” of our political leaders seriously need psychotherapy. Ethnocentrism is without doubt at work in Zambian politics today. What is happening in the PF government is just the beginning. This infighting in PF has set the trend for confusion which will escalate to affect the social, economic and political avenues in Zambia. Mr. Kabimba knew about this tribal issue a long time ago but just could not ascertain its subsequent gravitational impact on his political career because of his greed and arrogance. Let Mr. “Wynter Kabimba” metamorphose and become Mr. “Summer Kafimbuluka.”
nkem Owoh
September 27, 2013 at 8:55 pm
There is need for Zambian leaders to shift from “politics of microphone” to “less-talk-more-practical” mentally-ordered functioning men and women in political positions.
Winter June Kabimba
September 27, 2013 at 9:53 pm
Faka Pressure ba PF please. Winter must go forever and ever more. Amen
Brasho maseko
September 27, 2013 at 10:08 pm
What is Mmembe saying? Lunacy in PF means one thing, that Sata is a lunee. The buck stops at Sata. So if there’s lunacy in PF, then Sata has failed. He should hold the bull by its horns. Kariga ngombe. We expect a lot from Sata to sort out the confusion in his party otherwise he is looney number 1.
Village Chicken
September 27, 2013 at 10:30 pm
As always maintained, Sata and PF are tribalists who are also confirmed lunatics by their paid newsMmembe, the post. Again Sata and PF, MYSRIP, dead woods…
wandi
September 28, 2013 at 12:38 am
SATA IS A LUNATIC PERIOD!
haiggy
September 28, 2013 at 7:27 am
tongas are really tryin so hard to paint pf tribal when infact its upnd.
Fred mmembe shudnt be funny his childish schemes of installing someone when there is incumbent, shows the bafoon thinks zambia can be run by his newspaper. Mmembe has lost it, all this screaming headlines ll not take him anywhere. His ”no sir” friend’s presidential ambitions sponsored by mmembe ve been thwarted.
shibobo
September 28, 2013 at 7:44 am
Sata is the cause of this confusion.
1) he stops people from blaming the PF ministers unless they get permission from him.this has made Winter to think he is untouchable and only the President can touch him.
2) He does not hold press comferences to highlight as many issues which the country is yearning to know.
3) Sata has failed to use the divide and rule tactics because he is not on the ground to see challenges people are faced with but just relying on OP.
4) the habit of flying over the people’s heads in a chopper detaches the president from his people.He should be minggling with the masses freely and not just when there is a by-election.
haiggy
September 28, 2013 at 7:45 am
from now on the on slaught ll be on pf from mmembe’s ppst newspaper. Mmeembe started all this confusion in pf.
james mudenda
September 28, 2013 at 12:28 pm
ba opposition mulimbwafye ishabula imichila!
MAFUPA YOKOYOKO
September 28, 2013 at 1:24 pm
MY COMMENT!?
G FUNK
September 28, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Its TOM & JERRY mu PF!! Point taken FRED…
Deadly
September 28, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Sata great President!
1200
September 28, 2013 at 2:00 pm
satana kasebanya alaonaula ichipani eci
RS
September 28, 2013 at 5:40 pm
our president is OK.just some minsters are disorganized including there mp.Talk to ur people
icinshikululwa
September 28, 2013 at 7:33 pm
Which politiko party iz older; than the other? (A)UPND (B)PF; if the answer is (A) explan why.
70points.
MAFUPA YOKOYOKO
September 28, 2013 at 7:37 pm
Hope pf will listen to Mmembe coz what he has said fyamano sana. Lets go pf!
kolwe
September 28, 2013 at 10:09 pm
A party of thugs indeed…
Kasenge Richard
September 28, 2013 at 11:09 pm
UPND was 30 older than PF which was formed 5years ago,graabed MMD power by widest magine ever in memorial.over take someone who cried when handover instruments of power.kuti waseka!
Village Chicken
September 29, 2013 at 7:03 am
Iwe Fred Mmembe, Lunacy has always been core to PF. Am glad you have awoken now. Do you want to offer a job to Chanda Chimba III so your Post can also arise from its own self inflicted Lunacy? Viva Chanda Chimba…..
pompwe
September 29, 2013 at 10:02 am
tell these chaps their time is up!!