UPND’S FAILURE TO MANAGE PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS
“There are only two important events in a political party’s life: to win power and authority and the other is to lose both.
What happens in-between is dependent on how public perceptions are managed.
You can build a strong economy and even lift millions of people out of poverty but if there is negative perceptions, a political party will still lose power and authority.
President Banda lost power mainly through public perceptions. Late President Sata and his team knew how to use propaganda to the extent of painting others so black few wanted to associate with them.
He who controls the narrative also controls perceptions. He who controls perceptions also controls power and authority.
Politics itself is all about the distribution of power authority and resources. That being the case, for anyone who holds power authority and resources in a Democratic State should have sufficient public support.
That is only possible when the public opinion and perception is still in your favour.
The UPND in its totality; the party and the administration, have been weighed in balances and have been found wanting on this score.
The Ministers are ever scared and always walking in the shadows of president HH. Whenever one of them attempts to speak, it’s a half hearted and unresearched response that just goes further to ignite public outrage.
The party functionaries seem to be tired, frustrated and stranded. They expected quick rewards which have not come their way. They now feel cheated and at a loss.
No one is managing these expectations. A few individuals like Gilbert Liswaniso the Youth Chair has tried but, for how long will you ask people to be patient?
The party functionaries now think that their colleagues who have gotten appointments have changed and now frown upon them as being cadres.
Their complaints and demands have become nauseating to the ministers and other appointees.
Both the UPND party functionaries and the administration are impotent at the moment when it comes to sweating the agenda and controlling the narrative.
They are always put on their defense. They can’t anticipate and deal with matters in a smart proactive manner.
Even individuals like Nakachinda who a few weeks ago most people regarded as a clown, are now being believed that he has more data about the New Dawn’s dealings.
It’s a shame. The battle lines are drawn. Your colleagues from the other camp are ever on media spreading half truths and sheer propaganda and you are seated fighting for contracts from Ministries of Health and ZESCO.
Control the narrative or you will lose this power sooner than you got it. This is politics it’s not a board room. You can do all the good and still lose.”
By McPherson Mutale
