By Given Mutinta
DO NOT CAUSE CONFUSION IN OTHER PARTIES CAUTIONS BISHOP MULANDU OF MPIKA DIOCESE
The statement by the Right Reverend Edwin Mwansa Mulandu, Bishop of the Mpika Diocese, that no one should interfere with the running of other political parties and that all candidates and parties must be allowed to participate in general elections is a powerful declaration striking at the heart of democratic legitimacy.
What Bishop Mulandu said is rooted in the ideals of political pluralism and procedural fairness, which underscores the belief that free and fair elections are contingent upon an unhindered political space where competition can thrive.
Interference, whether by state apparatus, incumbent powers, or even surrogates of the state, fundamentally undermines the electorate’s ability to make informed choices, thereby eroding the very foundations of representative governance.
According to Bishop Mulandu, the essence of a free and fair election lies in the equal opportunity for political expression and organization. When established parties or ruling establishments actively obstruct, harass, or disenfranchise opposition groups, the contest ceases to be a genuine reflection of the people’s will.
Please stop accusing innocent people, party or government. For example PF has been fighting internally over leadership rivalry since the death of Sata in 2014. And I don’t agree with you when you say; when established parties or ruling establishments actively obstruct, harass, or disenfranchise opposition groups, the contest ceases to be a genuine will of the people. In the same 2014, Lungu went to Kabwe alone and was elected through raising hands, then he later became the Republican President. So according to you, was that the will of the people or it was self imposition? Please muleba ko fair and objective when analyzing national issues.
Yes all parties are free to participate in the democratic process as long as they adhere to established rules relating to the same process. Laws and rules are meant to promote social order and justice.
In the case of PF, this is a party that is is associated with chaos. It doesnt need any external force to destabilise it. It is inherently unstable. The glue that held it together was the plundering of national resources.