By Laura Miti.
For the first time in decades, the result of the upcoming presidential election is quite certain.
Barring the miracle rising of a solid opposition candidate, President Hichilema will be in office, in September.
I really wish the President would exude that aura of assurance.
Take the high road. Keep his eye and statements on his longer term plans, rather than steep himself in the mud of an August he does not need to worry about.
But hey – I’m not a politician.
Let’s talk, rather, about where the battles of monumental proportions are likely to play out – Parliament.
What is certain is that few sitting Members of Parliament are safe.
This is across the ruling and opposition party, as well as Minister and back bencher divides.
Simply, bantu babapingila ma MP yabo.
I would like to repeat the reason there is so much community anger against parliamenterians.
It’s the unkeepable promises candidates sell, during campaigns.
Last week, or was it this, I read about a wannabe candidate, on the Copperbelt, who says she has bought land to build a stadium for the community.
I laughed.
Anyway, across the country, individuals desperate for adoption, election and, mostly, a brand new 4×4 and gratuity are, right now, sinking boreholes.
The boreholes are shallow as the overall promise to bring development. Both will be desert dry, by the end of October 2026.
Anyway the battle for parliamentary seats is ferocious.
Sadly, it is to elect a group of people who are largely decorative. There real contribution to Zambia is to empty the Treasury.
Elo, apa manje, bapakilako😢.
Laura, leave some room for fainting, currently UPND is campaigning alone like PF did, let the others begin, then you will see the difference between winning and loosing
MPs are in trouble because local government administration is a shambles. This vital arm of service delivery at community level used to be led by councillors who had unique qualifications. I’m not talking about education here. When councils were ticking, that is, under colonial rule up until 1980, to qualify as a councillor, one needed to be a contributor to the revenues of the local authority as a residential or commercial property owner and/or a business owner. Such people had a real stake in the local authority or “skin in the game” to use financial jargon of Wall Street money men. They were essentially presiding over a budget to which they had contributed directly themselves. The Chiluba MMD tweaked the law to allow every Jim and Jack, Jane and Josephine to run and we now have a nightmare situation.