By Kellys Kaunda
FORMER AND CURRENT MPS AND MINISTERS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE PRESIDENTS
Members of Parliament are leaders of their respective constituencies.
They lead by interacting with residents of their respective constituencies.
Through these interactions, MPs identify the needs of the people they lead and represent them in parliament.
They lobby various government leaders and government employees relevant to the needs of their people.
They formulate laws that become the basis of governing the country and the management and distribution of national development resources.
They scrutinize government policies while holding it to account for responsibilities entrusted to it.
To be effective, MPs need to understand the country, know its people, and gain a significant amount of knowledge regarding its resources.
When someone who has served as an MP steps forward and announces their desire and readiness to become President, you can see where their confidence is coming from.
Parliamentary experience exposes one to the most importance aspects of governance and national leadership which are extremely valuable and relevant to the functions of the Presidency.
You can only ignore them if you have personal preferences for individuals you want to support for the office of President.
Whether they are accepted and voted for or not is not a vote against what it means to be an MP. You need to look for an explanation elsewhere.
For those that become Ministers, they are part of the Office of the President.
They are mini Presidents because the office bearer has divided his functions among all of them.
Therefore, every minister – present or past – has tasted the Presidency. He or she has, potentially, what it takes to be President.
So, if someone who has been Minister before steps forward and offer themselves for the Presidency, it’s because they have what it takes to lead at the highest level of national leadership.
In other words, it should not be surprising if, in the current crop of MPs and Ministers in the UPND government, emerge individuals who seek the office of President.
By the same token, it is hardly surprising that both Makebi Zulu and Brian Mundubile are seeking the same office.
They have been political insiders who have had a glimpse of the inside of the political engine room.
They know it’s intricacies and decoded its mysteries. To be in the driving seat, they know the common values – staying power and how to win people’s support.
This is support across Zambia’s various ethnic groupings, gender and age groups.
As Zambia’s political history grows older, more and more of its leaders will be coming from among politicians the majority of whom will have been Councilors, MPs, Ministers and Vice Presidents.
Occasionally, we may have “outsiders” such as trade union leaders, and businessmen and women seeking and eventually becoming President.