LET KABWATA DECIDE WHO THEY WISH TO REPRESENT THEM WITHOUT MCC INFLUENCE
By Bizwell Mutale
The Kabwata by-election is an important litmus test for the Patriotic Front leadership. It will tell the nation whether or not the PF MCC has reformed from imposing unpopular candidates on constituencies to allowing the party grassroots to choose their popular representatives.
During the last general elections, the PF MCC imposed Mr. Danny Yenga on the people of Kabwata as a candidate for the Kabwata constituency, and Kabwata gave us strong feedback by rejecting Mr. Danny Yenga.
On the other hand, Mr. Clement Tembo and other aspiring candidates supported Mr. Danny Yenga in the spirit of unity and comradeship. Even with this support, we lost Kabwata. It should be a lesson learned.
Now, this time around we must win the Kabwata seat without fail. To achieve this we need to allow the people of Kabwata to speak freely and choose who they want to be on the ballot for the Kabwata Member of Parliament by-election.
It is a political error to repeat the imposing of Mr. Yenga on the people of Kabwata because the result will be the same, we will lose again. He must pave the way for Mr. Clement Tembo or whoever else the people of Kabwata want.
The PF MCC has learned that imposing candidates on constituencies, results in losses, and the people of Kabwata may resort to voting for an independent candidate or even UPND candidate. As PF, it is a politically strategic advantage to win the Kabwata constituency seat. This calls for an inclusive approach, listening to the grassroots, learning from past mistakes, and making better political decisions. Most importantly it calls for unity and love.
It will be wise for the MCC to focus on what the people of Kabwata want. This is an important step in rebranding the party by making people-centered decisions, going back to the people, and allowing for the grassroots to be heard.
Let us not allow the arrogance and greed that cost us in the August elections to continue in any of the upcoming by-elections. Let us demonstrate that we are a grassroots party, a pro-poor party, an inclusive party, a united listening party, and a transformed party. Mr. Danny Yenga himself can show magnanimity by allowing someone else to represent the party in the Kabwata by-elections. We are one party after all.