THE SAD REALITY OF ZAMBIAN POLITICS: A NATION OF HUNGRY INTELLIGENT ILLITERATES
20th March 2024
In Zambia, everyone celebrates 24th October as our Independence Day. Ironically, very few are ready and prepared to live, act and speak as free citizens of a democratic nation. So many have become prisoners of their own consciousness for choosing what’s convenient over what’s right for the nation.
Today, everyone knows what’s wrong, but they are scared to point out those wrongs. We have become an expert nation of gossipers, backbiters and pretenders. Even those who are walking in the corridors of power, they know what’s going on wrong, but instead of giving the correct counsel and advice, they would rather give a fake smile and a nod of approval to their appointing authority as a form of survival instinct.
Those in the corporate world, they betray their own consciousness and choose to pay a blind eye to all the wrongs so they can remain relevant to the Government of the day, including senselessly employing unqualified caders as long they are recommended by someone who is considered politically correct; someone who can speak for them and keep them in that position – what a senseless nation of intelligent illiterates!
If you were to talk about those doing business and looking for GRZ and parastatal contracts, they are willing to kill, to give kick backs and say all manner of bad and nasty things against their perceived competitors just so that they can emerge favourites to be awarded hefty contracts. One wonders how people sleep and find justification for the sudden accumulation of wealth which has only become possible through political connections and not hard work.
Genuine Zambian patriots who believe in the land of works and joy in unity, are left as bystanders. There is a deliberate wave of intentional exclusion if you are not considered politically correct. Citizens are being excluded from available opportunities within their own “independent” country. Think about this, who will be wasting their time to go and vote if citizens realize that their vote is only good for empowering someone to vilify, undermine and exclude them from participating national affairs?
After we fought for independence from white colonial masters and domination, sadly, a new form of colonialism emerged. You must belong to the ruling party of big boys for you to get favours and business deals. As you do, make sure whatever is wrong that you see, spin it and find something positive to say about it. That way, your relevance becomes noticeable and rewarded secretly. We are not surprised to see those who are pretending to be clever than a collective intelligence of citizens.
Even those who once served in past governments have not been spared from the effects of this ugly phenomenon of destructive politics. As high profile figures, citizens would listen to them when they speak out. But they have been told, what’s your voice without money, opportunities and government support? So in order for their children and grand children to remain employed in the civil service, they must never criticise the government, rather, they should be in the forefront to praise however things may be wrong.
This sad reality of a politically induced parasitic mindset is spreading at such a fast rate that not even Churches or NGOs have been spared. As a Pastor, Bishop, Apostle, if you need an envelope or support to build your Church, just be in good books with those in power and if you see anything wrong, forget about your prophetic mandate. I’m not saying this is happening in every Church, but certainly in some.
Just pretend as if you are not seeing anything wrong happening. Incidental to this, if as a Pastor you want to attract membership that belong to the ruling elite with hefty tithes and offerings, don’t say anything wrong about what’s happening in Government because if you do, you will send away high value Church members.
It’s so sad how the focus of Churches has been reduced to numbers and not salvation. The more numbers you attract, the more tithe and offering and the more comfortable the life of the set man.
Sadly, the net effect of a compromised Church is a dysfunctional society that loves money above relationship, money above truth, money above morality, a society that perpetuates hate against each other and celebrates wrong over right!
It’s not surprising that the pursuit for money and wealth through political connections and appointments has handed us a rotten judiciary, rotten legislature, and highly toxic executive.
Institutions of governance have become blind to justice and patriotism at the altar of political rewards. The cycle continues and more political parties are being registered because everyone now knows if you want to get rich fast and wield immense power to hypnotize everyone to start hero worshipping you, just become a politician!
Citizens must introspect and decide if this is the kind of independence and self-rule that our forefathers envisioned when they said stand and sing of Zambia, proud and free. Every citizen must search their hearts and their conscious if what they are perpetuating is right for our children and the generations after them.
We must arrest the political animal we are creating and return our nation to sanity before it’s too late!
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Author: Kennedy K. Mambwe
Kennedy, please note the difference between “conscience” and “conscious”. Otherwise, I am in agreement with most of your views.
A very good article and to the point. Weldone sir.
Hitting the nail on the head. Precise and as it should be. I shudder to think that politics of the belly has gone to such levels as raising Hungary intelligent illiterates in this our beloved country. Who has really bewitched us as a nation that the church and the clergy in particular have also not been spared ? I pray that God may begin to reveal the remnants.