THINGS THAT WENT WRONG FOR PF LEADING TO DOWNFALL
By Isaac Mwanza
1. Davies Mwila
As an individual, Former PF Secretary General Davies Mwila is a good person but as a leader, he lagged way behind to keeping the PF intact during most crucial moment. No wonder his reappointment by the then PF President Lungu at the close of the PF General Conference felt like heavy blocks of ice had been poured on its members.
A party SG should be the most approachable and not behave like the most important person next to the President.
Ba UPND what do you learn from this?
2. Nkandu Luo
Very intelligent woman, first female professor but she was one of the despised leaders among the young literate population which had strong influence on young people generally. It didn’t need one to have gone to a university to not like ba Nkandu Luo, one only needed to hear opinions – right or wrong – from members of their community who made it to college or university that Luo was not a leader you would want next to the President. Her fights against Student Unions led by ZANASU – even on parliamentary floor – just sealed the perception. If Luo was a right leader, how come she didn’t not become Acting President after ECL resigned? Let’s leave it here for now.
Ba UPND do you genuinely think Nalumango would be an acceptable President to take over from HH in case of any eventuality, God forbid!
3. Presidential Handlers
The departure of most politically-minded handlers to the then President Lungu was left the Presidency heavily uninsulated from the shocks. Its not easy thing to change PS’s, Aides, and General staff at Plot 1, especially if you keep a set of these for too long. One only has to look at the kinds of staff that sorround the new USA President to understand why you need people political minds that are hands-on for staff that sorround you, especially in Africa politics.
Today, President Hichilema can decide to appoint any UPND IPS as his press aide but to what ends? Aides like Anthony Bwalya who understand the minds of their boss re more ideal in those political offices but you don’t need characters whose only goodness is the biggest smile in the Presidency.
3. Ministers
The last regime saw a set of Ministers who had, or at least, took Ministries as personal-to-holder basis. ECL type of leadership was to keep same people in same position for as long as he could but that was anticipated and actually turned out to be disastrous. Public offices must not feel or be seen like they are personal to holder. In the next few months, a lot of these former ministers will defect to UPND, for a reason everyone will understand but that is politics.
Ministers are supposed to be advisors to the President and not the ones to take instructions from handlers to the President. They must be the ones to tell him that “boss you naked”. But do you think Ministers in this government can be honest and frank with the President to tell him that don’t embarass yourself to say immunity agreements are wrong because from Shamwana times, the DPP office has executed immunity agreements?
4. Free-flow government
When government is run on a free-flow basis, things can get so our of hand. PS’s, directors, almost everyone was believed by the public as doing what pleases him or her, so long u dont cross path with the big guys who called shots.