OUR PAINFUL 😖 STORY
BEING A CADER WITH BROWN JOMBOZ
I started politics while at school in 2008 . In 2011 I was appointed UPND Lusaka province youth Information & publicity secretary .
In 2013 I went to school and went off politics a bit. In 2014 whilest at college studying to be a secondary school teacher, I made a decision to go into active politics. I decided that I was never going to work for the government as a teacher but to persue my political aspirations.
I took an active role back into politics and was later given a position in the party in 2015.
In 2019 there was a convention and I contested as UPND lusaka district Information & publicity secretary and emerged victorious.
In 2021 I aspired to be adopted as a civic leader in our area but I didn’t get the chance to contest because I found my self in police detention as a political prisoner.
————————————————————-
2021 WE GOT INTO POWER
Our president preached so much about no caderism ,peace and the rule of law.
This stopped many if our people from doing wrong things and it stopped caderism.
Today we are more encouraged to work on our own and we are encouraged to love our enemies even those that oppressed us.
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE
• We don’t get paid . ..there is no Salary for us . There is no allowance for us . There are no hardship allowances, contracts or jobs that are given to any party officials because of being party officials. We are simply volunteers.
• No one in the private sector can employ us or our relatives if discovered, because they fear if governments change they will be in trouble. We can not take part time jobs because employers fear employing politically charged and exposed people.
• Some people think those who have decided to join active politics at our age have never been to school and that they are just cadres.
• Some people are Always reminded about the caders during the time of PF that used to put on brown boots and used to beat up people..wearing a party legalia and brown boots now reminds some people of violence when in actual fact it’s just a legalia. ( We must change our mindset towards party regalia)
• Let’s accept party regalias and brown JOMBOZ to be part of our African Politics. This is what characterizes our politics. It’s a symbol of physical strength & readiness to work.
• PF caders used their advantage to get jobs, free money, contracts and Opportunities. So now that we are in power – People think we equally have the same money and opportunities not knowing that those opportunities are no more because we are all equal with ordinary Zambians.
• Our being in the party is a risk .Other opposition political party members are always pingilalini us to deal with us once we step out of power. They think we are the ones who are enjoying in Zambia. Not knowing we are different as we have maintained peace.
• Did you know that sometimes we eat at last ( pa last ) because the president normally loves to service ordinary Zambians before he can service his own party people.
• Sometimes we cry 😢 in our unguarded moments and ask ourselves if it was necessary to dump our professions …we have many challenges… We are just like you .
Conclusion
✓ Bally has made everyone equal in Zambia.
✓ We are just party officials who have chosen to be different from the previous party officials ✓ Accept us and let’s stay together— we stay in the same communities and buy in the same shops. Appreciate the efforts being made by the president to kill caderism and promote peace .
Today’s party officials with brown JOMBOZ are very much peaceful and educated .
Hon Matomola Likwanya
