CALLING THEM OUT: THE FACTOR OF PERSONAL SECURITY/BENEFICIATION IN POLITICS OF REGIONAL IDENTITY
The past few weeks have provided us with spectacular theatrical performances in the politics of identity. This has notably been from two provinces of Zambia: Western and Eastern. Of interest is the fact that the leading proponents of special treatment or desire for shift in current disposition have players who when they served government never proposed what they are demanding currently.
But what is even more intriguing is the difference in the reaction of those that are currently enjoying job and economic opportunities in the Zambian government from both regions. While beneficiaries from the Eastern Province came out with guns blazing distancing themselves from the “Umodzi ku mawa” agenda, those from the western province serving in government have stayed mute and neither denying harbouring beliefs in the claims of cessation nor distancing themselves from the proponents of the Barotse agenda.
Should we then infer, that the “Umodzi ku mawa” proponents from the Eastern province are more protective of their personal subsisting personal beneficiation dispositions, than their western province counterparts in government who are ready to sacrifice their positions in furtherance of the Western province cessation by not stating their personal positions? Should we be reading something from western province leaders in government who have kept silent despite the president they serve coming under severe attack from the cessation proponents for his response on the matter?
Should we then say, proponents of both matters are driven by desire for personal inclusion and beneficiation and that the western province cessation agenda is actually deeper than meets the eye? In crafting permanent solutions to both issues we need to delve into personal interests, which are falsely made to represent a broader and profound regional or provincial agenda.
HH wakeup and smell the coffee, for the western bound train is slowly drifting away without you on the controls though the Nkoyas and Mbundas are providing a reliable cushion. But then, what about those from western province serving in your government, what is their position on the issue of cessation?
Lucky Mabenga Mulusa (LM)