THERE’S NO GRACE PERIOD TO OFFERING CHECKS AND BALANCES

...UPND must start fixing the economy now and must remain open to divergent political views

FOR some years now, I have advocated for a homebred governance system that must prioritise development over politics of patronage and one group that has been vehemently against my advocacy is the UPND.

Today, now that they are in government, albeit for a couple of weeks only, they have discovered how distractive cheap politicking can be when one wants to work, and as such they now want the entire country to operate as a one-party participatory democracy.

My argument has been and still remains to date that democracy can exist away from the Western prescribed plural politics because democracy is not, by definition, government by the winners.

It flourishes, in fact, when a diversity of voices is allowed to be heard. It is all about having an equal say, an equal right to determine what political action is taken for the good of all.

Consequently, to keep democracy alive, we will have to learn that democracy cannot be reduced to voting alone. What we need are sensible forms of citizens’ participation.

In that vein, democracy as the possibility of the people making collective decisions for their common good is something that cannot be taught or imposed by the West.

It’s my belief that the implementation of democracy using a multiparty system in

Africa was not introduced to promote good governance.

It was a tool by our former colonial masters to put Africa in check. It has since led to inefficient governments, endless power transitions and social chaos.

I hope the UPND will now take keen interest in my write-ups on the need to have a home-bred governance system that must support shared values on the need to prioritise the needs of an ordinary child in rural Zambia over those of our political leaders.

Mr. Hakainde Hichilema was voted into power to fix the purported economic failures of Mr. Edgar Lungu, not to become a political science lecturer while supporters of Mr. Lungu sit like students.

He should expect useless criticism under the current political system. Welcome on board and enjoy the ride!

MPANDASHALO EVANS MWEWA.