Opinion: The MMD’s Place in Zambia’s Political History If there is anything Zambians should collectively fight to preserve, it is the continued existence of the opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy. Fighting for the MMD to remain existent does not necessarily mean retaining it to power. For all its shortcomings the MMD remains the most representative party in terms of membership and leadership across the political spectrum in the country. If there can’t be any other reason that the MMD should stay afloat at least everyone still reaps from the benefits of the pivotal role the MMD played in returning the country to multi party politics. Is it not a shame that UNIP another political institution that remains legendary in the history of this country is almost nonexistent? No party in this country could ever claim to have fought so hard under very perilous circumstances than UNIP did in the run up to Independence and in those days there was no cash cow to service the mill of foot soldiers that kept the Independence dream alive. Today we are all basking in the glories of freedom while the deliverer of that freedom stays extinct save for occasional appearance on the ballot paper every five years. At his advanced age, the founding father Dr Kenneth Kaunda cannot be expected to do anything to aid his former party. Admittedly Kaunda is the father of the nation but it does not help that he lost his political bearings a long time ago. He has remained a hired out soul to any cunning politician-of course at his age his abusers have to take part of the blame. It would be a shame that 20 years from now no one will ever remember there ever existed the once upon a time fire of UNIP. Fast forward to MMD, it is a party that has taken quite a bashing since leaving office on September, 2011. For a moment we all seemed happy that we had kicked the evil that had become MMD. Did not people pour out on the streets to celebrate the demise of MMD and for a while it seemed we all had to bury it. But as the PF started slipping into dictatorial mode after tasting the sweet of power, reminders kept popping up of what people had fought for. Did they not all look to the next government to give them a new constitution? Did they not look to the new government to abash the unholy practice of poaching opposition MPs? Did not everyone have a universal opinion on the application of the Public Order Act? Did not everyone stand in unison each time President Sata then in opposition suffered police harassment? As everyone just rolled on, the MMD were stripped of over 100 motor vehicles. Were they not defrauded of their party secretariat? Were not their leaders targeted for arrests? Why was it so important to obliterate the MMD by their successors? Today, the MMD is a house at war with itself and even the erstwhile vocal voices like former spokesperson Dora Siliya have lost their bite choosing to sleep with the enemy. Of course she has been in a bed too many but even the likes of Brian Chituwo, Michael Kaingu and Lucky Mulusa whose DNA-at least financial had always seemed to be MMD. A lot of arguments may have been thrown around about the national character of the PF, UPND or any of these other Cinderella parties but weakened as the MMD maybe, they remain the most representative party. So dear brethren whether the MMD remains competitive or not at the next election every Zambian should be proud that it at least remains existent! zambiareports/2014/07/17/opinion-mmds-place-zambias-political-history/
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 07:03:32 +0000
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