Ready to lead. Time always comes when one has to make a very important decision. As we celebrate 50 years of Independence I believe its time for our generation to arise and provide vision and direction for the next 50 years. I know there are many other Zambians out there who would like to take a stand but they are inhibited by fear, intimidated by the mediocrity of politics in Zambia and many are just generally cowards unable to speak as they believe or feel. As a Zambian citizen I have accepted the challenge of taking up a leadership role and I am now formally announcing my joining the Genuine peoples platform National Governing Council as the Chairman for Media and Business. This means I am the official spokesperson of the GPP and please go to our facebook page and see our Jubilee message to the nation and people of Zambia (shown herein below). Ours is not a platform based on individuals but it is driven by a sense of duty to the nation of Zambia. We bring a fresh and new perspective to Zambian politics. We bring unity, integrity and peaceful co-existence. We are not here to fight anyone we are here to provide solutions. Over the coming weeks we will share with you all our vision, manifesto and Constitution. I would urge all my friends who have been sitting on the fence afraid to come out publicly about their ideas please come forward and support us. This Platform belongs to you. God bless Zambia! To my friends in the media please give us a few days and we will provide contact details including email and mobile for you to use to contact GPP. GENUINE PEOPLES’ PLATFORM ‘UNITY IN DIVERSITY’ JUBILEE MESSAGE FOR ZAMBIA - PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR TRANSFORMATION AND WEALTH CREATION IN ZAMBIA Franklin Delano Roosevelt warned: The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state. That, in its essence, is fascism. ZAMBIA today is at an important economic and political crossroads in the year of jubilee 2014. Many citizens are asking what has happened to our great nation. Politicians are daily hurling insults and threats against each other forgetting the suffering masses? Where is our country going? Where are the patriotic national leaders to speak up on behalf of the people of Zambia? Civil liberties are being destroyed daily. The Zambian way of life is in real danger and we need total shift in leadership. The Genuine Peoples’ Platform (GPP or simply ‘The Platform) is a new national platform for progressive ideas and solutions. We are in the business of unleashing the power of people to transform their communities. Our approach ensures solutions emerge from within the community, rather than being imposed from the outside. By combining technical expertise and quality leadership with strategic investments into our grassroots structures, we are sparking creative solutions and lasting change for Zambia that will lay a strong foundation to transform our country for the next 50 years. Zambia has been endowed before with transformational leaders, many of whom have led liberation movements that have reshaped the course of history. Moreover, business, community and other leaders all play a role in mobilizing society towards productive activities and away from instability, conflict, and narrow interests that clash with the broader public interest. Their actions are shaped, but can also shape, the institutions that frame the political and economic incentives that harness a country’s resources for development. There is always the risk of complacency in leadership and in the control of resources due to political patronage and interest groups. Accountability lies at the heart of sound leadership including functioning institutions. At independence in 1964, Zambia had one of the most vibrant economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, which was supported by a strong mining industry. Today, Zambia has more than two thirds of its people living below $1 per day and GDP per capita is now one of the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Billions of dollars have been spent since 1964 with the aim of developing the country; however, the reality is that we accumulated huge debts with very little return from these investments. The systemic approaches for ending poverty and injustice are not working and we still have a defective constitution that puts all the power into the hands of the President and the ruling party. This is not in balance within a multiparty system and as such our two other arms of Government, the Judiciary and Legislature are not able to provide effective checks and balances to the Executive. Now with the dysfunctional in-fighting PF Government, Zambia is in danger of reverting back to a de-facto ‘One Party’ state. What we have in Zambia today is “Polarized Pluralism” which is a symptom of a sick two-party or multiparty political system, where moderate views are replaced by polarized extreme views. The extremist group with the most control eventually gains full control of the state; compromises eventually become non-existent, and the controlling power tramples the opposition on all issues. The challenge for the future of Zambia is to create new strategic approaches effectively manage the cross-currents of forces affecting public opinion within their rapidly changing cultures and economies; and advance policies which capture the full potential of new global economic opportunities, strengthening the nation, society, and our institutions of governance. Our biggest problem in Zambia is that we continue to run the country using public financial management systems and institutional structures established in the 60’s and inherited from the British colonialists that allow too much individual discretion. Any clever unpatriotic politician and civil servant can easily manipulate such a system for their personal interests as we have glaringly seen in the last 50 years and particularly in the current scenario where there is now a culture of fear and intimidation of every dissenting voice in Zambia. It is shameful 50 years after Independence that we still have people within 10 miles of Lusaka living in grass thatch housing, using pit latrines and having no real prospect to advance while Government continues to use 75% of our tax revenue on paying itself huge salaries and MP’s continue to demand higher salaries and allowances yearly without any commensurate increase in productivity. We as a people have not lived up to our own expectations, allowing the flawed political and economic systems to thrive under the banner of “democracy”. We share collective responsibility in our country’s crisis. Zambia is not poor and we can reverse all these negative statistics within 10 years if we unite and use our natural resources in a prudent manner. What is required is a locally owned and developed National Plan of Action (not foreign prepared and donor dependent Vision 2030) and the Political Will to implement the right policies over a sustained period of time to create the conditions that will allow the country create wealth and through that defeat poverty. We urge all peace loving progressive Zambians to rally around the vision of GPP and let us focus on securing the future of our children rather than fighting over power. Today Zambia is under the control of a few individuals that have usurped state power and institutions and are resolute in pursuing their own personal agendas. That private power has constituted itself an invisible government which pulls the strings of its puppet political parties. Candidates from this same group of people since the 1960’s compete for votes under the outworn emblems of the old parties. But both represent a single programme—a programme of monopoly profits through concessions to foreign multi-nationals, excessive spending on personal emoluments for politicians, lower living standards for the vast majority of our people, and suppression of dissent. We are all expected to agree with everything the ‘ruling’ party says! For generations the common man of Zambia has resisted this concentration of economic and political power in the hands of a few but to no avail because as soon as one group is removed the new group follows the same path and hence we have had the same recycled leaders take power. Zambia needs a real change that is inclusive and open in its approach to be able to overcome the mistakes and injustices of the last 50 years. Inclusive development encompasses unity, equity, equality of opportunity, and protection in market and employment transitions. It also presupposes political participation by the population. It is an essential ingredient of any successful growth strategy and for advancing human development. Inclusive development requires committed, credible and capable leadership. Strong political leaders understand that growth alone does not guarantee broadly shared improvements in well-being. Inclusive development is a conscious, deliberate choice. In turn, the gains from inclusive development build the legitimacy of political leaders, and it makes the citizens more confident that their children will share in the benefits. A new future beckons for Zambia a new beginning in this year of Jubilee. But we need brave Zambian patriots to take this nation to that bright future. Our fathers and grand fathers have done their part surely it is time for the 1964 Jubilee generation to take up leadership now not tomorrow. As Mark Twain said; In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. Eisenhower further stated history does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. We need all patriotic citizens to stop sitting on the fence and come out in the open and make a difference in Zambia. Where are the patriotic national leaders to speak up on behalf of the people of Zambia? Every Zambian has a right to a decent life and more importantly has the right and freedom to hold his own opinion, support a political party of his choice and to exercise his right to vote without undue pressure or influence. Our appeal to all Zambians especially the youth do not be intimidated by anyone especially by these politicians who think they are somehow immortal just because they are in power, stand fast and believe in yourself, God is with you always and Zambia is destined for great heights a nation chosen and sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ. Join the Genuine Peoples’ Platform and let us together create a new legacy and destiny for our beloved Zambia. We wish Zambia and its entire people a wonderful and peaceful Jubilee celebration. In this year of Jubilee as citizens and leaders we need to instruct all those under our influence and jurisdiction to promote a culture of peaceful coexistence, appreciating the fact that “we are better together than we are apart”. God has promised to command a blessing upon those who will dwell in unity according to Psalm 133:1, 3b: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! For there the Lord commands the blessings, even life forevermore”. It is God’s desire for the people of Zambia to dwell together in unity, but this unity will become real when we learn to embrace each other across our different political and ethnic backgrounds and if we put the interest of the nation first above self. Unity in Diversity is our cry! God bless Zambia. STATEMENT ISSUED BY: CHAIRMAN – MEDIA (OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON) OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE GENUINE PEOPLES’ PLATFORM, REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTY IN THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, 23RD OCTOBER 2014, LUSAKA
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 11:27:58 +0000