ALEXANDER CHIKWANDA’S STATEMENT ON CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS IS EMBARRASSING The sentiments attributed to Hon. Alexander Chikwanda that Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are formed by failures who have failed to make ends meet is very embarrassing to say the least. Mr. Chikwanda further states that, leaders of CSOs should not claim to speak on behalf of the Zambian people because no one elected them. First and foremost Mr. Chikwanda ought to understand that Civil Society Organizations are vital and legitimate actors in any democratic dispensation. CSOs have an important responsibility of strengthening democracy by building social capital, increasing civic awareness and demanding transparency, accountability and the rule of law. Thus to trivialize or undermine the work of Civil Societies just because one is eating from a silver platter sponsored by poor people’s taxpayer’s money is very shameful and an affront to democracy. Whether the leaders of the Civil Society Organizations who have been calling on government to release the Draft Constitution are “failures” or “successful” in their personal lives does not carry any water because they too are Zambians and they too have every right to demand for a new Constitution. Their economic status has nothing to do with their unalienable right to demand for a people-driven Constitution. In fact if Mr. Chikwanda may wish to know, the leaders of LAZ, NGOCC, OASIS FORUM and other CSOs are very enlightened citizens. However, the basic minimum principle is that one’s social status has nothing to do with one’s rights. Poor, rich, we are all equal under the law, we are all citizens and we should all participate freely in the governance of our country. Secondly, Mr. Chikwanda’s statement that Civil Society leaders have no right to speak on behalf of the people since no one elected them is very laughable because, let’s face facts, who elected Mr. Chikwanda? No one elected him. Mr. Chikwanda is today enjoying the powers and privileges of Parliament, thanks to President Sata who nominated him. Should Mr. Chikwanda therefore forfeit his right to participate in the governance issues of his country just because he is not an elected Member of Parliament? What kind of reasoning is this? This is the tragedy of having tired recycled leaders. Hon. Chikwanda will do himself a huge favour by simply keeping quite than issuing shallow and hollow statements that do not befit his age and office. Prepared and issued by: Antonio Mwanza FDD, Spokesperson.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 12:37:13 +0000
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