Treason

Often, when politicians make a statement we, the electorate, tend to ignore the words that are being spoken.This is especially true during campaign period, which is sometimes referred to as the ‘silly season’! This is the time when politicians seem to want to promise us the world, knowing full well that they could never deliver on these pledges. Yet we take no notice of these empty vows and continue to vote for them.

However ever, once in a while a politician makes a remark that we all need to sit up and take notice of. Michael Sata has just made just such a comment. This weekend Sata announced that there would be no elections in 2011 for president, because he feels that the 30th October by-election will give the winner (whom he thinks will be himself) a full term to serve for five years.

This statement is tantamount to treason!

If Sata were to carry out his demand and extend his term beyond the mandated period of time as set out in Article 88(6) of the constitution, he would be committing a treasonous act by orchestrating a coup d’etat.

One of the many reasons why this statement is so concerning is that this is not the first time the PF Presidential candidate has shown scant regard for the Zambian constitution. In 2001 it was Sata that proposed that President Chiluba disregard the term limits set in the constitution, amend the bill of rights and run for a third term. Thankfully the constitution withstood this ill-thought out and dangerous challenge. But what other attacks would our fundamental principles have to endure if Sata were to be elected president?

What Sata’s comment demonstrates is that he truly represents the old style African politician. African history in the post-colonial period has been rife with leaders who have disregarded their nation’s constitution, rejected the rule of law and presided over their country with total impunity. Since 1991 and even more so since 2001, Zambia and its people have fought to be a nation based on the rule of law, where all citizens are equally protected and not only those who are part of a certain politician’s cadre. This is something that we as a nation we should be very proud of and something we should defend.

Michael Sata represents the bad old days of history, to bring such a dated politician in to power after several years of great progress in Zambia would provide another yet example of how the promise of a nation can be taken single handedly by an individual’s ego and greed!

Constitutional Reform – An Electoral Perspective

Why are we having this election? Think about it. No, your first answer is wrong. It is not because Levy Mwanawasa died.

It is because our constitution does not allow for a Vice-President to take over and complete the term in office. In Zambia Vice-President’s are chosen after Election Day, so have no electoral mandate themselves. This is exactly why we are now holding this by-election; Rupiah Banda needs a mandate from the people to govern. This Constitutional deficiency has given people like Sata and HH another chance at getting elected – for them this loophole in the Constitution is a gift.

In America the Republicans have John McCain and Sarah Palin on their ‘ticket’. The Democrat’s ‘ticket’ is Barak Obama and Joe Biden. When JFK was assassinated in Dallas Vice-President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President on the plane back to Washington. So within hours America had a new President. Government continued and although the American nation was in mourning it was not in crisis. When Richard Nixon was forced to resign over the Watergate scandal Vice-President Gerald Ford took over with immediate effect.

Had our constitution allowed for Rupiah Banda to be sworn in as President the Zambia would be in the same situation. We would not have to be spending billions of Kwacha on printing ballot papers and other paraphernalia required to hold an election. So when this is all over can we please get back to reviewing the Constitution. Can we please change the law so that a Vice-Presidential candidate is known before polling day? Let that person also have an electoral mandate to run the country in the event of the untimely demise of the President.

Choosing a suitable running mate will tell the people a lot about the Presidential wannabee. We would be able to compare the ‘tickets’ of the parties involved and we would know exactly how genuine they are about the political agendas. Mind you it is worth remembering that Sata tried to change the Constitution in favour of a Chiluba third term – perish the thought. Had he succeeded we would not have this Constitutional crisis; we would be living in a dictatorship.