Africa-Press – Zambia. Socialist Party President Fred M’membe has said that the removal of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) from power using what he termed as violence and counter electoral malpractices is justified as the former ruling party had terribly mismanaged the affairs of Zambia and introduced a very bad political culture based on gross intolerance and unbridled violence.
In a post on his Facebook page, Dr. M’membe however cautioned this could become a recipe for future elections and called for fair enforcement of laws and an impartial administration of justice.
Dr. M’membe called for the safeguarding of political and social stability as the country’s basic task, promoting political and social fairness and justice as core values, and ensuring a happy life for the people as a collective fundamental target. Below is the full statement
Everything possible was done to remove the Patriotic Front from power. And justifiably so. They had terribly mismanaged the affairs of our country and introduced a very bad political culture based on gross intolerance and unbridled violence. But in the efforts to remove them some of their own bad methods and practices were deployed. They were literally beaten at their own game in all aspects of the political and electoral processes.
It was really a case of violence begets violence and electoral malpractices generating counter electoral malpractices. But what does the future hold in terms of these bad methods and practices? Are they going to be continued even after the Patriotic Front is gone? Or have they become a permanent feature of our political culture and electoral processes?
If they continue what will become of our country’s politics and elections? Is this a recipe for political and social stability? I believe we should make safeguarding political and social stability our basic task, promoting political and social fairness and justice as core values, and ensuring a happy life for the people as our collective fundamental target. Laws must be enforced fairly and justice administered impartially.
We shouldn’t forget that political ideas are worthless if they are not inspired by noble, selfless sentiments. Likewise, noble sentiments are worthless if they are not based on correct and fair ideas.
