The fundamental value we must have is respect for diversity and acceptance of pluralism. This is the so-called ‘political culture’ which I feel is so necessary for Zambia today if our multiparty democracy is to succeed. This is the environment, the atmosphere, that makes democracy work. We must hold on to some values and norms, some expectations and aspirations.
In any true democracy, more is needed than just laws and institutions. Decency, integrity, and love come from human beings, rather than from constitutions, laws, and institutions. The test of good leadership will not, therefore, be how many trees it pulls up by the roots but how it fits into a continuous process of adaptation in which leadership is combined with sensitivity to the national mood.Įveryone’s life in this country is inevitably mixed with every other life and, no matter what Constitution or laws we come up with, no matter what precautions we take, unless the people we meet are kind and decent and human we going nowhere. The forthcoming electoral process will provide all Zambians with a unique opportunity to show their political maturity and their sincere aspirations for peace and harmony anchored injustice. We all need to be open and constructive in participating in the electoral process and addressing the challenges we face. As facilitators of the elections, they should ensure that the concerns of all key players are adequately addressed. In light of this, I make a special appeal to the government and to the ruling party to realize that they have a serious responsibility.
The contestants have to conduct themselves in a manner that does not put others at unfair disadvantage. The major players have to agree on the conditions under which these elections would be held.
There ought to be a conducive atmosphere. To have peaceful, free, and fair elections, certain conditions have to prevail in our country and in our hearts. This is simply a competition to serve and not the annihilation of one another. The election campaigns we are entering should not be confused with a battlefield where the aim is to destroy the other. This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless it’s a good place for all of us to live in. In a statement to the media, Dr M’membe said that in any true democracy, more is needed than just laws and institutions and that we must hold on to some values and norms, some expectations and aspirations because this is the environment, the atmosphere, that makes democracy work. The Socialist Zambia Party President Fred M’membe has called on the government to ensure that the concerns of all key players in this year’s general elections are adequately addressed and that all stakeholders need to be open and constructive in participating in the electoral process and addressing the challenges the country face.