Category Archives: Opinion

It is always a daunting challenge to embark on a commentary about Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. So much has been documented and said that very little can be added that will be different. However his life and iconic stature still loudly offers more insights, lessons and challenges for all of us.

July 18 has become an internationally acclaimed and United Nations (UN) sanctioned holiday. This is in celebration of the contribution Madiba has made to humanity in his life time. He remains one of the most fortunate individuals that have lived to be honoured in uncountable ways while they are alive. This year, the world’s most admired statesman celebrated his 94th birthday and as usual the goodwill was overflowing from across the globe.

I have thought several times about how this great life has been a cherished part of our generation. It always vividly makes me realise how much we can learn not only from Mandela but even beyond his life.

Some leadership notes

Undoubtedly, one of the key pickups from Madiba’s political life is in the leadership arena. He has been a strong player in politics and leadership arena on account of what he has achieved. His political career climaxed in 1994 when he became the first black president in post-apartheid South Africa.

For a continent that had become accustomed to leaders that had to be forced out of office, he charmed the world when he opted to quit the trappings of power, resigning after a single term as president in 1999.

What do we have to learn here? For starters, I think Madiba has shown us all his public life that you need to stand on principle and ideology. He believed that no race should dominate the other and for that he stood ready to die. Even when opportunity presented itself for him to be conditionally released, he declined it if his people would not be free.

This is a rare quality the world is in desperate need of today. Leadership is intertwined and bedrocked on serving humanity. Our generation has been exposed to corruption, self-serving and detached leaders. Most of the time, the drama and exchanges we see in leadership has no value for the common man. But if leaders have no mindset and heart to serve, that will not matter and what we see will be the norm.

Madiba is human and has his flaws. He too has been criticised on some points during his presidency. However, the manner he led has left a lasting impression. A man that lost his life, family and comfort, isolated for 27 years in prison, has every right to be bitter. He walked to freedom, assumed an office of power and used his influence to unite a nation past its hurts, atrocities and failures. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission achieved so much in driving this agenda. There were other brains and stakeholders that made it work but Madiba’s agenda and leadership was equally instrumental. After all, he had all the power to persecute and cage the white folk that had kept him behind bars for two decades!

Today, the whole world has taken note and celebrates this.

We need to all look around ourselves in our varying roles. In politics, business, church and homes, what do we stand on in our leadership roles? Are we selfless and interested in the ultimate good of the people? That is the essence of leadership.

Madiba stood tall. Beyond the pain, he wisely knew which battles to fight in. The people’s unity was of paramount importance compared to his need to avenge his misery.

There was a bigger cause and his selflessness was unmistakable as he went further to even sacrifice a third of his salary while in office.

How does God come in?

The lessons Madiba’s life offers transcend politics and leadership. They reflect a great need humanity has for God.

Mandela remains a shining example that every “who is who” personality wants to be associated with across the globe. Celebrities and influential leaders seem to clamour for any opportunity to have a picture or audience with Madiba. His birthday is a reflection of that as different powerful people pay courtesy calls on him at his retirement home in Qunu.

With all the good Madiba has achieved, he has failed to rid the world of evil, selfishness and chaos. So many people worldwide acknowledge his stature, qualities and achievements but it ends there. Even some of his closest followers within the African National Congress (ANC) for instance are steeped in power fights, corruption cases and failures. It even goes beyond the ANC, across Africa and the globe. We have seen that it is possible to believe in something and serve humanity with good. But we see too that we have the Assads in Syria that can pulverise their own people to keep a hold on power.

This should tell us something deeper. A great man’s example has not provided impetus for everyone to do good. The rot and ills continue to ravage the world.

Our hearts are still in a mess even with a rich human example as provided by Madiba. Even those close to him are not necessarily following the lead he provided.

The corruption, wars, failures and agony continue inspite of Madiba’s life. This is simply because humanity’s challenge and problem is deeper than we seem to accept. Not a single human being can rectify this condition. All must look to something greater to deal with this chronic ailment.

That is where God comes in. What He stands for, cherishes and offers has an unmatched and crafted solution to what we face. The fact that we fail to adopt those standards entails that we remain in our condition of negativity. The world’s stage has been graced by many admirable people but it may appear it’s state has worsened. Abraham Lincoln, Mother Theresa, Princess Diana, Mahatma Ghandi, or Mandela himself are all such people and yet the world still battles against its shortcomings.

Imagine just for a moment that we all stood for what God cherishes? We would have no war. No corruption, rape, Gender Based Violence, murder, leadership failures or any other societal ills we can think of. But then we face them simply because these are standards we choose to ignore, preferring instead our own adopted yardsticks, a perfect recipe for failure.

This should challenge each one of us to undertake a soul search and introspection. To enable us know ourselves and limitations. To understand what drives us, what we lack and what keeps us from being a reflection of what God intended when He created us. How far off from the standard are we and what is our hope and required action for that good to be a reality?

All roads should and must lead to God after such an introspection.

A deceived lot?

Unfortunately, this poses its own challenge and seems to be more difficult in reality.

The standards that God enshrines are not an attractive option. Humanity boasts in its own achievements and belittles anything to do with God. Anything Godly is archaic, unintelligent and laughable.

We see this in what we treasure. For instance, the world adorns the cross as a fashionable piece around the neck. But it totally ignores the message that comes with the cross meant to heal the world of its rot. The world can celebrate and market the Ark but be silent on Noah’s example as a righteous man.

Jesus is a widely acclaimed and mentioned personality but His reason and story for walking the earth is an unattractive public proposition. As such, we battle on with our addictions, character flaws, failures and weaknesses. Even when we lead in our workplace, homes, public service and personal lives, we are flops from the onset. Simply because at our core lies a weak foundation.

We must believe in something and stand for it. Madiba is a hero today because he followed through on his conviction and the world responded. We celebrate him as outstanding and must also be challenged to believe in something.

However, Madiba is human even though he has added so much value to the world. He stood for something and many now clamour to be associated with him.

The challenge then should be that isn’t God’s agenda more important? Yet many of us would rather be distant from Him because it is not so attractive to be associated with Him. Facebook would be awash with pictures taken with celebrities and the powerful or influential like Madiba but we shy away from being identified with God or the famous Jesus Christ. That should say a lot about us, our choices and priorities.

The real issue

July 18 sees a lot of dedication and publicity as people celebrate a great man’s life. But fundamentally, it must also pose an alive challenge for us to believe in something that will outlive us. A legacy for posterity to yield lessons from.

That would guarantee that the motivation behind all we do is rooted in something stronger than egotism or self serving interests and ulterior motives.

67 minutes of PR?

I am totally won over by the rationale behind the 67 minutes to celebrate Madiba’s public service. But it leaves me questioning whether we see beyond the day and cameras.

Is this a day we simply do things to be captured by the news crew? For individuals, is it a feel good act just like offering alms? For corporates, is it an opportunity for publicity as a responsible corporate citizen?

Everyone of us must be challenged beyond the 67 minutes. We must embark on good out of the love deep in us. A desire to better the lives of those under our charge at home and our vicinity. A commitment to do good even when the cameras and TV news crews are long gone.

That is the challenge Madiba presents knowingly or otherwise. While he was stuck in prison, he impacted lives to an untold extent. Motivating others to soar above their woes, investing time in reading and learning, perhaps even more than we may have come to know.

That too is a bigger challenge presented by God. He calls us to do things out of love as faithful servants. When we veer our own direction, all else falls apart and what we see is our constant grappling with humanity’s present day challenges. Murder, theft, poverty, corruption and variations of human failure stemming from loose standards that can’t prevent these ills.

As long as it remains as it is, doing good will be a PR exercise! Madiba and the 67 minutes initiative is a great legacy but commercialisation and a hunger for publicity endangers the principle and may dilute what it is meant to achieve or awaken the world to. Good should be at our core for the sake of our fellow man and not for cosmetic reasons when cameras are flashing.

Madiba: a legacy of action

As July 18th drew to its close, I was left reflecting on what rich lessons Madiba presents to our generation.

Firstly, it is the challenge to stand for something we believe in, bigger than our circumstances and interests. Such that even when presented with power and influence, we do not use it for our agenda but for common good.

Further, Madiba with all his fame, respect and influence has still not cured the world of its ills. This should point us to a need for a more permanent and sustainable solution to bring the best out of each one of us. That can only be possible if we embrace God’s standards. And paradoxically, that seems to be our biggest challenge, embracing this God and His values.

Finally, it begs the question of how we use our stature and influence in society. We all have circles of influence, others more than the rest. How do we use these positions of privilege? Can we be Madibas in our own small way? Do we use the roles to serve ourselves? Do we recognise the need to acknowledge God and in humility submit so that He is glorified? Or does our pride set in as we believe we are our own masters and achieve all we do through our abilities?

These are questions that should matter to Madiba for as long as he is alive, to us as we serve in our different vocations and ultimately challenge us to believe and act for the good of mankind.

Madiba is human but has achieved so much. Collectively, we should be able to do more to make this a better world based on our belief in God and a motivation stronger than human role models.

Are you up for the challenge?

MMD gets a new leader

The former ruling party, Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), ushered in its new leadership on May 25th 2012. The preacher cum politician Dr. Nevers Mumba is the new head.

Being a major political party, this development was always bound to invite reactions and comments. Key among these of course would be those from fellow politicians.

Dr. Mumba’s speech spelt out his intentions which chiefly are rebranding the MMD in light of its corruption tag and also to keep the ruling PF in sight so as to entrench checks and balances to avert excesses by government.

Reactions and opinions

What has followed since Dr. Mumba’s ascendancy to the MMD throne demands analysis. One notable reaction is the sharp statement from PF’s Secretary General, Wynter Kabimba. He has taken time to remind Zambians that Nevers is not a factor in politics and cannot be popular enough to challenge or dislodge the ruling party.

I have no issue with these opinions. My contention and concern remains one thing, of what value are such opinions? We can go down memory lane to cite questionable actions or words attributed to our political personalities and not lack in options to pick from. Therein is the biggest challenge our leadership and nation faces. Are we really focusing on the cardinal things that can shape our great country’s future?

Lost confidence and uninspiring leaders

Zambia’s politics have for a long time seen a brand that dwells on personality bashing, public trashing and sometimes shocking jibes at each other. This approach has only led to a deteriorating confidence in the so called leaders and the politics of the day.

Both the ruling party and opposition parties have not inspired in this area. It is rare to get a refreshing presentation from our politicians, breaking down issues of national interest with alternatives or action plans to steer the nation forward.

One only needs to listen to our leaders over the next few weeks, months and soon years to decipher a consistent pattern in their utterances. It is evident that each time they have something public to say, they will be having a go at each other.

I yearn for constructive politics and engagement in this country. When we can see our leaders on one platform, debating and discussing progressive issues. When our civil society can be objective enough not to be partisan in their approach. When the student populace will not be a compromised lot swayed by popular winds, media editorial policies or a few kwacha notes. When professionals, able leaders and ordinary folk alike will be eager to serve the country and not coil away because “politics is a dirty game”.

Dawn of new era or more of the same?

The September 20th elections were characterised by the voice and choice of the people. A cry for change and progress. The dawn of a new era and way of doing things.

Alas, months later, if we do not see things for what they are and demand more from our government and the opposition parties, we are bound to get more of the same.

My expectation has been and remains that we will have a blueprint on where the country is headed. Can we identify key priority areas and align them to public pronouncements and actions from our leaders? Are the policy decisions so far reflecting a coordinated strategy and development agenda? Do we see a viable opposition that offers hope for an alternative government?

Or can we safely say, the last few months have been lost in squabbles, conflicting policy statements and uncertain economic direction? Add on a disjointed, disgruntled and lost opposition followed in tow by a visionless and spineless civil society that has drowned in partisan positions taken before the elections?

For as long as we have a crop of leaders that does not think beyond their interests, egos and pockets, Zambia will be doomed. We need to challenge ourselves as a citizenry, hold our leaders accountable and demand even more than we do if this country is to be turned around.

Time to change is now

I would like to see monthly or even quarterly public sessions with all our leaders articulating not only their vision for the country but also the practical steps being taken daily to make that vision a reality. This is both the opposition and ruling parties for they are the key stakeholders. For instance, we should have by now seen debates and discussions around topical or technical issues in the Draft constitution. We should be having a state of the nation address to update us on where we are going, where we are and what is being done to bridge this gap.

We should at this stage have been seeing, assessing and questioning a shadow government in the opposition that challenges the government into executing policy for national good.

But what do we have instead? The squabbles have continued, name calling and political leaders or groups that are all legal experts. It seems the only thing worth pursuing and adding a voice on now is the tired theme of corruption. Anyone that uses the term and points a finger at the right target gets to be heard everywhere.

Corruption is an evil that must be fought vehemently. But it is not the only thing a nation can pursue. It is not the only matter we can be discussing each day. Let the accused be pursued by the appropriate authorities and caged without all this noise we are becoming accustomed to. It is for this reason that we find ourselves in a dilemma where investigative authorities move in the direction of popular opinion or leaders are perceived to have a verdict in mind as the investigative wings do their work. While at it, the opposition and civil society are also playing along for an appearance in the media with routine and uninspiring statements.

After all the noise, where is the plan?

While all this happens, no comprehensive plan has been laid out by either side on what this country needs and actions taken.

The hospitals remain without drugs. Prisons remain overcrowded. The local currency continues on a yo-yo path. The tax regime still overtaxes the underpaid while the mines mint both on the mineral resource and taxation sides. It all appears to be an uncoordinated journey we are on.

I still hold that one of our biggest failures is the lack of exhaustive planning and disciplined execution.
We are a talking nation and when we have done or set something in motion, we ignore the follow through. We need to track all we do, commit to or plan to do. I will hold this position until I am convinced otherwise.

I will cite two examples for stating this. Firstly, there has been a lot reported and said on the imminent sale of Zambia’s $700m eurobond. This is a progressive initiative that has been in the pipeline for some time now. But the only reference to accompanying plans that I have heard are mere statements along the lines of “infrastructure development”. Not as a detailed plan but stated as a possible use for the money to be realised from the sale.

This is not sufficient and to me poses a corruption threat as there seems to be no concrete plan underpinning the sale. There has to be a blueprint for the money. The sectors, projects and priorities must be explicit to all stakeholders such that when this money comes in, the high impact initiatives will commence. In the absence of this, this may yet be another opportunity to divert resources and in turn leave the country paying debts that have not benefited us.

Secondly, there has been a loud issue on judicial reforms. These are long overdue and necessary. The nation has been gripped with a heated debate and demands for arrests and resignations. Nothing wrong with that if the situation warrants that route.

The concern for me as shared in my recent blog “Of corrupt judges, noise and the bigger picture (http://t.co/lhdBUY4N) is that we are focusing on a narrower aspect of the whole matter.

We need to go beyond three judges, beyond one wing of government and also clean up the framework around all these lapses we know exist at almost all levels of governance. That is why it saddens me when there will be a competition on who shouts the loudest about what happens to be the popular theme at a particular moment.

Reason, objectivity and posterity must prevail over emotions and veiled interests, whatever they may be.

Can we see the light now?

These are but a few pointers of areas that need to improve for our politics to mature and radiate substance. To steer us away from the disgusting politics of patronage to impress the “boss”.

This is a possibility and reality that is not far fetched if the collective mindset is altered.

Politicians, civil society and we the ordinary folk are accountable for this. We must drive the change that will develop this country beyond rhetoric, empty populist slogans and a loosely planned approach to governance.

Only then can we experience and witness politics that add value than diminish it.