GENRE: POLITICS.
AUTHOR: DICKSON JERE.
SETTING: ZAMBIA (2008 – 2011; RUPIAH
BWEZANI BANDA’S PRESIDENCY).
PUBLISHER: NSEMIA INC. PUBLISHERS.
PUBLICATION DATE: APRIL 2012.
EDITION: FIRST.
PAGES: 237
SPECIAL FEATURES: PICTURES
PRICE: KES 1,000.
ISBN: 978-1-926906-36-2
So, Rupiah Banda
loses his presidency in one of the greatest upsets in African Political History,
despite his massive development track record.
The book is a very
interesting read for minds passionate about the inner workings of an African
government, pre, during and post-election.
The author, Dickson
Jere, is a Zambian lawyer, journalist,
published author and renowned political analyst specializing on African
affairs. The accounts in this book are from his time as the senior Advisor and
Spokesman for the 4th Zambian State President, Mr. Rupiah Banda.
The book gives a well transitioned
chronology of events leading from Rupiah’s ‘rise to grace’, his presidency in
general and consequently, his democratic fall.
We must recognize however, that Mr.
Rupiah Bwezani Banda (RB) is a respected Zambian statesman and well renown all
over Africa and the world. More so, according to Dickson Jere (DJ), probably
one of the best presidents Zambia ever had.
DJ, in his account, concedes that he
and his state-house colleagues were partly to blame for RB’s loss in the
September, 2011 election. This review seeks to discuss all the ‘mistakes’ made
by RB, the captain, and his team, as well as translate them into contemporary
African politics, Kenya being a key reference point.
As sure as the sun, politics is a
game of wolves feigning gentleman behavior. To win, those are the players that
must play and that is how it must be played. In general, gentlemen always
finish last. In view of DJ’s account, RB was a very fine gentleman – the general
underlying mistake! It is okay to be a wolf. In fact, most beloved and winning
presidents are, case in point, Abraham Lincoln.
A closer look into his life
reveals that the man was far from perfect. After all, “Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can
see and few can feel. Everyone sees what you appear to be, few really know what
you are,” Niccolo Machiavelli.
Michael Chilufya Sata of the
Patriotic Front (PF), who beat RB to become the 5th president, did
not have a Bachelor’s degree. Earlier on, during the pre-election period, the Movement
for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) wanted parliament to amend the constitution and
introduce a clause that required the Head of State, be a university degree
holder; an opinion that had gained traction even with other opposition parties
other than the PF.
RB’s team developed a proposal for his approval which he
blatantly rubbished, paving way for Sata to contest and later win – three
grievous mistakes all equal in nature.
San Tzu, believed author of ‘The Art
of War’, a book at the center of numerous winning formulae, articulates that a
general must be allowed to act freely in the best interest of their master and
explain their actions later when the war is won. Hitler’s generals were not
allowed to act freely and this resulted in the successful allied invasion at
Normandy. DJ and team were not allowed to act freely.
September 14th
2017; Ngujiri Wambugu, a ruling party member of parliament, files a motion to
oust the Chief Justice on account of ‘malpractice’. A move widely speculated to
be a counter-measure for the Judiciary’s perceived ‘favoritism’ of the
opposition.
To many, by the time his captain, the president, feigning gentleman
behavior, instructs him to withdraw the motion, it has already served its
purpose and the message to the judiciary is clear; you are not untouchable! The
build-up to the presidential candidates only election is then preview to a more
‘fair’ judiciary in terms of rulings.
An option is only as good as its
demonstrated potential. DJ and team should have influenced the MMD to table the
motion requiring the president be a university degree holder in parliament. Not
only did the MMD have numbers, but also the support of other opposition parties
– they would have easily made the motion law.
Had the generals been free to
act, RB should only have been notified of proceedings and his input demanded
where necessary. Further, had RB seen the motions potential while already in
parliament, he would most likely had approved it.
It is relatively easier to show a man the way to go exactly when he is at a cross-road than to explain to him which road to go before he reaches the cross-road or even begins the journey.
It is relatively easier to show a man the way to go exactly when he is at a cross-road than to explain to him which road to go before he reaches the cross-road or even begins the journey.
Niccolo Machiavelli, in his book,
‘The Prince’, renown for political strategy, depicts that the opportunity to
win must be taken forthwith; without hesitation. An opportunity presented
itself to legally remove the worthiest opponent from the race but it was
overlooked by the captain, RB, and it cost him his presidency.
The PF on the
other hand, equally got a chance to legally eliminate their worthiest opponent,
RB, and they jump on it like angry swarm of bees. They went to court and
unsuccessfully argued that RB was not of original Zambian origin as required by
Zambian law for one to be president.
In election management, everything that
should not be left to chance, should not. RB leaves it to the Zambians to decide
on whether or not they want an educated president. In the true spirit of the
political game, such a decision should have been made for them.
As we proceed, ideally, any given
head of state as well doubles up as the leader of the political party that either
sponsors or fronts him. This means that he is both responsible for state as
well as party affairs. Neglect for one in favor of the other is highly risky.
RB was comparatively more involved in state affairs as compared to party
affairs – he rarely even held party meetings let alone meet party officials. As
a result, loyalty towards him within the party wavered and members begun to
disintegrate, finally costing him the election.
In Kenya, the Jubilee
administration has struck a ‘masterpiece’ balance. In every social state affair
such as the building of roads or rail, the party always finds a way of
strategic inclusion.
In addition, whenever the president wishes to successfully pass a certain motion through parliament, he personally meets and rallies the members of parliament allied to his party. This not only keeps them motivated but also brings them closer to the president.
In addition, whenever the president wishes to successfully pass a certain motion through parliament, he personally meets and rallies the members of parliament allied to his party. This not only keeps them motivated but also brings them closer to the president.
As if not enough, the president
directly makes another colossal mistake. Again, in his gentleman nature, to
protect old friends, he personally ensures their nominations unopposed in the
party primaries. The more popular candidates are either intimidated to step
down or are forced out of the party.
Most of them who felt they had been
treated unfairly, immediately shifted their support in favor of Sata. In the
end, the president is seriously hammered in his own strongholds.
In April 2017,
the Kenyan president chooses to support Charles Njagua alias ‘Jaguar’, a
popular musician and electoral candidate in the party’s Starehe constituency
primaries. This is after a long-standing friend of the president, Maina
Kamanda, supposedly rigged Jaguar out.
So, Kamanda’s win is withdrawn and the
nomination certificate handed to Jaguar – the president reaps big on the
massive voter support. In politics, there is no such thing as loyalty when
voter support is at stake.
DJ also makes his own mistakes out
of fear of indictment either by the president or the president’s other staff.
He fails to act on numerous occasions where the would-be beneficiary is the president.
He once personally called for the release of the former spy chief from prison
in order for him (the spy chief) to seek medical treatment.
He did this without
authority from the president. At first, he is ridiculed, however, in the end,
his actions win the president praise for being humane. This should have been
his resolve going forward.
The job is strictly to protect the president; not to
always tell him how or when it is happening.
In conclusion, the mistakes
committed by the president and his team should be observed more closely and
avoided in future by both presidents and aspirants looking to win presidential
elections.
Aaron Ogunde
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