When I reflect on the behaviour and the attitudes of politicians and the people of Zambia regarding corruption, I get incredibly disappointed and angry at our failure to take decisive action at the misdeeds and misconducts of Zambian leadership. I believe that their negative attitudes can be attributed to their knowledge that Zambians lack capacity and resolve to fight against injustice and corruption concertedly in a manner that would send a message that the people of Zambian are tired of all the hoopla that goes on in the nation. What is wrong with this picture? It is clear that the majority of us are afraid of confronting the system and getting embroiled in skirmishes and running battles with the illegitimate government and its institutions that perpetuate injustices. As a people, fear will never get us anywhere, and politicians will forever continue to ride on our backs.
Are we just cowards that cannot fight their fight to change the way the Government is run? Are we blind to the wrongs committed? Or is it that we are backward in our understanding or simply fail to appreciate that we deserve better leadership and systems that could serve the nation in an upright manner? Whatever the case may be, I find it disconcerting that, year after year, nothing changes in terms of improved leadership but we continue to retrogress to the era of the First Republic when we feared the state machinery were constantly snooping on us. It is amazing and at best a wonder why we predispose ourselves at the mercy of politicians that think only of themselves and their immediate family interests. In their minds, they must view us as collateral so much that we only become remotely useful or assets when they seek re-election. Are we ever going to change this perception?
It is also amazing how we fail to follow through issues that affect us to the extent that we are quick to put the issues behind us even in situations where a particular has hardly been resolved. A perfect example concerns corruption cases involving several leaders and civil servants that have betrayed the trust that the people of Zambia vested in them by misappropriating public funds. It is a wonder, too, why we seem to hold in esteem thieves, leaders and individual civil servants, that have robbed the poor thus denying them a decent existence. At worst, it is disgusting that such thieves can even brag and regard themselves as rich and successful when they know all too well that their "wealth" was illegally obtained.
Time is overdue for us to start engaging the system aggressively to foster uprightness. Thieves regardless of their level and status in our society, must not be tolerated or entertained. It is hign time that we started viewing Zambia as a basket in which we all share common interest in what goes on and it's ultimate success. If we fail to realize that and also fail to adopt an aggressive approach to addressing aggravating Zambian issues, it will be hard, if not impossible, to achieve meaningful development where the interest of the people will be considered as paramount.
Are we just cowards that cannot fight their fight to change the way the Government is run? Are we blind to the wrongs committed? Or is it that we are backward in our understanding or simply fail to appreciate that we deserve better leadership and systems that could serve the nation in an upright manner? Whatever the case may be, I find it disconcerting that, year after year, nothing changes in terms of improved leadership but we continue to retrogress to the era of the First Republic when we feared the state machinery were constantly snooping on us. It is amazing and at best a wonder why we predispose ourselves at the mercy of politicians that think only of themselves and their immediate family interests. In their minds, they must view us as collateral so much that we only become remotely useful or assets when they seek re-election. Are we ever going to change this perception?
It is also amazing how we fail to follow through issues that affect us to the extent that we are quick to put the issues behind us even in situations where a particular has hardly been resolved. A perfect example concerns corruption cases involving several leaders and civil servants that have betrayed the trust that the people of Zambia vested in them by misappropriating public funds. It is a wonder, too, why we seem to hold in esteem thieves, leaders and individual civil servants, that have robbed the poor thus denying them a decent existence. At worst, it is disgusting that such thieves can even brag and regard themselves as rich and successful when they know all too well that their "wealth" was illegally obtained.
Time is overdue for us to start engaging the system aggressively to foster uprightness. Thieves regardless of their level and status in our society, must not be tolerated or entertained. It is hign time that we started viewing Zambia as a basket in which we all share common interest in what goes on and it's ultimate success. If we fail to realize that and also fail to adopt an aggressive approach to addressing aggravating Zambian issues, it will be hard, if not impossible, to achieve meaningful development where the interest of the people will be considered as paramount.
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