INDIVIDUAL Patriotic Front (PF) leaders and senior members hold the key to the retention of the party into power after the imminent
presidential by-election, which should be held within the next 74 days.
The conduct of the ruling party officials in the next few weeks will determine whether the party, following the death of President Michael
Sata, deserves to remain in power.
It is apparent that the voters’ focus in the forthcoming presidential by-election is on the ruling party and, therefore, the onus is on its
leadership and members to be wary of that.
The electorate seem ready to give the PF the sympathy votes but not on a silver platter. The members and officials of the ruling party have to earn that sympathy vote and the price is simple – they have to present a united front to the nation, then everyone will rally behind them.
That price, however, means that some of the potential aspirants for the position of party presidency and ultimately party candidate in the
national presidential by-election would have to moderate their ambitions for the sake of the party.
Other hopefuls have to literally abandon their presidential dreams for now and support their colleagues for the sake of unity and co-existence.
We are very much aware that this is a democracy and, therefore, the challenge is not so much about how many officials are interested to be party presidential candidate in the eventual by-election but how they sell themselves within the party.
There could be eight or even more candidates within the party for the party’s highest office but what is important is their conduct now and after the election.
If the candidates are going to denounce each other publicly, then they are going to weaken each other and, in due course, their party.
Further, if after the internal selection process some candidates do not accept the eventual winner and decide to leave the party, while politically tearing the victor apart, the result could be the same – political doom for the party.
Arguably, we believe that it will be in the interest of the nation if the PF was allowed to complete its five-year tenure of office, at least for the sake of completing current projects.
The PF needs to fully complete the implementation of the current policies, including the proposed 2015 National Budget.
Imagine how difficult it would be for any other political party to inherit the 2015 Budget crafted by a different party! But as already indicated, Zambia is a democratic State where all democratic tenets have to be upheld.
The party has to earn re-election by convincing the nation that the leaders will maintain the unity of purpose within their rank and file as well as among themselves.
That will call for selflessness. Right from the on-set of the selection process for the party candidate, all aspirants and their supporters should pledge to support the winner and continue in the party, as Mr Sata would have loved to.
Additionally, the party leadership should convince the nation that it would continue on the current development path as a way of honouring
Mr Sata’s aspirations, values and vision.
In so doing, however, the party should equally pick the best candidate possible to make it easier for the electorate outside the party to
accept him/her.
The sympathy vote is real and works, but can only be invoked if PF officials show they deserve it by remaining united and desirous to
take Zambia to greater heights.
Truly, the power to win or lose the 2015 presidential by-election is in the hands of the PF leaders and members.  OPINION