After nationalists removed the settler United Federal Party from power, the honeymoon for UNIP and the ANC was short-lived since the two parties and several other political factions had to deal with ancient tribal rivalries and regional factionalism that threatened the newly-created country called Zambia.
The nationalists quickly realised that independence was beyond designing new flags and composing new national anthems.
The plural political system that seemed progressive was not working practically since the Bemba-dominated UNIP and the Tonga-dominated ANC could not tolerate each other, leading to the infamous Choma Declaration that criminalised multi party politics.
In 1991, some ‘progressive’ Zambians called for reversion to plural politics that ultimately saw the first ruling political party UNIP edged to the political archives.
However, as the Bible states in Ecclesiastes, nothing is new under the sun; history is repeating itself before our eyes by reincarnating the same issues that led to the criminalisation of plural politics shortly after independence.
The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and the foremost opposition, the United Party for National Development (UPND) have unearthed the same issues that had made plural politics detestable during the post-colonial period.
Reversion to plural politics, which was hailed as a progressive political system in 1991, is being put to test and the writing is on the wall that it is as unworkable as allowing Catholic priests to marry.
Continentally, western style “democracy” is destroying Africa since everywhere you look on the continent you see elections marked by violence and bloodshed.
The western countries which claim to be citadels of democracy are also not helping matters since they have continued dictating that Africa has to embrace democracy if it was to develop.
The westerners have chosen to ignore the fact that traditionally, Africans practiced their own forms of “democracy”, most often through a council of elders persuading all parties to arrive at a consensus where everyone got something.
Even in marriages, there was abundant democracy and gender NGOs need educating on how traditional marriages worked since they lasted a lifetime than what gender activists, many who attended the hastily convened Beijing conference, support.
Let’s face the cruel truth, our western-tailored democracy needs massive surgery and nativising to make it relevant to our country.
Pardon me for being so blunt though I have never shied away from speaking my mind since naturally I am highly opinionated to the point of distraction.
The myth that embracing western-type of democracy would signal positive change for Africa is just that – a myth.
It is only sad to note that NGOs vuvuzelaling the advantages of western-type of democracy are just adding Photoshop illusions to their bag of odious tricks.
The very fact that these are the same characters who keep the money looted by deposed African leaders show clearly that these western democracy advocates lack integrity to advise anyone on good governance.
I loudly and liberally say this knowing that westerners have repeatedly shown that they have no respect for Africa since they take us for granted.
Anyone that dares question them gets abused and mauled.
The very notion of advising African leaders in sovereign states on how to govern themselves using western remote-controlled NGOs is as racist as anthropology.
Africa is even better off listening to frank leaders like Donald Trump who does not pretend to respect the most insulted continent like most western liberals do.
Though he is a cantankerous leader, I praise him for being honest.
He is at least better than several Afrophile westerners who are not short of giving us the tonic for development.
The truth is no westerner is interested in seeing this continent develop.
The only difference is that some show their contempt explicitly for the continent while others highly mask their disdain.
I refuse to choose between the devil and Satan since despite their seemingly benevolent concern, we are going to be miserable, so why bother?
Internally, let us dissect our western plural political system and honestly state if it is serving us well.
I say this knowing for sure that we do not have a concerned opposition; we have ravenous boll weevils itching to take over from those in power.
We have arrived at a very uncomfortable and dangerous place since our over half a century independence is under siege and very few Zambians are helping matters.
These include ecclesiastical institutions, the academia and our intellectual elite all of whom have been complicit in this farce.
The solution is going back to the drawing board to see when the rain started pouring on us.