Dr. Kenneth Kaunda’s commitment to inclusivity, peace, vision for a united nation, and ability to inspire and mobilize people contributed to building a strong sense of national identity among Zambians.
By Mpandashalo Mwewa | Chief Editor.
Lusaka, April 29 – Dr. Kenneth Kaunda’s leadership provides valuable lessons in the areas of Pan-Africanism, non-violent resistance, democracy, social welfare, leadership humility, and regional diplomacy. His legacy continues to inspire leaders across Africa and beyond to strive for unity, peace, and progress in their respective countries and regions.
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As we celebrate his legacy of peace, unity and development, we ought to always remind ourselves that Dr. Kenneth Kaunda (KK) did not just declare the Motto, “One Zambia, One Nation” as a slogan, he put it into action with the famous Choma Declaration. But what is this same Choma Declaration?
Shortly after independence, there was political tension and fighting because Zambians belonged to various political parties along tribal lines, a situation which made KK comprehend how to bring to a halt such violence and divisions.
Mr. Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, whose party, then, the African National Congress (ANC) was the only other big party in the country, agreed to work together with KK’s United National Independent Party (UNIP) and proposed that since Choma was the major political centre of ANC, they should, after the whole agreement was reached, go and sign the agreement in that town.
It was signed on June 27, 1973, at Choma Secondary School. That is why it is known as the Choma Declaration.
As Zambians, we had agreed to work together, as brothers and sisters from various backgrounds, to build more harmony, unity, peace, development and stability. Because of the Choma Declaration, a lot, over the years, was achieved only to be destroyed by a foreign governance system called multiparty democracy.
The irony about all this is that it was the violence of multiparty democracy that forced Nkumbula and KK to abandon it and yet out of our insatiable appetite for power, coupled with the presence of imperialists who were lurking by the doorsteps for our natural resources, we reverted to a failed formula instead of working on the succession modalities at the helm since noone liked voting for a frog.
Truth be told, multiparty democracy in Africa was not introduced to promote good governance. It was a tool by our former colonial masters to put Africa in check. It has since lead to inefficient governments, endless power transitions and social chaos. It prioritizes the immediate needs of politicians over those of a nation united with a purpose to develop.
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Zambia has a lot to learn from China whose political system has a strong property of meritocracy which means that the Chinese government, in principle, is run by well‐educated and experienced officials who were carefully selected and promoted by merit.
This meritocracy has over the last decades guaranteed policy integration that has systematically addressed comprehensive social economic development challenges in China. Although this system may not be perfect, it’s a political system that suits the Chinese way of life. The Chinese political elites have learned much from the West but have chosen to localise Western ideas.
What Zambia equally needs is a new home bred governance system that must prioritize development over politics of patronage much in the same line of thinking of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda’s Choma Declaration initiative!
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