GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE
NAREP "GET INVOLVED NOW!" HANDBOOK.
BEFORE I SHARE THE VISION BEHIND THIS INITIATIVE, LET ME SAY A FEW WORDS
ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR NATION TODAY AND THE REASON WHY THIS PROJECT IS MORE
RELEVANT NOW THAN EVER BEFORE.
FEW CAN DISPUTE THE FACT THAT WE LACK CARING LEADERSHIP IN ZAMBIA.
ALTHOUGH THEY ARE SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATING THE WORST FORM OF IT, THIS IS NOT
A PROBLEM THAT BEGAN WITH THE PF ADMINISTRATION. WE HAVE BEEN LET DOWN OVER THE
YEARS BY POLITICIANS WHO HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY CARE MORE FOR THEMSELVES AND
THEIR PARTIES THAN THEY DO ABOUT THE COUNTRY AND ITS CITIZENS. WE HAVE ALLOWED
OUR SO-CALLED LEADERS TO PROMOTE VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AGAINST UNARMED AND
UNPROTECTED CIVILIANS WHOSE ONLY CRIME WAS STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN
AGAINST THE DICTATES OF THOSE WHO HAPPEN TO HOLD THE REIGNS OF POWER.
SOCIALLY, POLITICALLY AND INCREASINGLY ECONOMICALLY, ZAMBIA IS IN A
MESS:
- UNEMPLOYMENT IS STILL THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE FUTURE OF OUR YOUTH AND THERE IS STILL NO PLAN IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM
- OUR WOMEN ARE ROUTINELY ABUSED AND MARGINALISED WITH EVER INCREASING CASES OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE DOMINATING OUR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
- TRADITIONAL LEADERS ARE BEING INSULTED WHILE THEIR SUCCESSION RITES AND PROCEDURES ARE TAMPERED WITH
- LAWS AFFECTING BOTH LOCAL AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT ARE CHANGED WITH LITTLE STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION CREATING UNCERTAINTY AND RESULTING JOB LOSSES
- ZAMBIANS ARE TREATED AS FOREIGNERS IN THEIR OWN LAND AND OFTEN TREATED WITH BRUTALITY WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TURN THEIR HEADS AWAY
- OPPOSITION LEADERS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS ARE DENIED THE RIGHT TO MOVE ABOUT AND ASSEMBLE AS FREE CITIZENS
- LEARNING INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE FACING SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH LIMITED FUNDING AND POOR REINVESTMENT WHILE OUR LEADERS CHAMPION BY-ELECTIONS THROUGH THE POACHING OF OPPOSITION MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.
IN THE MIDST OF ALL
THIS, WE ARE GREETED WITH STONY SILENCE FROM OUR LEADERSHIP, SAVE FOR THE
SCRAPPY ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ACCOMPANY THE TIME WHEN SOME POOR GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL IS BEING HIRED OR FIRED.
IN FACT, IT IS FAIR TO
ASK THE QUESTION: "DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESIDENT"? WE ASK THIS
BECAUSE A NATION THAT HAS A LEADER WHOSE FAVOURITE ACTIVITY IS PLAYING HIDE AND
SEEK WITH HIS OWN PEOPLE IS AS GOOD AS A NATION WITH NO PRESIDENT AT ALL. SOME
ARGUE THAT DEMANDING OUR SENIOR-MOST LEADER TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM
INDEPENDENT-MINDED JOURNALISTS IS ASKING TOO MUCH. THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT IT
IS ABNORMAL FOR A PRESIDENT TO HOLD A PROPER PRESS CONFERENCE. THEY ACTUALLY
THINK IT IS NORMAL TO HAVE MAJOR POLICY POSITIONS ANNOUNCED THROUGH A PRESS
SECRETARY.
IF ANY OF YOU ARE IN
ANY DOUBT AS TO WHY SUCH A RICH COUNTRY AS OURS HAS SO MANY THAT ARE POOR,
NEGLECTED, UNEMPLOYED AND EXPLOITED; YOU NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN OUR CURRENT
LEADERSHIP. A COUNTRY RISES AND FALLS, DEVELOPS OR DECLINES, PROGRESSES OR
STAGNATES ON THE STRENGTH AND QUALITY OF ITS LEADERSHIP. QUALITY LEADERSHIP IS
THE KEY TO DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WHERE DOES SUCH
LEADERSHIP BEGIN TO BE NURTURED? IT BEGINS IN OUR HOMES AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT IS FORGED IN THE FOUNDRY OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND EXTENDS TO OUR
WORKPLACES AND OUR BUSINESSES. IT IS REINFORCED BY THE VALUES DISPLAYED BY OUR
TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES AND THE LEADERS IN THE CHURCH. IMPORTANTLY, IT IS GIVEN
ITS ULTIMATE EXPRESSION IN THE LEADERSHIP THAT IS TASKED TO GOVERN AND GUIDE
AND THE NATION.
THE OLD SAYING, A
COUNTRY GETS THE LEADERS IT DESERVES, IS AS TRUE TODAY AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN. IT
IS A SAYING THAT DEMANDS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE STATE OF THE NATION WE FIND OURSELVES LIVING IN TODAY. WE CAN DO THIS BY
CREATING THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF OUR FUTURE IN OUR OWN HOMES AND IN THE
COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE CAN HAVE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE.
WE ARE EACH OUR OWN
LEADERS. WE ALL HAVE A DUTY TO BE RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND TO RESPECT THE
UNIQUE PERSON THAT GOD CREATED EACH AND EVERYONE OF US TO BE. BUT RATHER THAN
RECOGNISING THIS RESPONSIBILITY, WE HAVE HANDED OVER OUR FUTURE TO PEOPLE THAT
CARE MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES THAN THEY DO ABOUT DELIVERING
DEVELOPMENT TO THE NEGLECTED COMMUNITIES IN EVERY PART OF OUR COUNTRY;
COMMUNITIES THAT THEY WERE ELECTED TO SERVE.
THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT
THAT WE HAVE ALLOWED MEDIOCRE LEADERSHIP TO FLOURISH IN ZAMBIA. WE HAVE DONE
THIS FOR SO LONG, IT HAS DISTORTED OUR REALITY TO THE POINT WHERE THE ABNORMAL
IS NOW FULLY ACCEPTED AS NORMAL. WE HAVE CONFUSED BEING POPULAR WITH BEING
CONCERNED. WE HAVE GLORIFIED INSULTING LANGUAGE AND MISTAKEN CATCHY SLOGANS FOR
VISION AND PLANNING. WE HAVE ABANDONED GOD'S WISDOM AND EMBRACED PETTY, SHALLOW
CRITICISM OF ONE ANOTHER PROUDLY PASSING THIS ON AS A NEW FORM OF KNOWLEDGE AND
INTELLIGENCE.
WE WILL NOT PROGRESS
AS A NATION IF WE CONTINUE TO DEVOUR EACH OTHER; IF WE SHUN OTHERS BECAUSE OF
THEIR TRIBE OR ANCESTRY; OR INDEED IF WE TREAT OTHERS BADLY BECAUSE OF THEIR
GENDER, THEIR AGE OR THEIR DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.
WE CAN AND MUST DEMAND
QUALITY LEADERSHIP FOR OUR NATION. THIS MUST START WITH DEMANDING BETTER
QUALITY LEADERSHIP OF OURSELVES, AT EVERY LEVEL OF HUMAN INTERACTION, NOT ONLY
IN OUR POLITICS BUT ESPECIALLY IN OUR POLITICS. PEOPLE SAY POLITICS IS A DIRTY
GAME; WE SAY IT IS PEOPLE WHO TEND TO BE DIRTY THAT BRING THEIR DIRT INTO OUR
POLITICS. AND THIS IS WHY WE ARE LAUNCHING THE NAREP 'GET INVOLVED NOW'
HANDBOOK. WE WANT TO PROMOTE THE LEADERSHIP IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
THAT WILL HELP US TO BUILD MORE TOLERANT, RESPONSIBLE AND CARING SOCIETIES.
LEADERSHIP THAT WILL RESTORE AN ERA OF POLITICAL ACTIVISM THAT PUTS THE
DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE AT ITS CENTRE.
WE CANNOT PLACE OUR
TRUST IN AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS PROVED ITSELF FULLY INCAPABLE OF RESPECTING
LAWS AND THE RIGHTS OF THOSE WHO OPPOSE IT; AN ADMINISTRATION THAT SEEMS TO
BELIEVE THAT TURNING A BLIND EYE TO VIOLENCE THAT IS CARRIED OUT IN ITS NAME
AND LEADING THE COUNTRY TO THE BRINK OF DISORDER AND CHAOS AND EVENTUALLY A
ONE-PARTY POLITICAL STATE WILL BE JUSTIFIED BY THE NUMBER OF ROADS THEY BUILD.
WE SHALL ALWAYS OPPOSE
THE PF IN THEIR QUEST FOR POLITICAL DOMINANCE AT THE EXPENSE OF FREEDOM AND
SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT. BUT WHILE WE OPPOSE THEM, WE WILL NOT BE
LIKE THEM: WE WILL NOT INSULT BACK OR BARE OUR TEETH IN ANGER. NO, WE SHALL
TAKE THE HIGHER ROAD - THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED - AND DO THE WORK THAT THE
COMMUNITIES DEMAND OF US AS PEOPLE ASPIRING TO LEAD THEM. THIS NAREP HANDBOOK
EXPLAINS WHY AND HOW AND WE LOOK FORWARD, OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, TO GOING
ROUND THE COUNTRY AND EXPLAINING ITS IMPORTANCE TO EVERY SINGLE ZAMBIAN. WE ASK
FOR YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT AS WE DO THIS. THE HANDBOOK WILL BE AVAILABLE IN AS
MANY LOCAL LANGUAGES AS POSSIBLE SO THAT IT SPEAKS TO ALL COMMUNITIES AT ALL
TIMES.
JOIN ME NOW IN
CELEBRATING THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE NAREP GET INVOLVED NOW HANDBOOK.
I THANK YOU ALL AND
MAY GOD'S GRACE BE WITH YOU.
ELIAS C. CHIPIMO
PRESIDENT
NATIONAL RESTORATION
PARTY
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