By M. Suleman

10^th Oct 2011: Zambia has proved the theory that democracy is a growing process.  After acceding to the return to multi-party politics, the founding father of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda organized the first free and fair multi-party presidential elections.  Kaunda who was the President contested, lost the election, gracefully accepted defeat, and handed over power to Frederick Chiluba.

In that simple but significant act, Kaunda had laid the foundation for Zambian democracy.  President Chiluba led for two terms.  He tried to change the constitution to remove term limits [like Museveni did] but the then Vice President Gen Tembo and other cabinet ministers rejected his attempt.  Consequently, Chiluba backed down.

Levy Mwanawasa contested for the presidency and won.  When he died of a stroke in the middle of his presidency, Zambians stuck to their constitution and there was a smooth transfer of power to Mwanawasa’s Vice President Rupiah Banda.  In short, by the 2011, Zambia had already made bold, consistent, irreversible democratic gains.

The people of Zambia were already aware of the power they posses and were ready to use it to cause change in Zambia.  Zambians wanted new policies and a new direction.  That is how President Rupiah Banda and his MDD party that had been in power for over twenty years were defeated.

The MDD had become complacent and irresponsive to the glaring social and economic challenges that the people of Zambia were facing.  It therefore needed a break and the Zambian people gave them the break by electing long standing opposition Michael Sata as their new President.  And the change the Zambians voted for has started coming in.

For a start, the size of the cabinet has been reduced, the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank suspended, the head of the Anti-Corruption body suspended, Provincial Leaders dismissed, Electricity, Pensions, and Revenue boards dissolved, the Chief of Police replaced, the sale of Finance Bank to a South African bank reversed, and the export of copper suspended.

This is not witch-hunting, and it is not Michael Sata trying to be a populist.  It is what is expected of a President who vowed to provide alternative leadership.  This is what poor African people need and deserve. This is what we have been denied by the selfish and callous dictators on the continent.

In Uganda, we were ready to cause change as far back as 1996 but Museveni has never given us the chance to vote in a truly free and fair election.  On the contrary, election processes have degenerated further, especially under the politically biased Electoral Commission under the Chairmanship of the incompetent Badru Kiggundu.

But there are certain things that even the mighty General Museveni cannot deny Ugandans.  Modern information technology has opened the world to Ugandans.  They now know what changes they need and that is why you see them increasingly taking to the streets to protest against Museveni’s excesses and failures.

Over and above, just like in Zambia, Uganda has had strong, capable, and experienced opposition leaders waiting to take charge and bring in new exciting policies that will benefit all Ugandans; not just the “chosen few” as is the case in Museveni’s current government.

There is no doubt that what is taking place in Zambia today would have already taken place in Uganda had Dr Besigye not been robbed of his victory in the February elections.  As he has always promised, the cabinet would have been significantly trimmed by now, all RDC’s would have been dismissed by now, all dodgy deals with “briefcase investors” would have been revoked, a tough anti-corruption war would have been declared by now, and a few corrupt heads would have rolled by now.

In short, as we congratulate the people and President of Zambia, we also need to realise that ‘President Kizza Besigye’ would have achieved more that Zambia’s Michael Sata by now.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.