The results of the just ended Mangango parliamentary by election and other local government polls held on Tuesday November 20th countrywide are now in the public domain.
The results have opened up a lot of speculation and debate among members of the public.
As NDC, we conceed defeat and we shall soon go back to the drawing board and do a thorough introspection on why we lost the polls.
For the NDC, the polls were an eye opener and allowed us to test the waters by gauging our popularity.
In less than one year in existence, the NDC has participated in over twenty by elections.
This is unprecedented. We have political parties that have existed on paper and have never attempted to participate in elections.
Tuesdays polls are an eye opener and clear indicate that the NDC is now visible and present in all the corners of Zambia.
The NDC has managed to market its self well in all the ten regions of Zambia in a short period of time under extremely vexing circumstances.
Firstly, the police service has not been gracious enough to allow us hold public meetings across the country.
This has made it difficult for the party to mobilize and meet electorate’s.
The selective application of the Public Order Act POA has disadvantaged us.
For example, the NDC has only held two public meetings on the copper belt since inception. All our attempts to mingle with the electorate’s have been turned down by the police command.
The POA is one of the critical issues we want the three church mother bodies look at critically as they spearhead the dialogue process.
Secondly, the lack of resources is hindering most political parties from reaching out to the voters. NDC is still scouting for resources to enable the party procure regalia and start mobilizing the masses.
We made the first attempt in western province and got over a hundred votes in Mangango.
This is a plus for the NDC.Â
The NDC is now a vanguard party and time will indeed tell. We have our presence in all corners of the country.
The decimal performance in Mangango and lupososhi will not deter us from participating in future by elections that may arise.
We shall endeavour to jostle for all future by elections, with or without resources.
However, the victory by the pf in the Mangango parliamentary elections is cosmetic and does not reflect the aspirations of the people.
Such, is synonymous with African polls and by elections.
The playing field in Mangango and other areas was not even.
NDC is seldom covered by public media and none of our candidates had their profiles promulgated.
A lot of money exchanged hands and the poll was characterized by vote buying and intimidation.
This has now become typical of pf.
However, the scenario in 2021 will be different. The people of Zambia are tired of this regime.
The cost of living is so high and Zambians live like slaves in their own country.
Anger and anxiety is building up among Zambians. Our people are waiting for a General election to have their final say.
It is unimaginable that with all the under development in Mangango, pf still won the seat. What do you expect from a poll riddled by corruption?
The Mangango poll is also an eye opener to the opposition. We need to unite to fight this common enemy the pf.
The opposition have a lot of potential, but, selfishness is killing us.
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Its high time we started sharing information and looking at factors that are weakening the opposition and contributing to our weak performance in by elections.
The results in the three seats we participated in as NDC have confirmed one thing.
Our consultant Chishimba Kambwili has a lot of potential.
Come what may, Dr. Kambwili is and remains a big factor in Zambian politics.
As NDC, we are threading cautiously, and we are already a force to reckon with.
To our members across Zambia, remain calm. Continue to mobilize the masses. Do not be discouraged.
These disturbing results should force us to work even harder.
Where ever you go, please, display the NDC symbol and sale the party.
We are picking up the pieces as we continue to fly high. Time will tell.
As NDC, we shall not go to sleep. We are not folding. We shall continue talking about the injustice and oppression that our people are going through.
The struggle continues. Lesa fye Eka.
(Mwenya Musenge is NDC Secretary General)
