THE photos of our lawmakers Garry Nkombo (UPND Mazabuka MP) and
Ronnie Shikapwasha (MMD Keembe MP) published in one of of our daily tabloids were the two were captured sleeping during the 2014 budget
speech delivered by Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda at Parliament
this past Friday, left me wondering whether the speech was that boring.
For parliamentarians, I understand yawning is a privilege that's hard to
win and easy to drift into. I mean plush seats, air-condition, cool and
droning voices make Parliament a great place for a short snooze,
especially after a sumptuous canteen meal.
However, given the number of times we have seen pictures of Shikapwasha
sleeping while serious issues of public interest are being discussed, I
assume it doesn't bother him or even care because to this day he has
never apologized.
But how many of us would still keep our jobs if we were caught sleeping
at work in relation to the number of times the Keembe MP has been
pictured enjoying his nap while on duty?
I don't think even Nkombo and Shikapwasha can tolerate their workers if those workers were found wanting in such a manner.
I think it is about time the people of Zambia demanded for the
establishment of a parliament committee to deal with members of
parliament who are sleeping on duty.
I think parliament should put in place a code to provide for forfeiture
of sitting allowance to parliamentarians who sleep during deliberations.
We can't afford wasting tax payers' money on people who just go to
parliament to sleep while time ticks towards their allowances and
gratuity.
If the likes of Nkombo and Shikapwasha are too tired and no longer up to
their tasks they are welcome to resign. Let them do the honourable
thing and leave room for those who really want to serve the people they
represent.
I'm sure there are a lot of young, vibrant and energetic politicians out
there who can represent their respective constituencies with honour,
enthusiasm and vigilance.
Thursday 17 October 2013
Let's Not Idolize Political Leaders
THERE appears to be a "grave misunderstanding" that leaders, once elected, change from human beings into superhumans. I'm reminded of the wise words of John Adams, the second US President, who warned his fellow Americans against treating fallible men as faultless idols.
In his retirement, Adams denounced the tendency to make demigods of men like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and, in true Puritan fashion, called for a second Reformation to wash away such idolatry.
A British Psychological Society once conducted a study which revealed that idolizing rock stars can harm your health.
Now, I don’t know whether idolizing political leaders can be harmful to our health. But I dare say that it can be harmful to the political health of the nation.
This self-acclaimed divinity by certain political leaders does not benefit anyone and only lead to the discrediting and downfall of such leaders.
It is one thing giving deserving praise to leaders who spend their entire lives fighting for a good cause and another to idolize them.
Our society should refrain from the habit of idolizing crooks and thugs in suits. Only a crook would want to be idolized because Jesus taught that true leaders should act like servants.
True leaders are those who do not change their attitudes towards others once elected.
Personally, I not only find the act of singing, dancing or prostrating before leaders, shameful and abhorring, but childish.
Let us grow up and be more mature politically. The onus is for all of us who love this land of ours to help get rid of narcissistic and self-conceited leaders. It does not matter which side of the political fence they are from.
Let me end by stating that ignorance, blind loyalty and divine worship of elected leaders have no place in a democracy and are an abomination in a Christian nation like Zambia.
Let's not idolize political leaders lest we create despots that will in turn haunt us.
In his retirement, Adams denounced the tendency to make demigods of men like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and, in true Puritan fashion, called for a second Reformation to wash away such idolatry.
A British Psychological Society once conducted a study which revealed that idolizing rock stars can harm your health.
Now, I don’t know whether idolizing political leaders can be harmful to our health. But I dare say that it can be harmful to the political health of the nation.
This self-acclaimed divinity by certain political leaders does not benefit anyone and only lead to the discrediting and downfall of such leaders.
It is one thing giving deserving praise to leaders who spend their entire lives fighting for a good cause and another to idolize them.
Our society should refrain from the habit of idolizing crooks and thugs in suits. Only a crook would want to be idolized because Jesus taught that true leaders should act like servants.
True leaders are those who do not change their attitudes towards others once elected.
Personally, I not only find the act of singing, dancing or prostrating before leaders, shameful and abhorring, but childish.
Let us grow up and be more mature politically. The onus is for all of us who love this land of ours to help get rid of narcissistic and self-conceited leaders. It does not matter which side of the political fence they are from.
Let me end by stating that ignorance, blind loyalty and divine worship of elected leaders have no place in a democracy and are an abomination in a Christian nation like Zambia.
Let's not idolize political leaders lest we create despots that will in turn haunt us.
Saturday 12 October 2013
Enough With Gender Stereotyping
IF you are an ardent reader you probably have come across articles with the following headings:
"10 Things Men Wear That Women Hate"
"8 Things Women Want Men To Do In Bed"
"100 Things Men Absolutely NEVER Want to Hear From Their Women"
"50 Things Men Do That Turn Women Off"
"16 Things Women Hate Hearing"
"15 Things Men Find Unattractive About Women"
"30 Things Women Wish Men Knew"
"18 Things Men Wish Women Knew About Sex"
"22 Things Women Are Sick Of Experiencing"
"40 Things Women Want In A Relationship"
"25 Things Men Should Look For In A Woman"
"21 Things Women Wish Men Understood "
"13 Things Men Should Never Say To Women"
I've lately been asking myself whether am the only one who is sick of reading or listening about these petty gender differences in the media. As much as advice columnists need to rely on generalization and stereotypes in order to make their case, I just wish the media could stop spreading all these gender stereotypes and do real journalism
When are we going to accept the fact that men are men and women are women and that it's never changed and it is never going to? Men and women are not some sort of monolithic entity.
Any man or woman who expect to always have their way in a relationship is a dreamer and would do him or herself a great favor by remaining single. Relationships are about tolerance and compromise, period.
"10 Things Men Wear That Women Hate"
"8 Things Women Want Men To Do In Bed"
"100 Things Men Absolutely NEVER Want to Hear From Their Women"
"50 Things Men Do That Turn Women Off"
"16 Things Women Hate Hearing"
"15 Things Men Find Unattractive About Women"
"30 Things Women Wish Men Knew"
"18 Things Men Wish Women Knew About Sex"
"22 Things Women Are Sick Of Experiencing"
"40 Things Women Want In A Relationship"
"25 Things Men Should Look For In A Woman"
"21 Things Women Wish Men Understood "
"13 Things Men Should Never Say To Women"
I've lately been asking myself whether am the only one who is sick of reading or listening about these petty gender differences in the media. As much as advice columnists need to rely on generalization and stereotypes in order to make their case, I just wish the media could stop spreading all these gender stereotypes and do real journalism
When are we going to accept the fact that men are men and women are women and that it's never changed and it is never going to? Men and women are not some sort of monolithic entity.
Any man or woman who expect to always have their way in a relationship is a dreamer and would do him or herself a great favor by remaining single. Relationships are about tolerance and compromise, period.
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