AN OPEN LETTER TO POLITICAL PARTY SUPPORTERS

Dear supporters

Remember to be patriotic to an ideology and not a person

Zambian politics are generally speaking based on personalities and tribal lines. All the major political parties have strong holds in regions where the founder or leader of the party hails from. So regardless of the individual’s policies or lack thereof, the people in that region will vote for him. After over 50 years of independence shouldn’t we be committed to ideologies and policies? Haven’t we matured enough to ask people who pursue civic offices to explain to us their policies and ideologies? Dear supporter please look at more than the last name of the person and focus on what that person actually believes and why he is seeking office, that way we have a basis for holding these people accountable.

Remember its okay for others to disagree with your choice

Just because you like a certain party and candidate does not mean everyone else should follow suit. And people having a different view to yours does not mean they are fools. There is therefore no need to insult, mock or abuse a person with a different opinion from yours. It is a sign of high levels of immaturity in a person when they cannot handle opposition and criticism. Sadly there are very high levels of intolerance to opposing views in our political system. Dear cadre its okay for others to disagree with you and to actually prefer a different party and candidate.

Remember your candidate is not perfect

In the heat of the campaigns and political debate we get very opinionated and emotionally charged that in our effort to support our candidate we treat them as though they are perfect. No matter who you support and how much you like them they have character flaws and their policies are not perfect either. That therefore means as you support them do so acknowledging their weakness and flaws. And when people actually raise a flaw in your party or candidate humility demands that you acknowledge their point. Dear cadre such an attitude will save us from a lot of violence and divisions.

Remember there is life after elections

Campaigns can be a long and heated process and sadly even the counting and announcing of the results can equally be a prolonged process. Lines are drawn, things are said and emotions boil that we polarize ourselves and forget that life continues after the elections. So as you engage in  political debate let’s forget that when all has been said and done political opponents will be our neighbors, workmates, schoolmates, friends and family. They are the people you will need to work with and live with, do not let political difference divide us such that we are unable to work with each other to the betterment of our country.