THE HYPOCRISY OF HARRY KALABA OVER CORRUPTION

IN 2016, Harry Kalaba, now Citizens First (CF) president, was applauded by many when he made a bold decision to resign from his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs citing blatant corruption in Edgar Lungu’s Government.

Kalaba became an instant hero for two things; firstly, it was not fashionable for those who were eating in the Government to come out and resign. With the plunder that was going on unabated under the PF, it was almost impossible for someone who held such a high-ranking office that came with all the luxuries anyone could think about, to resign.

Secondly, his admission that there was corruption in PF from an insider was unheard of. So, when Kalaba made this bold decision, we praised him on principle because it was not something that was easy to do. It was not possible under the reign of Lungu that you would detach yourself from the PF after exposing their ills and go and sleep on a comfortable bed, especially after telling the nation what it already knew about the thuggery that was permitted within the corridors of power.

Kalaba boldly told the nation that “We cannot proceed to manage national affairs with cold indifference when the levels of corruption are swelling and being perpetrated by those who are expected to be the solution.”

We all know what Kalaba went through after leaving the PF to form his own political party called the Democratic Party (DP). We know how he was hunted politically like a hunter pursuing the Lechwe of Bangweulu because no one messed up with Lungu and went scot-free. We mistook this for patriotism for a better Zambia. Most of us took Kalaba as the next big thing. We were wrong!

His resilience was there for all to see and no one could help it but to envy him for being strong-willed and it was not long before this was translated into a handsome following politically where he made strong inroads such that during the 2021 elections, Kalaba came out third, beating most of the political parties that had been in existence for a long time.

But without a clear vision, individuals may struggle to establish specific goals and create a plan to achieve them. This can lead to a lack of direction and motivation in life.

This narrative seems to fit in perfectly well in Kalaba’s situation. It was just last week that Kalaba held a “mega” rally where he invited all United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) members and we all know that UKA is Lungu and Lungu is UKA itself and those that jostle around him are simply headless chickens without a following trying to pursue relevance using his name and influence as the former Head of State. They are just proverbial ostriches that have reached their limit in their political lives and have to lean on something or someone who seems to have a following better than them in the hope that if those they support win elections; they could also be remembered in their Government.

As things stand, Kalaba has nothing to tell the Zambians and this is why he has shamelessly gone back to the same person he deemed corrupt not long ago and has forged a working relationship because he knows that on his own, there is nothing he can achieve. His political fortunes are fading by the day. It has now become clear that Kalaba did not leave the PF because of corruption but because of his insatiable appetite to lead. He wanted to lead the PF but there was Lungu on his way.

Agreed, there was grand corruption in PF and definitely Kalaba himself must have been part of the rot. What was eating him up was the fact that Lungu was standing in his way knowing too well that he would never step down and allow another person to take over.

This is because by 2016, it was already clear that Lungu would stand again in 2021. Therefore, Kalaba saw it fit to resign on account of corruption which was a known story, so that he could find favour before the Zambians and probably get a good following that would, according to him, usher him into office in 2021 from the PF members who felt side-lined by Lungu.

However, it has now dawned on him that he miscalculated and overrated himself to think that he would form the Government using PF as the campaign message. Like a petrified rat, this is how he has folded his tail in between his legs and gone back to the same corrupt man to forge an alliance. Currently, Kalaba has no message to tell anyone.

Even at his so-called rally, people did not want him to address him. They wanted Lungu because they know that UKA is all about Lungu while Kalaba and the rest of the misguided honchos are only being used as cholaboys and girls. Kalaba’s fortunes have dwindled such that even if he stands as a presidential candidate in 2026, he will come nowhere near what he got last time out.

He sold his soul to the serpent and the serpent knows this too well and will maintain the status quo knowing too well that among the people it has assembled, no one will dare want to challenge it to the presidency. 

Poor decision making by a political party can lead to a decrease in support among voters, as they may become disillusioned with the party’s leadership and policies. What politicians do not understand is that voters lose trust in a political party that consistently makes bad decisions, leading to a decline in the party’s credibility and reputation.

Poor decision making can result in a negative public perception of a political party, with voters viewing the party as incompetent or out of touch with their needs and concerns. Voters who are loyal to a political party become disenchanted and switch their support to other parties or become independent voters if they feel that the party is making poor decisions.

Ultimately, poor decision making by a political party can result in electoral defeat, as voters may choose to punish the party at the polls by voting for other parties or candidates and this is the scenario that Kalaba has found himself in.

Poor decision making can also lead to internal divisions within a political party, as members may disagree on the direction the party is taking and the decisions being made by its leadership. This one already manifested when Kalaba was kicked out of DP by his own people.

A political party that is perceived as making poor decisions may struggle to attract new supporters or expand its base, as potential voters may be hesitant to align themselves with a party that is seen as ineffective or incompetent. This is why Kalaba has today gone back to the PF members; the very people he branded corrupt. For him, it has nothing to do with national interest; it is about his personal political aggrandisement.