Settling Dust or Settling Old Scores

Zambians and politics is what makes them a distinct lot. The past weeks the Dora Siliya tribunal and the evidence that came out of it became the fodder the opposition parties and some civil society organisations used as battering rams against the Rupiah Banda administration.

Somehow in Zambia's politics here was something that could be used to cause embarrassment or possibly bring great discomfort to Rupiah's government.

Once the tribunal had reported, the decision suggesting that Dora Siliya did not breach the Ministerial and Parliamentary Code of Conduct Act - under which the tribunal was set up - but, according to the tribunal - had breach the constitution of Zambia - the opposition and civil society were quick to change their stance. They now demanded that not only Siliya should be fired but the vice president George Kunda as well. Further they put pressure on the president to act quickly and even suggested that delay implied he too was guilty - or was an accomplice in breaching the constitution of Zambia.

Thus Dora's resignation, in these circles in now seen as inadequate because it was not our of Rupiah's decision but because Dora had saved the president from making such a decision. So complaints on this issue will continue for some time.

But apart politics the only thing Zambians appear to be in agreement is football. So no Zambian has attacked President Banda for raising money for the national team to prepare for CAN 2010 in Angola and the possible first time appearance of Zambia at the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.