ZAMBIA IS ON A PATH TO BEING CLASSIFIED A FAILED STATE – SANGWA
CONSTITUTIONAL lawyer John Sangwa says the country is in trouble and is on the path to being classified as a failed state.
Sangwa adds that he doesn’t want to own a political party but is willing to join one.
Meanwhile, Sangwa believes that you can hire politicians every five years, but you can’t be doing the same for judges.
Speaking when he appeared on Emmanuel Mwamba’s Verified programme, Friday, Sangwa said the position of the Presidency had been cheapened in the country.
“I have challenged Zambians, and if they are willing, let’s join hands. I cannot assume that they are willing. It’s a huge sacrifice. It’s a huge sacrifice. And I’m calling upon Zambians to say, ‘let’s make the sacrifice for a better Zambia.’ Now, if people are not willing to sacrifice, then that is their choice. So, there are a lot of things that have to be made. You asked me about the presidential thing, now, again, we have this obsession with the presidency. There is a joke that is told, a Greek friend of mine once told me many years ago, ‘have you ever met a Zambian who doesn’t want to be president?’ Now, that is the problem because we have cheapened that office so much and yet, that is the toughest job on earth,” he said
“Now, when you are president for a country like Zambia, what you are basically saying, you are responsible for the lives of 25 million people. Your decisions determine whether some of those people live or die. This is not something that we ought to take lightly. You need the confidence of your peers to be able to ascend to that particular office. Now, I have offered myself. I have expressed my willingness. I’m also looking for the endorsement of my peers. They have to look at my character and be able to tell me whether I’m suitable for the job, it’s not automatic”.
He added that the country was in trouble.
“So, the most important thing is that the groundwork has to be done first. Are the people ready for renewal? If they are, then we go on to the next question. How are we going to do it? This is a collective effort. As I’m speaking, I’m not claiming that I’ve heard the answers I don’t. And it could be dangerous for one to assume that I have the sum total for human knowledge. But what I believe is the fact that this country is in trouble and we need to change course. Continuing on this particular path, we will find this country being classified as a failed state, that is where we are headed,” Sangwa said.
When asked if he was willing to serve under someone, Sangwa responded in the affirmative, adding that he could serve under a person who was competent and had integrity.
“Yes, I will do that, I’m not that arrogant to believe that I’m the person with the best brains in the country. At the end of the day, it is the interest of the country. The interest of the country is paramount, it trumps my personal ambition, my personal interest. The country must come first, that should be our priority. And that is why I never said I’m going to be President, I said I’m ready to serve because I’m not arrogant enough to think that I’m the best person that is out there. But if there is another person that is there that I believe can drive this country forward, my interest is to see the country progress. And if there is somebody else who is competent, who has integrity, that can actually push this agenda forward and bring forth a renewal, I’ll rally behind such a person. For me, what is important is the country. We have lost so much in the last 60 years and it is time that we took a different direction altogether,” he said.
Asked about forming a political party, Sangwa responded that he doesn’t want to own a party but rather join one.
“There are so many examples of people that have jumped into the political arena, formed their political party and what happens at the end of the day they just realise they are on their own. Now I have to learn from that, that is why I’m saying I’m here to serve but I’m not here to serve alone. I’m inviting people, can we join hands. Now whatever we do is not for my personal benefit, it is for our collective benefit as a people. We have to try something new,” he said.
“A lot of people have asked me, have you formed a political party? And I’m saying a political party is like a tent. You don’t erect a tent until you know who is coming to sit in that tent. Once we know who is coming in the tent, it’s very simple, you can choose to buy a new tent… I would like to see that’s why I’m throwing this challenge to the Zambians, can we join hands to be able to transform this country. Once there is a response then we make a collective decision. We have to learn from the mistakes that have been made in the past. Invaluably when you form a political party, technically it means that you own that political party, I don’t want to own a political party, I don’t. I want to be part of a political party but not to own one”.
Sangwa insisted that a strong Judiciary was key for economic development.
“One of the other things that people don’t realise is that a strong judiciary is key for the economic development of any country. No serious investor will go and invest in a country where the judiciary is weak, where the judiciary is open to corruption. That is why, if you look at our ability to attract foreign investment, the bulk of the investors we have had in Zambia, they are basically here for extraction of raw materials and traders, that is what constitutes the bulk of our foreign investors. There are very few people that have come and set up factories and everything else. Because factories require long-term investment. Now, when the Judiciary is weak, and there is instability in the system, very serious investors are reluctant to invest in a country like that,” said Sangwa.
“We get queries as lawyers all the time. Where we are queried, ‘how strong is your judiciary?’ And we are close to be able to explain. For example, you have cases, commercial cases that have been in court for nearly 20 years. Now, what business can survive litigation for 20 years? This is critical for the growth of the country, for the development of the country. These are the issues that we should be addressing. Politicians, you can hire every five years, but you can’t be churning judges every five years, you can’t. So, the process of admission is very important, and that it is robust, transparent and legitimate in the process”.
News Diggers
Gangway, what is your description of a failed State? Do not mislead people.
These are not Zambians but Congolese people taking chances.Check him out you will find that he does not have any other relatives.I know my grandmother’s grave and her sisters.I know mother’cousins and my father’s brothers.I know my father’s Grave and his cousins.I know all my cousins.Check this one out you will find the truth.Same like father jamson without any other cousins or brothers but only one sister
Ba Musonda, why is it that anyone you don’t agree with has to be a foreigner? Do you have proof that Mr. Sangwa is Congolese? I have also noticed that you refer to Mr. Emmnuel Mwamba as a Tanzanian. If you have the evidence report the two gentlemen to immigration.
It would be good if you can stick to the subject matter instead of going off at a tangent.
You are the only one who does not know that Muamba/Mwamba is from Tanzania This is truth we should not shy away from.Sangwa’s family is from Congo.Zambia is a good country with good people who do not care much with such but this is the truth sir.We know them and we see them
Nonsense
Loose usage of the term “failed state” by a lawyer bestowed with “State Counsel” status os rather disappointing. If Zambia becomes a failed state, it will cease to be a home for John Sangwa. So where does he intend to seek asylum? It’s the language of a chap who’s not ready to be president of this country.
He is a confused person who can’t remember that Zambia was at the brink of being a failed state that had managed to default on the loans it had borrowed. After noticing that messy had been cleaned up and that the government’s revitalisation of the economy had started bearing fruits, now he wants to become a politician. Let him tell us which competent leader he would like to work under out of the tented leadership of the ever fighting thieving opposition many! He is no different from the current PF leadership of Lungu’s leftovers in PF and Tonse. Everyone knows that PF,Tonse, and UKA shares the same leadership.
Strip him of the SC status. He mislead the UPNF polical party in the presidential elections and abounded their case after getting their money. He has no norms, ethics, integrity and morals to practice law. He has like many people joined politics just eat and not serve. He doesn’t have any policies just like most opposition parties and their leadership but all want to become president of Zambia! It doesn’t take much to see through his rubbish.
SC, can say that, shame, sounds stupid
Beats me and many others how a learned fella who holds himself as being of with integrity, could with all sincerity, and unashamedly, claim that Zambia is on a trajectory to a failed State today. The country passed through times when it went to the lowest ebb of national being, lowest integrity scale in conduct and economic performance especially under the Pf but nationals didnt see it that way because it was fine as long a the governor emerged from the correct region. Today even when the nation is clearly on the recovery, failures such as the Senior counsel, see it right to claim an existential threat is threatening. You are all tribalists like Lungu, Mumbi Phiri and Muhabi. The only threat is the pain you carry because HH is President. Its clear except for those who dont want to see it
Well it’s very possible to have Zambia as a failed state given that John himself is a failed lawyer, a learned lawyer that keeps changing translation of the law ll absolutely lead to a failed state cause the constitution is useless if lawyers don’t up hold the laws integrity.