By Kwangu Manda,
Too often, we misunderstand what truly serves our national interest. Sometimes, the biggest obstacle is us—the voters. Recognizing this honestly is the first step toward changing how we view and choose our leaders. One common mistake is confusing loyalty to a political party with a genuine commitment to putting the country first.
Whether we are chatting in barbershops, beauty salons, or on street corners—comparing governments and leaders from different eras—most of us judge them based on which party they belong to rather than their actual performance.
Ask yourself these questions:
Do you truly listen to ideas for solving national and community problems, regardless of who proposes them or which party they come from?
Would you support a well-proven solution even if it comes from your political opponents?
Would you speak out against your own party’s plans when they harm the country as a whole?
If we want better leaders and higher-quality performance, we must change how we evaluate political candidates. We need to prioritise ideas over individuals, and the country over the party.
Only then can we build the Zambia we all deserve.
