Zambia elected a new president on September 22nd 2011. After months of rallies, fierce allegations of bribery and corruption, and isolated incidences of violence, 
the people chose Michael Sata to be the fifth President of the Republic. The whole of Peace Corps Zambia listened and watched the election with bated breath. We had orders to stand-by in case of domestic turmoil with travel bans in effect until the outcome of the polls could be determined. B and I spent the week at the Southern Province office, listening to the radio and speculating on what could happen. Many predicted instability if Sata defeated incumbent Rupiah Banda, even more predicted outbreaks of violence if Sata lost. Banda's party, the Movement for a Multi-party Democracy (MMD), had been in power since the historic election of 1991 in which Zambia became the first African democracy to have a peaceful transition between two opposing political parties. Many people believed that a such a smooth transition would be impossible to repeat. Widespread allegations of bribery and corruption covered the newspapers and airwaves. The tension was immortalized in pop-songs and Sata's popular underground slogan, "Don't Kubeba." The words mean: "don't tell," and refer to a speech in which Sata encouraged voters to take bribes from MMD, but secretly vote for another party. Allegations of buying votes were largely unsubstantiated but the slogan proved as ambiguous and effective Nixon's plea for the "silent majority" in 1969. The MMD stepped down from power on September 23rd (Zambian presidents are sworn-in the day after an election) and peacefully handed over the powers of the executive to the Patriotic Front party and Michael Sata. Zambia remains an example of functional democracy in Africa and proof that a land of 72 tribes can live as one nation.
the people chose Michael Sata to be the fifth President of the Republic. The whole of Peace Corps Zambia listened and watched the election with bated breath. We had orders to stand-by in case of domestic turmoil with travel bans in effect until the outcome of the polls could be determined. B and I spent the week at the Southern Province office, listening to the radio and speculating on what could happen. Many predicted instability if Sata defeated incumbent Rupiah Banda, even more predicted outbreaks of violence if Sata lost. Banda's party, the Movement for a Multi-party Democracy (MMD), had been in power since the historic election of 1991 in which Zambia became the first African democracy to have a peaceful transition between two opposing political parties. Many people believed that a such a smooth transition would be impossible to repeat. Widespread allegations of bribery and corruption covered the newspapers and airwaves. The tension was immortalized in pop-songs and Sata's popular underground slogan, "Don't Kubeba." The words mean: "don't tell," and refer to a speech in which Sata encouraged voters to take bribes from MMD, but secretly vote for another party. Allegations of buying votes were largely unsubstantiated but the slogan proved as ambiguous and effective Nixon's plea for the "silent majority" in 1969. The MMD stepped down from power on September 23rd (Zambian presidents are sworn-in the day after an election) and peacefully handed over the powers of the executive to the Patriotic Front party and Michael Sata. Zambia remains an example of functional democracy in Africa and proof that a land of 72 tribes can live as one nation.Security concerns about the election prompted the Lusaka office to expedite the Close of Service (COS) date of my intake. Instead of September 24th, members of my group officially ended their tour of service on the 2nd. One by one, my peers spoke before ringing an old wheel rim (a tradition in Peace Corps Zambia) and walking on towards a sudden and uncertain future. It was strange to say
goodbye after two years. We had known each other through trials and celebrations that seemed to last forever and now it was time to move on. I stayed behind with the other extension volunteers; those of us who signed on for another year passed through all of the farewell dinners, the drinks, the trips to the airport, the hugs, and turned the page to begin a new chapter in Zambia. I was now the Volunteer Program Coordinator for Appropriate Technologies and engaged in a partnership with Southern Bio Power to develop outreach tools and build the capacity of both our organizations to bring beneficial technologies to rural areas. My last task as a Rural Aquaculture Promotion (RAP) volunteer before taking on my new responsibility was as a technical trainer for the incoming group. I headed to Chipembi Agricultural College to meet the trainees who would replace the volunteers who had just left, my intake. The experience was surreal and reminded me of how much I've come to love Zambia. I found myself salty and reserved in comparison to the enthusiastic optimism of the soon-to-be volunteers I was training, but endeared by their desire to live and know my adoptive country. I will never understand this place, but I love the land, I love the people, and I was proud to take part in preparing the next group of volunteers for their new lives.35 new RAP volunteers, our largest intake yet, swore an oath of service on October 21st, 2011.
The event took place at the statehouse in President Sata's first diplomatic function since taking office. Peace Corps Zambia further honored the occaision with a 50th anniversary "open house" at the Lusaka headquarters to coincide with the swear-in. B and I set-up and manned the Appropriate Technology booth to give visitors an idea of what our program is all about. Other displays detailed the heath, fisheries, environment, and education projects respectively, as well as PC/response and Girls Leading Our World (camp GLOW). The event was geared towards highlighting the achievements of volunteers in Zambia and opening a repoire with partner organizations with offices in Lusaka. This was my third 50th anniversary celebration for Peace Corps and perhaps the most exhausting. B and I travelled to Choma the following day to prepare to post our new Tonga-speaking volunteers. It was time for me to rest and recuperate before moving into my new home in the South.
The event took place at the statehouse in President Sata's first diplomatic function since taking office. Peace Corps Zambia further honored the occaision with a 50th anniversary "open house" at the Lusaka headquarters to coincide with the swear-in. B and I set-up and manned the Appropriate Technology booth to give visitors an idea of what our program is all about. Other displays detailed the heath, fisheries, environment, and education projects respectively, as well as PC/response and Girls Leading Our World (camp GLOW). The event was geared towards highlighting the achievements of volunteers in Zambia and opening a repoire with partner organizations with offices in Lusaka. This was my third 50th anniversary celebration for Peace Corps and perhaps the most exhausting. B and I travelled to Choma the following day to prepare to post our new Tonga-speaking volunteers. It was time for me to rest and recuperate before moving into my new home in the South.
B holds up a copy of the Times of Zambia announcing Sata's victory in the 2011 tripartite election
~
US Ambassador, Mark Storella checks out the 50th anniversary display for Appropriate Technology while our Director of Programs and Training, Lauren Mamane looks on
~
Ambassador Storella and I appreciate the work-of-art that is the bamboo bicycle at the 50th anniversary display for Appropriate Technology
~
This fellow walked up to me while I was picking a guitar in an nsaka (outdoor kitchen shelter) in Konchele village, Southern Province and started singing this song. He had never played an actual guitar before and enjoyed himself so much that he has been hounding the resident volunteer to help him obtain one
~
0 comments:
Post a Comment