INTER PARTY DEMOCRACY

Zambia has more than twenty political parties some one man show.

The country's so called growing democracy leaves one to wonder whether it will ever grow with the common trend of not wanting the incumbent political presidents to challenged. This tendency has been seen in UPND where Livingstone MP Sakwiba Sikota was humiliated by some supporters who really wanted Hakainde Hichilema to lead UPND after the son of the soil Anderson Mazoka passed on. Sakwiba could not withstand the humiliation but left the party to form his United Liberal party which is also not doing fine.

UPND as a party was almost nothing when Mr. Mazoka died but due to what one may term as surviving by the grace of God it has managed to stand but a bit weak.

Fine Hakainde Hichilema assumed the presidency of the party that saw a number of prominent people leaving the party and politics entirely. Among those that left the party included Patrick Chisanga one of Zambia's big brains, Bob Sichinga, Inonge Wina, Francis Simenda who has since rejoined the party.

After the differences and dust had settled down UPND started regaining the lost constituencies and wards during the by elections which created either by death or defection. Among those constituencies include solwezi, Mufumbwe and other numerus wards.

After the UPND and its dust settling down though has reduced the political party from second if not the biggest to the third.

In the MMD the party claims to have been formed on democratic principles intra democracy has in the recent years been questioned by political pundits.

Some experts say democracy in the ruling is next to none existence going by the happenings.The MMD in 2005 held its third party national convention that saw President Mwanawasa's challenger Knock Kavindele subjected to massive humiliation while the other challenger Nason Msoni was blocked.

This further saw the position of party's Vice president which was heavily contested scrapped off.

The late Dr. Mwanawasa went through unopposed and the party did not have a vice president.

After Mwanawasa's death the then Republican Vice President Rupiah Banda assumed office and some years later went for a party national convention that saw him go through unopposed.

Similar trends characterized the party national convention. Among incidencies were the scrapping off of the vice president position that saw a number of people eyeing it.

President Banda as per usual went through unopposed.With the what transpired in the three Zambia's biggest political parties convention or congress whatever one may call it would on view them as undemocratic principles that can assist the counrty's grow democratically?

This year Zambia goes to the polls to put in place a new government will the forthcoming elections be free and fair as to depict true democracy?