Following the death of late President Michael Sata, as we prepare and campaign for the forthcoming presidential by-elections, each political party is supposed to have high levels of effective Public Relations (PR) practice if majority Zambians are to trust and support a concerned political party with more votes leading to victory in the forthcoming elections.
To achieve this, remember what Zambians need and cherish most.
Zambians need and cherish sustained love, unity, peace and stability.
Give Zambians what they want in your political campaigns in the forthcoming by-elections.
As Zambians, political party cadres, members and leaders prepare for and participate in the next presidential by-elections, it is critical to remind ourselves of the major characteristics, needs, challenges and expectation of Zambians and their Motherland for us all to pass through such trying moments smoothly and peacefully to sustain our
much cherished peace and stability.
For each political party, its leadership, members and cadres to project a good image to the electorate, each one of us should remember one of the principle God’s teachings of ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself’.
We should also remember our cherished motto of ‘One Zambia; One Nation’ that with past and present able leadership has helped to unite more than 73 ethnic tribes leading to peace and stability for almost 50 years.
It is effective PR in each political party which can facilitate smooth, united and peaceful transition from such a situation and process to a stable Zambia as it has been the case in the last many years.
Zambians are naturally peaceful people. Each Zambian has love for every Zambian. Zambians really understand the Biblical teachings of ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself; and that of do onto others as you wish them to do to you (Matthews 7:12).
Can you be happy for a political opponent or another political party to unleash a group of political cadres on you leading to your bloodshed and your death? Of course not!
This is why you should never ever unleash political violence on your political opponent. Resolve any political differences amicably through dialogue. Avoid anything that can create political violence and civil strife in our peaceful and stable country.
This is part of effective political party PR practice.
Zambians, especially women and children have no legs for running away from any civil strife which you and your party can cause in this country. Don’t be responsible for any unforeseen negative consequences of political differences on the Zambian people. Zambians hate political violence.
If you give Zambians electorate love, peace and stability, in exchange, they will give you more votes in the next presidential by-election.
Therefore, politicians, political cadres and their political parties should remember the importance of peace and stability in our nation; especially for women and children. You should have Zambia and innocent Zambian people at heart in whatever you think of, you want, say or do.
Campaign peacefully.
Each political candidate and his or her party should promote love, unity, peach and stability as we prepare for and campaign for presidential by-elections; and beyond if such politicians and their party are to win the trust, confidence and many votes from Zambian electorate. This is how effective political communication plays a critical role in effective political party PR practice.
Time for effective PR practice in your political party is now.
Zambians, as stakeholders in elections will either support or reject your political party candidate depending on how peaceful or violent you are in these few days before presidential by-elections.
Rejecting your candidate means not giving him or her votes. This will lead to your candidate and your political party losing in the elections. Be pro-active for your presidential candidate to win in the by-elections.
Do what the electorate wants. Zambian electorate wants love, unity, peace and stability at all times. Be peaceful as a political candidate and as a political party. Your promotion of love and unity as well aspeace and stability will win you many votes leading to your victory in the forthcoming presidential elections.
Therefore, any politician or political party that doesn’t show love for a fellow Zambian; or who or that doesn’t promote love, unity, peace and stability among Zambians will be perceived as not only an enemy of his or her political party but also an enemy of all Zambians.
In this regard, every political party cadre, member, leader and each political party has been put under a pair of binoculars and under a microscope to ensure that whatever they do and say is captured for immediate action by the Zambian people.
It is from such a background that each political cadre, member and leader and political party that wants to shield or support a presidential candidate in the forthcoming presidential by-elections should consider the needs, challenges and expectations of Zambia as a loving, united, peaceful and stable nation.
Zambians have no arms; and therefore are defenceless. As a result, let love, unity, peace and stability prevail on these God’s people.
It is effective political PR practice for any political party to give political stakeholders what they need and expect; and address their challenges accordingly. Behaving contrary to what the electorate and political stakeholders need and expect is poor PR which leads to huge losses on the political arena.
Consequently, it is hoped that each political party will hold a serious briefing meeting on such urgent needs, challenges and expectations from the Zambian electorate on such trying moments.
And in each of such a meeting in each political party, it is hoped that it will not be whoever will be chairing that meeting who will be speaking; but that God; The Creator will speak to all party cadres, members and leaders through such a person in that political party at that time.
The major theme for each of such a meeting in each political party will be: ‘Let love, unity, peace and stability prevail in Zambia.’
In this light, each Zambian should humble oneself; and ask the Almighty God to fill our hearts with the Holy Spirit; and let Jesus Christ reign in our hearts to guide us to say and do only what promotes love, unity, peace and stability in our Mother Zambia.
The author is a PR Trainer and Consultant. For comments and ideas, contact: Cell: 0967/0977 450151 E-mail:sycoraxtndhlovu@yahoo.co.uk