'True Greens' or Not?

When I chose to run for the parliamentary in 2016, Liuwa, at that time, was a constituency with 15,000 registered voters. Being new to politics, I emulated the actions of others, and quickly picked that a candidate’s reputation or popularity hinged on being present at all public events attended by the republican president within the province where their constituency is located. Every time the president visited Mongu, the provincial capital, there was a scramble to be seen and to greet him, thus reinforcing one’s candidacy to the party and ensuring visibility to the president.

Remember, I wasn’t a ‘true green,’ which meant I had something to prove and was desperate to belong.

It was rather surprising to witness individuals who had travelled from Lusaka to Mongu with the president still pushing and shoving for their place in the long line of anticipated handshakes. This was accompanied by much fanfare with supporters always chanting, “Onalebo, Onalebo, tala” to express their perpetual hunger. Their constant claims of hunger were merely a tactic to extort money from any candidate within their reach. Skipping any event the president attended was considered political suicide. Some people seemed to show up just to report on those who didn’t, quickly saying, ‘We knew she wasn’t a true green.’

Honestly, I attended every event out of fear, not conviction, and I hated it.