Lusaka — There was a time when Anderson Mazoka's candidature looked set to be undone by Christians' disquiet about his alleged flirtation with Freemasonry. That now looks less of a certainty, thanks to a combination of factors.

On one hand is the windfall he has received courtesy of Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda/Dr Nevers Mumba sharing of what is, loosely termed, the Christian vote.

The waffle coming from the Johnny-come-lately Heritage Party, on why the integrity-first platform started by Dr Mumba was not good enough, has not helped.

It may have the unintended result of thawing of the earlier hardened Christian fundamentalist stance which declared 'once a Mason always a Mason' when Mr. Mazoka announced he quit the group in the 1980s.

He was forthright in his reply to a question on this matter in last week's radio interview. It is one question that has refused to die.

"Masonry takes good men and makes them better, and you cannot be a Mason if you do not believe in God, and Satan is not God. I was a member until I quit in 1987 and up to the time I left I had not encountered anything evil in the group", Mr. Mozoka stated.

And he is also making a pitch for the personal integrity of those offering themselves for elections next year. But to integrity he is seeking to add knowledge. Mr. Mazoka thinks integrity on its own will just not cut it.

When asked what it is that his United Party for National Development (UPND) is offering the electorate, he shot back with one word-change! Of course he could not encapsulate the UPND manifesto in one radio programme covering many other issues. So we can only pick up on some of the answers he gave.

Although the UPND is yet to have its national convention to elect the leaders going into elections later this year, Mazoka is virtually confirmed as president as all nine provincial conferences adopted him. So it is fitting that we begin to check out some of the things he is saying.

Mr. Mazoka says his party has made poverty alleviation its number one priority, so have the other parties. But he, at least, has twined this with making agriculture the foremost sector of investment.

His party's thinking, he says, is that since the majority of Zambia's population of the unemployed, dis-employed, and under-employed have a greater chance of finding sustenance in agriculture, this sector should deliberately be given priority in terms of investments by Government.

Then he made this observation: "There is nowhere in the world where governments have divorced themselves from agriculture in the manner it has been done in Zambia".

As has become apparent now, even the Zambian Government felt the same way, but, as Dr Katele Kalumba disclosed while in Europe recently, gave in to pressure from the International Monetary Fund. It means that for the UPND programme for agriculture to work, IMF goodwill will still be vital.

What he has going for him is that he will not waste valuable time trying to convince peasant farmers that the private sector can replace Government in making agriculture work, as happened when the ruling MMD began the experiment of liberalising agriculture.

Being one selling himself on the platform of competent economic management, it was fitting that he should make a few comments on how the UPND would tackle inflation and capital flight.

"The problem right now is that the MMD Government is addressing inflation through fiscal policy only. You need to attack it indirectly by increasing productivity, which is what gives value to a local currency. As for foreign exchange flight, it is a result of hedging because both foreign and local investors find a need to protect themselves, they are not sure what will happen next".

Mr. Mazoka also feels that income tax being paid by Zambians is too high. The amount allowable before tax is slapped on income is too small.

"That is why we need to establish a poverty datum line, so that people can get a living wage, which also allows for savings. It is only when people are able to save that investment begins." He may have something here. But what he needs is to read up on some of the programmes used to mobilise savings which accounted for the miracle of Japan developing without begging or borrowing from America, as Europe did.

The very current idea of setting up a truth commission did also not escape Mr. Mazoka's attention. He actually let on that it was an idea from UPND.

"We were the first to talk about an economic truth commission to help change the culture of corruption in Zambia. We need to set an example so that people know that if they touch people's assets while in Government, they will be dealt with. Even those now in opposition will not be spared unless they come clean right now." What about his own skeletons from the Botswana cattle of long ago? "When that story broke, I went to president Kaunda, who as you know was very strong on discipline. I said to him that I was a young man who might one day prosper, and people will say it was the cattle. If it is true, do not spare me, but I assure you we have investigated and no single animal was taken off the train".

He said president Kaunda replied that he had several sources of information and had it been true he would not have been there talking to him. Well president Kaunda is still alive and can verify this story.