On this page are some important statements that Mainza Chona made during and after his political life. We hope it will help you understand how he thought about Zambia, the world.

Is it not the time now that we all come together and join hands? It is true that Unity failed to stop Federation in 1953. Maybe there was some wrong somewhere. Maybe our organisation was not yet strong and widespread.  Maybe we had not known much about politics then. Now Congress has taught us freedom and if we only united with our brothers who are now outside Congress, we would be as strong ....
1959

I feel strongly that without a will-oiled party in power, we cannot have a good government.
June 1967

An ordinary person is not outstanding and not many people will copy his manner or style of living. A leader, on the other hand, is, by definition, a person of exemplary conduct. He is far above average and is not expected to react or behave as an ordinary person, let alone worse than him.
March 1981

I find I am no more than a mere national tool, which should be used wherever it is required. …nothing belongs to a real leader.  Nothing is his, not even his money or time.
June 1981

… I am sincere when I say that what pleases me is that everything continues to run very well in our country. There are bitter complaints I know, but when did we have no complaints? I can’t remember a single time when people said, “We have never had it so good.“  It is only at the graveyard where there are no jealousies, no suspicions, no complaints, no lies and no scandals. We always have had banner headlines in our press and we shall always have them.
February 1982

As long as we continue to attend to people’s problems promptly – whether personal or national – and to avoid or correct our deliberate mistakes as leaders, we shall be all right and Zambia will continue to be what it is – heaven on earth.
February 1982

I believe the Almighty God has, in the past, given me numerous chances to see society mainly from above; now and in future I hope to look at life from inside, from all the sides and other angles.
February 1982

I have often said that a person who hates the Chief cannot succeed that Chief; he would fail in the task.
February 1982

On my part, my only ambition in life is to have a good name by being useful.
April, 1983

Why can’t we all struggle hard to find ways and means to help each other, much more and prolong each other’s life on this planet, which God created us to live in peace? Surely taking another person’s life or reducing it should be absolutely unthinkable. We should work to make each other more contented and happy.
February 1985

Multi-partyism is inherently disorderly because most people find it difficult to be peaceful in disagreement.  It was easy for me to argue for One Party rule but we have to pray for peaceful dialogue to ensure stability and a climate for investments.
December 1991

The Western countries like multi-party as it ensures national divisions. As parties and leaders keep changing; the people feel there is change for the better when in fact things remain the same or get worse.
1991

… Zambia has been most outstanding in the world as a God-fearing and peace-loving country. … let us commend the way our people have so far tried to maximise peace in this country.
October 1992

Some other African, European and Asian countries are littered with warlords because of leaders’ failure to realise that politics simply means people. Government is not a private company; it is a people’s company.
July 1993

Here in Africa, one sometimes envies the dead or the dying. Life is hard and unbearable.
January 1997

We must continue to maintain and enhance the highest image of the legal profession in our country by avoiding committing deliberate mistakes.
March 1997

I call for greater tolerance on the part of all of us towards critics. Critics should not be regarded as enemies, but that most of them are patriots.  There is a far greater danger in opportunistic silence amidst injustice. We should hasten to point out and correct any mistakes in good time. The future of our country will remain bright.
August 2000

The outside world is happy with what is happening in Zambia because there is peace…  As a Zambian, I should call upon any of these people who try to introduce thuggery and corruption into politics to stop it and come back to the eminent position Zambia is pursuing.”
5 December 2001

Political Career