By Patson Chilemba
Nalimyebele, Chishimba Kambwili has charged.
But Zambia’s former High Commissioner to Australia George Zulu says Kambwili and those condemning President Hakainde Hichilema probably wanted him to respond to the journalist’s question by saying “mfwiti, mfwiti, mfwiti”
Reacting to President Hichilema’s response to a question that he was appointing people on tribal lines, by saying the assertion was being made by tribalists, hegemonists, a clique of thieves who have been feeding off state resources from Independence, who did not feel that other people could run the county better, Kambwili interpreted that statement by saying that President Hichilema was referencing the the six previous presidents.
“Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda, first president of the Republic of Zambia, clique of thieves, from Northern Province. Frederick Titus Jacob Chiluba, from Luapula Province, clique of thieves. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, State Counsel, from Central Province and Copperbelt, clique of thieves. Rupiah Bwezani Banda from Eastern Province, clique of thieves. Michael Chilufya Sata, Muchinga Province, clique of thieves,” Kambwili claimed. “Edgar Chagwa Lungu from Eastern Province, clique of thieves. Those are the clique of thieves that have ruled Zambia since Independence, says one Hakainde Hichilema. Now Hakainde Hichilema, clean man running the country perfectly well. Clean, clean man … you can hide, sorry you can run but you can’t hide. Long live Zambia. Nalimyebele ne mbwili, nalimyebele uhmmm, ine nalimyebele (I told you, I told you, Kambwili sung)”
But Zulu said Kambwili was lying by including things the President did not say, saying he and the others were making up issues because they did not expect the President’s response.
Amb Zulu said Zambians were clever to pick truth from fiction.
“They expected the President to answer ‘mfwiti, mfwiti, mfwiti’,” Amb Zulu said, recalling former president Edgar Lungu’s angry response to questions on corruption in his government. “So they were disappointed he did not answer that way.”
Amb Zulu said Zambians were aware of the people who were spreading tribal sentiments in the last campaigns, but that the President has been on a path of uniting the country by touring provinces to honour freedom fighters since he was elected.
He said the PF made tribalism a part of their policy during the general election campaigns.
