By Staff Reporter
Chishimba Kambwili says there must be something wrong with former Kalulushi mayor Rashida Mulenga to have “so desperately joined the UPND” despite protests from party cadres and a heavy presence of police to protect her joining.
And Kambwili says the losses suffered by PF in Luapula, not only to the ruling UPND, but also fellow opposition Socialist Party (SP) is a wake up call, which must be taken as a challenge to reflect upon.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Kambwili said generally there was something wrong with the people defecting to the UPND following the August 12, 2021 elections, wondering how they have so suddenly come to believe in the ideals of President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND.
“Because for instance let me pick the same person you are saying Rashida. Look at social media, (it) was awash with insults from UPND that they don’t want her, but she goes there because in Bemba they say bamisula kale ninsoni shakumyebelapofye shabula. I really don’t understand, I can’t figure it out, you even go, ‘no I have joined, I have come.’ Abantu abakukene. Balekutuka nensele (People who have rejected you and are even insulting you). Ninshi I think there must be something wrong,” Kambwili said. “There must be something being hidden. Soon or later it will reveal. And ama politics yakweba ati when a new government comes you always want to jump to a new government will not take this country anywhere.”
Kambwili said people must join political parties based on principle and the ideals of the party they are joining, but “you are not going to believe in the ideals when they win government. Where were you before they won the elections?”
He said the PF experienced the same when they won power in 2011 where people were jumping into PF, but immediately left after the party lost power 10 years later.
“Bengi sana abafumine ku MMD abaya quiet (there are many who came from the MMD who have gone quiet). Some of them were even put in the central committee, Balileka nokuchita attend ama central committee (They even stopped attending central committee meetings),” Kambwili said. “Others immediately we lost the elections, two days later ati I have resigned from the PF. People must join when people are in the opposition. What guarantee do they have that those who have defected from independent to UPND, if UPND win (lose) they will not go back to independent?”
Kambwili said generally some people were paying others to stage-manage defections to create a narrative that many have resigned, and mostly it was to cover criminal activities or protect their businesses.
“So those are not defections that we can worry about. And I don’t want to say much abene they know what I mean when I say those are just defections to cover up certain criminal activities that they do,” Kambwili said. “Most people who are quick to defect they are just covering up certain things that they don’t want to find themselves in awkward positions with the new government because their businesses are linked with criminality. That’s what I mean. Imagine people where you are going they say they don’t want you, they even insult but you go ahead and defect. Why the desperation?…
“And there is police guard to guard you. What are you hiding? Why the desperation?…You know when defecting you must be received wholeheartedly not where you are forcing yourself on people that have rejected you.”
Kambwili said there was a trend in Zambia where people wanted to associate themselves with the ruling party, thinking they would be given businesses and preferential treatment.
And commenting on the consecutive ward elections to UPND and Socialist Party (SP) in consecutive elections, Kambwili said UPND and SP poured resources into the elections, which the PF did not do, saying those campaigning for the PF were even doing so without food.
“Congratulations to our brother Mr M’membe he pushed in money, and politics now if you pay it will show. So PF we were just careless, we didn’t put in money in that election…I am reliably informed that there was not even transport there. The UPND had about 20 vehicles in the campaign, Fred M’membe had about five vehicles in the campaigns and PF there was not even one vehicle. How do you expect to win? Some people are still sleeping and complacent,” said Kambwili. “It’s a wake up call. For me I take that as challenge we should turn into an opportunity to reflect.”
More @ www.dailyrevelationzambia.com
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