By Patson Chilemba
The constitution says this is the last term, says Chishimba Kambwili when asked if he believes this would be President Edgar Lungu’s last term, should he win the August 12, 2021 elections.
And Kambwili says opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema deserves to be a chief in Southern Province and not a national leader.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Kambwili was asked if he believes this would be President Lungu’s last term of office should he win the August 12, 2021 elections, responding Kambwili said: “Says the constitution, not me. Says the constitution. Unless the constitution is changed he has said himself he’s only running up to 2026. So why do you want to put words in his mouth that he will run beyond 2026 when he has made it very clear that this is his last term?”
Asked if he will vie for the presidency after President Lungu’s term since his presidential interests are now public record, Kambwili said “we shall cross the bridge when we get there.”
“My main interest today is to make the PF and President Lungu win, period. We shall cross the bridge when we get there. I know I have ambitions but the question that we should ask is, first what we should note is leadership comes from God, and those who will rule Zambia have been ordained by God from the time they were born, and if I am one of them I will,” Kambwili said. “But if I am not one of them no matter how I will try I will never. That’s what we should realise. If God has said I will never be president, I will never no matter what I can do. How many people have tried to be president and they have just died without being president?”
Kambwili mentioned several people who wanted to be president but never realised their goal, including Mwansa Kapwepwe, Christone Tembo, Ben Mwila and Dean Mung’omba.
And Kambwili railed against what he described as Hichilema’s constant opposition to every noble did by the ruling party, saying he also called the 100 salary increments to civil servants in 2013 as poor management.
“Now today we are spending 52 percent of the budget on salaries, now he is saying he is going to increase the salaries and improve conditions of service, boza, he’s a very inconsistent chap. Secondly he says he’s going to reduce prices of essential commodities, how? He says ‘I am going to reduce interest rates’,” Kambwili said. “When PF came into office these are facts we found the interest rates at about 38 to 40 percent we put up measures, not one day measures or three day measures. It took us about one year to reduce the interest rates from about 38, 40 percent to 12 percent. But when Covid started the interest rates have gone up to 25 percent.”
Kambwili said there was absolutely nothing anyone could do about the effects of Covid, as everybody was feeling it’s effects, including bars and restaurants that were currently closed.
“Already bars are closed across the country, restaurants are closed across the country, how is he going to reduce interest rates? So people of Zambia see this guy for who he is. He has never been in government and he doesn’t know anything,” Kambwili said.
He said the opinion poll predicting a likely UPND win should be dismissed for having people like Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa on it, who he said was a UPND member, just like any other favourable opinion to the PF, which showed some individuals inclination towards the ruling party. He said the best opinion poll will be on August 12.
He charged that Hichilema did not deserve to be a national leader.
“He doesn’t even deserve to be in politics he’s supposed to be a chief because of the love for his tribe. He’s supposed to be a chief because of the love for tribalism,” Kambwili said.
“But he’s the same person you wanted to serve as vice-president to,” Kambwili was asked, and in response said: “That’s why I left because I realised he was the wrong type. That’s why I left because I realised he was a wrong guy.”
“Didn’t you leave on arguments that he wanted to run everything under the UPND name?” another question was posed to Kambwili.
“No, no no no no no there were many factors, many factors including the issue of tribalism. I wanted to end tribalism by suggesting that let NDC also field under the umbrella of the alliance in South Province. Let Hakainde also field in Northern, Copperbelt and everywhere so that we end this tribalism he refused,” Kambwili claimed. “That’s why I am saying he’s supposed to be a chief because only chiefs protect their tribe. The president protects the country, the chief protects his tribe.”
