By Patson Chilemba
Raphael Nakachinda has charged that President Hakainde Hichilema has presented a facade to the Zambian people which doesn’t reconcile with his “vindictive personality”, saying he’s looking for every opportunity to put former president Edgar Lungu behind bars.
And Nakachinda said Lungu’s associate Goodward Mulubwa who was recently arrested, would also have associated with President Hichilema as with Zambia’s economy being small, those running businesses at a particular level have no choice but to associate with the powers that be.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Nakachinda described the arrest of former PF secretary general Mumbi Phiri and her being slapped with a murder charge as an indirect way of punishing her, saying “for that action to be taken it came from somewhere.”
“And somebody was anxious to say ‘why haven’t you arrested her?’” Nakachinda said.
Asked if he was implying that the instruction came from State House, Nakachinda said: “You are the one mentioning so iwe we mwine ulefwaya ukumbika amashiwi mu kanwa. What I am saying is that instructions came from somewhere. So if for example in your speculation to what I have said you conclude that State House, you are within your right to make any conclusion.”
“But all I am saying is that instructions came from somewhere. We know that the IG (Inspector General of Police) was under pressure and others to try and have this matter handled in a particular way, but as it where we can only continue to bestow trust in the judiciary that justice prevails, and in this case justice delayed is justice denied. We hope that the matter can be undertaken quickly so that the decisions are made,” Nakachinda said. “The motivating factor is that honourable Mumbi Phiri was quite vocal when Mr Hakainde Hichilema was in opposition, I think she challenged him on many issues he tried to use to hoodwink the Zambians people. She would phone in on radio stations where he was featuring, she would challenge him in newspapers and so on, and to that effect I think knowing Mr Hakainde myself he has taken it personal.”
Nakachinda continued.
“There is a facade he has presented to the Zambian people, which doesn’t reconcile with his personality,” Nakachinda said. “He’s a very vindictive person and when he says this one, and that’s how come you have seen that even when it comes to president Edgar Chagwa Lungu, by virtue of that arrest and treason he’s so bitter he’s looking for an opportunity to get Edgar Lungu one day behind bars, even when there is no offence or whatsoever that he has committed.”
Nakachinda claimed that some of the arrests which were unfolding pointed to the fact that President Hichilema was targeting his predecessor.
“Look at how many people have been harassed around president Edgar Chagwa Lungu; his barber man, his ADC, his wife, his children, whether it’s Tasila and all those boys or sons to the president, the former president. They have all been harassed,” Nakachinda said. “Friends of the president, look at even friends like Goodward Mulubwa who was only jogging with the president those days in the morning whenever the former president was jogging, he has ended up being victimized.”
Nakachinda asserted on Mulubwa that “they attempted to kill him, now they have impounded 48 trucks”, saying Mulubwa has been a businessman in Zambia for many years, and has associated with all the presidents, Including Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Rupiah Banda, Michael Sata and most recently Lungu.
“I want to believe that had the President HH not been vindictive people like Mulubwa would have possibly even associated with him, because our economy is very small, those who are running businesses at a particular level they have no choice but to associate with the powers that be,” said Nakachinda. “But under this government I can tell you only those from Southern, Western, North-Western will have access to the president because the president also harbors very strong ethnic and tribal sentiments.”
