By Staff Reporters
GBM slapped me yesterday and made me bleed, says one of the mourners at late former Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda funeral house Irene Njovu
But Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, said he did not want to engage in what he termed “petty issues.”
Njovu, who was a prominent cadre in the MMD during the party’s time in government, told Daily Revelation that there were a lot of people who witnessed her being beaten by Mwamba.
“Ah! Surely why should I lie? Okay I won’t say much, I will ask someone I was with, who is home right now and I will get back to you. Bananimenya maningi kuchoka milopa. Ninganamile chani (He beat me a lot causing me to bleed. Why should I lie? I swear upon my children. I cried to Richard Kachingwe, I went crying to him. But he just told me that it’s okay, he’s your mbuya. So that’s how I said it is okay,” Njovu narrated. “But when my children saw that I was bleeding they were not happy. I said awee nichi mbuya. Ati iyayi, chi mbuya cho chosana migazi (I tried to argue the matter out by saying it was about traditional cousinship. But they argued that traditional cousinship should not involve the shedding of blood) And you remember the last time we were at Munkonge’s funeral he beat amai Sakala, kubamenya lino kufuna kuchoka (he also beat amai Sakala at Munkonge’s funeral, and her tooth was almost coming out). Then he also slapped Jay Jay (Petauke-Central independent member of parliament Emmanuel Banda). Why should I lie? He beat Jay Jay the previous day before yesterday”
According to some people familiar with the matter, Mwamba did not like the idea by his traditional cousins from the Eastern Province continually smearing him with white powder, as usually happens during funerals by either side of the cousinship.
But Mwamba denied the allegations that he slapped Njovu at the funeral house?
Asked to comment on the said alleged incidence, which is believed to have occurred on Friday, Mwamba said he does not want to engage in petty issues.
“I do not want to engage in petty issues. Go and ask her properly. Go and ask her properly. I am in Church right now,” said Mwamba.
