By Patson Chilemba
Apa manje niyamba ku sapota ba UPND (I will now be supporting the UPND), says paramount chief of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province, Mpezeni.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, the Mpezeni said he could no longer continue supporting the PF, because he did not know them and they were not in government.
Asked if he would continue supporting the opposition PF as vociferously as he did when they were in government just a few weeks ago, or if he would change to become neutral or even jump ship to start supporting the new ruling UPND, Mpezeni said he would now be supporting the latter as they were now in government.
“Neo ine. Ne ine monga mwamene neze nakambila po yamba muziba ne ine ndine mfumu, so mfumu isapota government yamene ilipo. So apa manje nizayambo sapota beve (Like I said at the beginning, I am a chief, and as a chief I support the government of the day. Therefore from now onwards I will start supporting them)” the Mpezeni said, when asked to be categorical on the party he was referring to, the paramount chief said: “Ehe ba UPND. Sure ungasapote Chipani chakuti suchiziba? Sichili muboma, usapota chipani che chili mu boma (I mean the UPND. How can you surely support the party which you don’t know, which is not even in government? You support the party which is in government).”
The paramount chief said he loved farming and was happy with the maize floor price for this year, saying he was confident that President Hakainde Hichilema would pay attention towards the agricultural sector.
“After all, is he not a farmer himself? I will support him in development matters, knowing that where the PF left in terms of development and I know that they (UPND government) will continue. So supporting them, we will all support them here,” said the Mpezeni.
The Mpezeni was blocked from attending President Hichilema’s inauguration over what those in UPND claimed was his sheer opportunism, that he went beyond all limits in his support for the former ruling party.
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