By Mwansa Kaumba
NRPUP leader Brian Mundubile says he is standing as president not as a Bemba or Kaonde, but as a Zambian who wants to unite the nation under the One Zambia One Nation Motto.
And running-mate Makebi Zulu said it was bad “manners” for President Hakainde Hichilema to have failed to take care of “his own bedroom” of North-Western Province, saying he and Mundubile will now “sleep in it” and take care of the people of the province.
Mundubile yesterday embarked on his five-day campaign programme in North-Western Province by first touching the provincial capital Solwezi. The province has for a long time been a UPND stronghold. However, Mundubile and his team were given a thunderous welcome into Solwezi as crowds lined up the streets displaying the ‘pe lampi’ NRPUP symbol, while others mobbed the vehicle carrying the NRPUP presidential candidate and his running-mate.
The welcome was briefly punctuated by stone throwers who were clad in UPND regalia, who threw stones towards Mundubile’s motorcade forcing him and Zulu to briefly sit back into their vehicle. As the chaos ensued, some in Mundubile’s entourage were heard encouraging each other not to flee but to take on the stone throwers as the motorcade moved on. The whole episode soon passed as Mundubile and Zulu continued on to their thunderous welcome.
The thunderous mood held as they made way to the rally grounds where a mammoth gathering awaited them.
Addressing the crowds, Mundubile said he was standing in order to unite the nation.
“I’m standing as a president, not as a Bemba, Kaonde, Ngoni, Luvale, but as a Zambian. So the first thing I want us to agree upon is that, 1. we will continue to exist as One Zambia One Nation. We should all frown upon acts of tribalism, acts of regionalism and promote unity under the One Zambia One Nation Motto,” Mundubile said.
He said when he was growing up his father who was Bemba worked in Solwezi, Zambezi and Kabombo and was able to live freely amongst his brothers and sisters.
He said he and Zulu would promote unity and one Zambia one nation.
He said they were particularly happy with the way Solwezi people welcomed them into the province.
He said people agreed on the need for change regardless of region and tribe.
Mundubile said the province was home to the biggest mines yet remained among the poorest in the country.
He said Solwezi sorry was a sorry sight.
Mundubile said he was particularly taken aback with the high unemployment levels as they entered the town.
He said chiefs were complaining that their chiefdoms provided the mineral wealth yet their chiefdoms remained poor.
Mundubile promised that he would give back the Mufumbwe, Mikonge and Kasenseli mines back to the youths to mine the gold.
He said the government should have helped the youths to mine safely but they took soldiers with guns to chase the youths. Mundubile said the only guns that would be pounting at them are those for protection.
He said the government would help the miners with machinery on loan basis.
Mundubile said the area was home to big mining houses such as Kansanshi, yet there was lack of running water in the area.
He said his administration would re-engage the mining houses to provide water and housing to miners.
He said water reticulation will be part of the mines corporate social responsibilities.
Mundubile said mines would have to work on the roads where they operated from.
And Zulu asked the people if Solwezi was President Hichilema’s bedroom, given the welcome they received in the province.
“We all know that it’s good manners to clean someone’s bedroom. If you can’t clean your bedroom those are bad manners,” he said
He said President Hichilema could not get money from his bedroom and spend somewhere else.
“President Hakainde Hichilema is a liar. He has lied that this is his bedroom. If it is his bedroom, we have come with our blankets we are sleeping here. In fact we have come with our own bed. We will sleep here and take care of the people of Solwezi,” he said.
He said the hospital that was left there was one that was built by the PF. He said Hichilema had not built any school, clinic, university yet those are the things he promised. He said he was also not providing fertilizer in the qualities he promised the people.
“So even in his bedroom he gives you medas?” he asked. “We chase him from the bedroom right, so that we bring new people in the bedroom.”
Former UPND member of parliament who defected to work with the PF prior to the 2021 general elections, Teddy Kasonso told Mundubile and Zulu that no one should cheat them that North-Western was UPND’s bedroom.
“Does this look like their bedroom?” he asked, pointing towards the huge crowds.
“I have a lot of complaints. These people are struggling with water here yet there are all these mines around here. We don’t even have a hospital here,” said Kasonso.
Former provincial minister Richard Kapita said the mines were not employing people as they only picked those in the data base. He also said the government had also closed mines.
“But you ask who is getting the gold?” asked Kapita. “This is now your new bedroom. Forget the myth that Hakainde will get 90 percent here. No, he will get 10 percent here. We shall ensure we work day and night so you get 97 percent.”
