By Staff Reporter
Chishimba Kambwili has responded angrily to President Hakainde Hichilema’s statement that no one complains when he speaks Bemba, but people complain when he speaks Tonga and Lozi, saying he was putting Bembas in an awkward situation.
Reacting to the President’s statement during the press briefing at State House yesterday that no one complains when he speaks Bemba but they complain when he speaks Tonga and Lozi, Kambwili wondered what the President meant over his statement.
“What is the meaning of that? The meaning is simply that the Bembas want to dominate. That’s the meaning of that statement. And that is actually putting the Bembas in an awkward situation and in the corner against other tribes. That’s why I am saying all of us we must apologize. All of us having in one way or the other talk tribalism and start all over again where we can all respect ourselves as Zambians,” Kambwili said. “And the person to lead this must be the President. You stop mentioning tribe and just mention Zambians. When he holds the press conference he has to say us Zambians, us Zambians. Never ever mention this issue of if I speak this language then it’s okay. That’s dividing.”
He accused the President of engaging in tribalism over that statement.
“All that is tribalism. Why did he say that in the first place? Why should the President continue talking about these issues to do with tribe? That’s what I am talking about. Why do we want to bring in tribalism all the time tribalism? Bembas always wanting to bring in Bemba. Why can’t he say if I speak Kaonde? Why always picking up the Bemba? Why? If I speak Bemba! Why? What have the Bembas done? This idea when the President spoke at the press briefing, always the element of tribe must come in?” Kambwili asked.
He said he found the people accusing Raphael Nakachinda of engaging in tribalism as unreasonable and shallow because Nakachinda was Tonga.
“I am tired of advising this government to stop doing what the previous government was doing in terms of these unnecessary arrests of using the police. It’s clear that they don’t want to get advice. That’s how the previous government never wanted to get advice. I am tired of advising my dear brother HH to tell his government to stop these unnecessary arrests of political enemies like the previous government was doing,” Kambwili said. “How can you say tribal when you are also Tonga? Come on gentlemen naimwe. Can we stop using tribalism. If I a Bemba say we Bembas are ignorant? How can you say tribalism? Can we as Zambians stop following cheap games by people who want to use the tribe as a basis for anything. How can you be called to be a tribalist when you are telling your own tribe that we are ignorant.”
But asked on assertions that he engaged in the same chatter during the election campaigns himself, Kambwili said: “Then don’t call me because what we are looking for is a solution, you start talking about other things in the past. Tell them that if they followed my discourse, me I was actually discouraging tribalism. People have actually wanted to put my name forward as a tribalist. When you follow what I was saying I was discouraging regionalism and tribal voting. I have never been a tribalist.”
He said those with a tribal nature always accused others of being tribal.
Kambwili urged the President to lead in efforts against tribalism.
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