By Patson Chilemba
Former first lady Dr Christine Kaseba says she appreciates that people turned up for the memorial service of her late husband president Michael Sata, but wondered what use it was to remember somebody when “you don’t honour his legacy.”
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Dr Kaseba was at pains to explain the
chaos and factionalism in the former ruling party, saying her late husband warned leaders in the party before he died that they were going to kill PF if they did not handle it properly.
“I am glad that people turned up for the memorial. But of what use is remembering somebody when you don’t honour his legacy? What use is remembering somebody when you want to destroy what he selflessly set out to build?” Dr Kaseba asked. “So they have got to love and they need to put aside their differences. And it’s possible these differences can be set apart.”
Dr Kaseba said her late husband did not toil in vain for things to happen in the manner they were.
“Even yourself, what are your thoughts from whatever you did (covering late president Michael Sata)? Do you think he did all that in vain?” Dr Kaseba asked. “You know Patson, before he died I remember him talking to some members of central committee and he told them I have worked, I have toiled. It wasn’t for you that I was toiling, it was for the common person. I have made life comfortable for you but if you are not careful after I have gone, if you don’t handle this party carefully after I have gone, it will be broken.”
She urged the factions to prioritise Sata’s sacrifice.
“So my appeal, for the sake of Michael Sata, is to sort of urge everyone to remember what Michael Sata stood for, service to the people. He was a servant of the people so it wasn’t about what he would get as a president. It wasn’t about the trappings of that office. It was all about having authority to make a difference in the lives of the poor,” Dr Kaseba said. “So this can only happen if there is love. Love for everyone, not love of … that selfish love. And I think if we can be open enough and show love to our neighbor, show love to each other I think it will become very, very clear.”
Asked what role she felt her husband’s successor could play, the interview was conducted an hour before Lungu declared he was coming back to active politics, Dr Kaseba said it would be tricky as it was known to all that president Lungu renounced his party presidency.
“But being a father figure it wouldn’t be a bad thing to call almost everyone, including Miles, even beforehand. But I think maybe he is also holding back because of the permutations that come with holding a meeting. People might misinterpret what he is trying to do,” Dr Kaseba said. “But I think it’s something that can be done, if not by the former president Edgar Lungu it could be done by other states people.”
Asked if she was ready to do the mediation herself, Dr Kaseba said: “Well, I can talk to them but you know I think we need to start separating the family from the political party. When they want advice I think we are open, they can come because in as much as I am family, I am a wife, there is a lot more that I participated in the formation and the development of the party to where it was. So if they need advice I am quite willing, they can come and talk to me. But I think it’s extremely important that we put our differences aside and forge on what Michael Sata sought out to do.”
She said there is a lot that could be done if all the different factions came together, saying they do not even have to be in government again to be able to achieve what Sata wanted to do.
“We can start going round and start sowing seeds of love. You know we need to be united. There is so much acrimony in the country. And God has blessed us as a peaceful nation, but I think there is quite a lot that we can do to cement that peace and unity in the country,” said Dr Kaseba.
