First president Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s son, Colonel Panji, says it’s very disturbing to see Zambians dividing themselves on tribal lines and regions.
Speaking with Daily Revelation on the occasion of his father’s 96th birthday, Col Panji, who is ruling PF member, said on this birthday of one of the founding fathers, including the late Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Mainza Chona, Arther Wina, Reuben Kamanga, Humphrey Mulemba, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula among others, the ugly head of tribalism being witnessed now was a recipe for trouble.
Col Panji said at independence, and during the UNIP government there was a deliberate policy for candidates to contest elections in areas where they did not come from. He said through that the foundation of Zambia as One Zambia, One Nation was established, but the new generation was eroding all that.
Col Panji further said there was a deliberate policy also to transfer civil servants to areas where they did not hail from, and hence intermarriages were also encouraged in the process.
He said there was no advocacy during that time that people should vote for a certain candidate because they hailed from their region.
“It’s very disturbing to see us their children diving ourselves among tribes and regions. This is recipe for trouble. If you are saying only Easterners and Notherners should rule the country, then where are you leaving the others?” Col Panji asked.
Col Panji said Zambians must not be coerced to vote for candidates because they hailed from their region, saying ones performance and policies should be the qualifying factor.
“We should not be tied down because for instance we are from Eastern we should vote for Edgar Lungu. It’s about performance and policies,” said Col Panji.