BEING the son of Chishimba Kambwili does not by any means disqualify me from standing as a member of parliament, says Mwamba Kambwili.
In an interview shortly after successfully verifying his Grade 12 certificate, Mwamba said he was just as qualified as any other resident of Roan to contest the seat in the August 12 general elections. Mwamba, who studied in the UK, had his qualification from Babington Academy confirmed by the Examinations Council of Zambia.
He said sharing the same last name as his father should not in any way make him ineligible to stand as that would go against the nature of democracy.
Mwamba’s father served as Roan PF member of parliament from 2006 to 2016. He later formed the National Democratic Congress after he was expelled from the Patriotic Front.
The NDC went on to win the Roan seat through Joseph Chishala, who is seeking to defend his seat on the UPND Alliance ticket.
Mwamba’s decision to stand in Roan has however been received with mixed feelings, with some saying Kambwili Senior seemingly wants to pass on the baton to his son as if the constituency was a monarch.
But Mwamba said he was a man of his own standing.
“I would like to first and foremost confirm that I am an aspiring candidate for Roan Constituency. I am a Zambian citizen who owns a green NRC. I am a taxpayer and a resident of Luanshya. I am registered to vote at Nkulumashiba Secondary School in Roan Constituency. I am a Zambian youth with a succinct vision to serve and represent the people of Roan,” he said. “My father, honourable Chishimba Kambwili, the former MP for Roan, worked extremely hard and enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with the people of Roan. He made an impeccable legacy, one that saw him reign supreme against the might and power of an incumbent government.”
Mwamba said, as a resident of Roan, he sincerely appreciates his father’s works and generosity but feels it was time for him to continue where Kambwili left from.
Mwamba, a holder of a Master of Law from Coventry University, said politics had always been a focal point as both his father and grandfather had been in the service of humanity.
“My grandfather was the mayor of Kabwe at some point. My uncles and aunts have held different political offices, so this has been my upbringing. Politics runs through my veins, serving the poor and vulnerable is part of my identity and I cannot shy away from aspiring on the basis that my father is a former MP,” he said. “I am a man in my own right, a law professional with an astute education. I have been doing philanthropic work in the constituency for the best part of my life. I am a family man and a grassroots person who shares an extraordinary connection with the residents of Roan and Luanshya in general. I am a businessman who has employed hundreds of people at a tender age.”
Mwamba said leadership and grit forms his DNA and that if elected, one of his first assignments would be to build a school between Roan and Mpatamatu.
“I have run a successful education fund for the constituency which has helped thousands of students in the constituency. Using the connections earned as a student in the UK, I aim to expand the education fund by linking my former schools to local schools within Roan to help the Ministry of Education efficiently run and provide an enabling environment for young people like me to strive and strive for greatness,” said Mwamba. “To cut a long story short, I am standing as MP in Roan as I fully qualify. I have the passion and the drive to contribute positively to the development of a constituency embedded in my heart. It’s boots on the ground, akana Kambwili for MP. Game on!”
It remains to be seen if Mwamba would contest the seat on NDC ticket while his father has openly stated he will support President Edgar Lungu.