Dr. Henry Kanyanta Sosala, Paramount Chitimukulu, Says Mr. Hichilema Lacks Self-contentment And Self-confidence.
In March 2018, Mwine Lubemba, wrote an article in which he had alleged that Patrick Mucheleka, a senior member of UPND Management Committee had told Kangwa Mucheleka of Ndola, a member of the Bemba royal family that after the UPND party gets into power in 2021, Dr. Sosalawould be disposed since he is not a genuine member of the Bemba royal family because his great-great grandmother was not the genuine person who was later brought back after the primitive Ngoni savages kidnapped her.
The Paramount Chief in his latest write-up has responded not only to clarify the aforementioned misinformation but equally to the insults that were levelled at him by the Opposition Alliance spokesperson Lukuku. He has insisted that there is a deliberate, malicious, unjustified and sustained effort to assassinate his character and damage his reputation or credibility by the three partners of the Opposition Alliance namely, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND); Mr. Charles Milupi of the Alliance for National Development (ADD) and Mr. James Lukuku of the Progressive Party (PP).
James Kasanda Lukuku, the Opposition Alliance spokesperson issued a joint statement that had been made by himself with Messrs. Hichilema and Milupi.
“It is irresponsibility of the highest order for the Chitimukulu to publish sectarianism, regionalism and tribalism on a radio programme from a radio station called Mano in Kasama. Being a chief is not a passport for segregating our people away from the spirit of One Zambian, One Nation, and neither is it a passport for him not to expect to be challenged,” he stated.
He went on to claim that Paramount Chief Chitimukulu was a PF cadre who was on the party’s payroll.
“We have swallowed enough of the PF oriented Chief Chitimukulu. He must realize that in most East African countries there is nothing like chiefs and he is purely existing on the discretion of we the Bemba people. We can rise up one day and say to hell with chiefs and he can have no platform to preach divisional, segregative and tribal politics,” he continued.
The Alliance spokesperson did not spare the Head of State either.
“Twakana. Lekeni HH alubule ichalo na mano yakwe no butungulushi bwakwe. (We refuse. Let HH rule us with his acquired knowledge). How honestly can Chitimukulu support a hypothetical Christian, a dictator and drunkard, at a time our country is in ICU? Every moment State House hosts chiefs and the Chitimukulu, what follows are tribal remarks either from Chitimukulu or his surrogates. Why? that is why Sata was opposed to the ordination of this Sosala as a Paramount chief of us the Bembas. Sata knew this Sosala has questionable morals and principles and has questionable values,” he said.
He went on to claim that Bembas have a wrong and misplaced chief. And that the Chitimukulu is corrupt as he is the same chief who is reportedly selling land to the Chinese and sharing all the proceeds with his own children without regard for his subjects who are lacking salt in their homes.
While Mr. Chishimba Kambili of NDC, though being a member of the Opposition Alliance, distanced himself from the damaging statement, with Mr. Steve Nyirenda of NAREP; Andyford of PAC and Sean Tembo of PeP having already left the alliance, Messrs Hichilema and Milupi remained mute, meaning that indeed they were behind the statement.
The Paramount Chief has lamented that it is very unfortunate that the three party presidents are accusing chiefs of being cadres when they are supposed to know better.
“The role of a chief continues to be extremely challenging because he occupies an integral position within the authority structure of society: in one set of relations, he is a tribal leader and in another set of relations, he is in the hierarchy of the government administration,” the Chitimukulu stated.
“The problem of Messrs. Hichilema, Milupi and Lukuku arises mainly from lack of self-contentment and self-confidence since they see more in me than in themselves which translates into uncontrollable envy. This can actually be clearly drawn from their unreasonable response to the critical issue of voters’ apathy which I had raised on Radio Mano,” the Mwine Lubemba emphasised.
The Mwine Lubemba explained that what upset the trio was his discussing of the voter apathy in his chiefdoms which had no tribal connotations whatsoever but was meant to teach his people to understand their civic responsibilities of taking part in governance issues for that helps to shape the direction of political decisions that eventually affect everyone.
“What I was speaking about was voter apathy, referring to statistics in the 2016 presidential elections. Experts usually say that human beings think in circles and our thought-patterns can easily be identified no matter how cleverly we might try to twist the frame of our language, since our motives hidden in our sub-conscience mind will betray us. And the hatred was clearly revealed in their responses,” he stated.
And Senior Chief Mukuni had strongly condemned the trio for intentionally choosing to misunderstand the message by the Paramount Chief.
“The Chitimukulu expressed displeasure at his subjects who were not critically using the power of the vote in choosing quality and responsible leadership that would bring development to his Chiefdom, and that they were usually duped by empty promises made by politicians. That’s a cry of every traditional leader who wishes to see economic and social advancement for his or her people,” he started.
“The Paramount Chief therefore merely counseled the Bena Lubemba to emulate the Southerners better known as the people of Chuundu, who recognize the importance of voting than follow the false fantasies of politicians. He actually never cited any political party in which his subjects must particularly identify themselves with. As a matter of fact, he encouraged them to make their own choices, but based on quality leadership that would deliver and also protect their interests,” he continued.
Senior Chief Mukuni went on to describe Paramount Chief Chitimukulu as an intellectual and an accomplished historian who appreciates the established norms and resolve of Southerners in using the vote, to resoundingly register a grievance against any unjust establishment.