OPPOSITION NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili has counselled President Edgar Lungu to carefully choose his language when referring to people he governs.
Reacting to President Lungu’s branding people disputing his government’s development exploits as fools, idiots, Kambwili said it was unfortunate that such language could be used by the Head of State.
Commissioning the Arcades flyover on Friday, the President said he was in Luapula Province where he heard a slogan “PF ilebomba, utupuba tuletalika (PF is working while fools are disputing the works)”.
“Ifintu filecinja, utupuba tuletalika, translated, this simply means that Zambians should be told that when PF is working, I don’t know whether the word is foolish people or idiots, I don’t know…but people who are dull in mind are arguing that nothing is being done. I remember in Parliament debating the word foolish, stupid idiot and all those things, but I don’t want to go there. But all in all, they are saying Ifwe tulebomba, utupuba tuletalika,” said President Lungu to illustrate a point that while his administration is delivering on development projects others were disputing or arguing that nothing was being done.
But Kambwili described such language as unpresidential.
“It’s unfortunate that such a language can be used. As Head of State, he should embrace and respect every Zambian and everybody. I don’t think it’s right to say ‘PF ilebomba, utupuba tuletalika’. As Head of State, he should not believe that he presides over ‘utupuba’,” Kambwili said.
He advised the Head of State to control his emotions owing to the office he holds.
“It’s unfortunate but sometimes these statements are made out of excitement but we should try by all means to control our emotions. It’s unfortunate that language can come from the Head of State, we are not happy,” said Kambwili.
“The Head of State must choose what language to use more especially when he is referring to people that he governs, whether in the ruling party or opposition. I don’t think it’s right to say ‘utupuba’. Awe (no), that’s unpresidential.”