[By Mike Mwansa]
THE United Movement for Kola Bemba Kingdom has called on the Church and traditional leaders to reconcile PF president Edgar Lungu and his UPND counterpart Hakainde Hichilema so that they agree on violence-free campaigns.
On June 16, 2021, ECZ sanctioned the two political parties over their violent conduct during campaigns.
Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chief electoral officer Patrick Nshindano suspended campaigns for the PF and UPND in Lusaka, Mpulungu, Namwala and Nakonde districts due to violent campaigns.
And Movement leader Boniface Besa Bwalya has called on the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops, Council of Churches in Zambia, and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia to work with traditional leaders in bringing the two leaders together.
“Ndelombako (I am requesting) the three Church mother bodies, more especially the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) where Reverend Ignatius Chama is the chairperson ete ama colleague yakwe (to call his colleagues) including two Church bodies bete (they call) Lungu na (and) HH pamo, pantu aya ema (because these are the) two big political parties. Aba bantu nga mwabeta pamo, ba pange icibote (if these two are called they should make peace),” he told The Mast. “Te cibote cakweba ati bakumane uko, elyo basainishanya beka ba PF noku, tacabombe! Kanofye ba Church balete Lungu na HH pamo bapange ichibote (it’s not the peace where they should sit and sign between the PF and UPND alone. It won’t work! Unless the Church brings Lungu and HH together to make peace).”
Bwalya noted that Hichilema might not have the authority over violence since he was not in power.
He said President Lungu had the power to stop such violence.
“HH takwete amaka sana lelo pali violence, lelo uwukwete power ni Lungu (HH hasn’t got much power over this violence. It is Lungu who has power). Uyo ino nshita nakwata amaka mpaka August ilyo akacita (for now he has power until August when he hands over) to the newly elected president,” Bwalya who mixed Bemba and English added. “Elyo tengakwata amaka, but ino inshita eulingile ukucinja (only then he will not have power but this time he (Lungu) is supposed to change the situation). Pantu kuti alandafye one day fyonse ifi kuti fyapwa. Violence kuti yapwa! (He can only speak once and all this can come to an end. Violence can stop!).”
And Bwalya asked the two political leaders to use this period of mourning for reconciliation.
Zambia is observing a 21-day national mourning following the death of founding president Dr Kenneth Kaunda who passed away on June 17. Dr Kaunda, 97 will be buried on July 7.
“Before tatula shika ba tata ba, buleni aba bantu mubabike pamo tupange icibote. Pantu iyi 21 days babika ici nga tacicitike, tapali uko tuleya (bring these two people together so that we make peace). Because, if this does not happen in these 21 days, then we are not going anywhere); it’s meaningless.”
Bwalya said mourners who will be coming from outside the country should not witness violence as it might dent the country’s image.
“Tulefwaya ilyo baleisa nama international mourners bakasange Zambia ili mu cibote (we want these international mourners to find the country in peace). Pali ino nshita (right now) Zambia is in pieces; the country is in turmoil. Twapapaata, Zambia taili mu mutende it’s in pieces (we beg, Zambia is not at peace),” said Bwalya. “The man (Kaunda) we will be burying has left One Zambia One Nation slogan. We don’t want him to leave Zambia in pieces. No! Tulefyaya taata (Kaunda) ilyo aleya mukutusha asha iyi ine One Zambia One Nation iya ikatakana (we want when our father (Kaunda) is being put to rest, he should leave the same One Zambia One Nation slogan intact).”