[By Mike Mwansa]
THE leader of the United Movement for Kola Bemba Kingdom has rubbished the appointment Professor Nkandu Luo as President Edgar Lungu’s running mate in the August 12 Presidential and General Elections.
Boniface Besa Bwalya observes that the appointment is meant to silence those who have complained about President Lungu calling Bembas thieves.
The movement has reminded the Head of State that Bemba speaking people are still wounded by his words.
Bwalya says the person President Lungu has picked for running mate has no works with the Bemba people of Northern Province.
“As the United Movement for Kola Bemba Kingdom we are trying to tell ba Lungu that the person he has picked as the running mate has got no work for the Bemba people. This one is not a Bemba, this one is a Bisa,” he told The Mast.
Bwalya said President Lungu wants to use Prof Luo as an element to silence the Bembas whom he injured with his words.
“How can Lungu get Nkandu Luo as the running mate? This is a wrong element which they want to use to silence the issue of calling us Bembas ba kabwalala (thieves). We cannot accept that,” he said. “As Lungu and Luo come to campaign in Bembaland, whatever they bring, get them but on the day of voting remember that you are a Bemba who was been called a thief at a forum and that Nkandu Luo has caused a lot of damage to the students of Zambia.”
He charges that Prof Luo was an enemy of free education who has caused pain among students.
“Nkandu Luo is an enemy of free education in Zambia, and learning institutions like the University of Zambia and other higher learning institutions [can remember this]. I’m calling on all the students from higher learning institutions not to vote for Lungu and Luo,” Bwalya said.
He said his statement over a week ago urging Bemba speaking people not to vote for President Lungu because he called them thieves had received support from Bembaland.
“I have not received any threats but instead I have support from the Bembaland. I’m a leader of the Kola Bemba Kingdom Movement of Northern Province and I’m a citizen of this country who can say anything especially on issues I’m aggrieved on. I cannot therefore accept any threats from anyone because I’m a leader,” he said.
Bwalya said he would not accept any response coming from the government because the issue had taken time to be addressed.
“Since the government hasn’t responded from the time we issued the statement a week ago, any response which will come I will not accept. This issue seems to be taking time for it to be attended to. This battle has been fought for three years so far,” said Bwalya.