By Sakwiba Sikota
CORNELIUS MWEETWA KNOWS THAT WE KNOW THAT HE KNOWS THAT WE KNOW THAT HE KNOWS
Edgar Chagwa Lungu (ECL) is a real nightmare.
As early as November 2021 UPND members and other organisations started orchestrating a crusade calling for the lifting of ECL’s immunity.
Cornelius Mweetwa on 21st November 2021 found it fit to say of ECL, “We do not have to sponsor anyone, we have the numbers in Parliament to lift President Lungu’s immunity if it was found that he did certain things beyond the restrictions of the law,”.
Mweetwa has been making it seem that UPND have no agenda of lifting President Lungu’s immunity or being fussed by ECL and his family. Mweetwa says this with the same cool demeanor that his namesake from “Live at the Apollo” Don Cornelius would use to talk people into a merry dance.
Mweetwa is truly the Don; Don Cornelius of Zambia.
However this was soon to change as in July 2022, Cornelius Mweetwa, ‘The Don’, found ECL’s statements to be “worrisome” and that government was “deeply concerned” with statements attributed to ECL. Lungu had better rush to Church and pray that Don Cornelius does not react to and settle “worrisome” issues in the manner that Sicilian Dons resolve matters.
On second thoughts, maybe ECL better not go to Church to pray as his Church attendances are viewed as “worrisome” by the UPND.
Don Cornelius and the UPND even find the jogging that ECL sometimes engages in as something that is “worrisome” and must be questioned and commented on. It seems that they just can’t let it be when it comes to ECL.
As recently as 25th April 2023 Don Cornelius said the UPND was keenly following former president Edgar Lungu’s activities and would soon release a dossier.
Earlier this year in April ECL met two influential Catholic Church leaders, namely Lusaka Diocese Archbishop Alick Banda and his predecessor Emeritus Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu. Prior to that Lungu also met with Brebnar Changala and Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa. All these meetings were clearly “worrisome” to the Don and his fellow party members.
Late in July this year Don Cornelius said by going to his farm while on leave, President Hakainde Hichilema was using his time prudently, and he then drew in ECL (who had made no comment at all on HH’s leave) by adding, “unlike Lungu who chose to party but was now renting a house from a footballer.”
Don Cornelius was also not happy when the street vendors started chanting “LUNGU! LUNGU! LUNGU!” when they were chased from the street. The chanting was spontaneous but the UPND felt that they could not just let ECL be and started attacking him over the chants.
Speaking at a press briefing, at the end of July this year, Don Cornelius explained that the party has received a lot of concerns on the Former Head of State’s movements and warned that if the movements are inspired by a political comeback, ECL risks losing his retirement benefits.
Realizing that this reaction did not sit well, tried to tamper it down by stating that they were not worried about the former President’s movement and that the government was working towards addressing the escalating mealie meal prices.
The UPND were keen to present a picture of being cool in the face of the rising food prices, “LUNGU !” chants and rockstar receptions ECL was receiving during his tours. A close look at that cool facade reveals that running down from behind the ears and down their backs is a Mosi-o-Tunya of cold sweat.
The only ones who seem to be taken in by the “cool” facade accompanying anything that the UPND will say and even believe whilst publicly declaring, “UPND bakulekafye!” are British High Commissioner to Zambia, HE. Mr. Nicholas Woolley who has now taken over from Sir Evelyn Dennison Hone who was the immediate past Governor of Northern Rhodesia.
The other believer is my ‘Gym Buddy’ US Ambassador Michael C. Gonzales who has graduated to be the American ‘Lone Ranger’ whoose Zambian sidekick version is called “HaTonto“.
As for the rest of us, it is clear that ECL whether going for a Jog, walking through a market, saying a little prayer in church, even just stopping over in Petauke or Chipata is always on Don Cornelius’ mind.
Inspite of what or how often Don Cornelius denies, it is clear that Former President Edgar Chafwa Lungu is a headache for the UPND and this is something that Cornelius Mweetwa knows that we know that he knows that we know that he knows.