CHISHIMBA Kambwili has repeated his call for more people to register as voters and deal with what he termed as PF foolishness.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader was in Luanshya’s Mpatamato area to attend the funeral of one of his late officials, Amos Chewe.
Kambwili, who spoke mostly in Bemba, also noted that people in the area sniff for funerals so that they could help with expenses and later ask for votes from the people.
“Icimpapwishefye muno mu mushi wesu ukuciilishamo ku Roan Constituency abantu kukufwaya ukuba intungulushi, ukuba ba MP nomba balapepeka ifililo. Balingisha nabantu abakumona apali ifililo elyo nomba babutukila baya mukushita imbokoshi ya muntu uwo bashaishibe (What surprises me in our area, especially Roan Constituency, is that for some people in their quest to be leaders, to be MPs, they have started chasing after funerals. They have employed people to look for funerals so that they buy the coffin for a person they did not know),” he said. “Tatulekanya ukwafwa lelo ukucalula kwati kwangala, kwati nipamansansa. Uwafwa nabafika belelwila nokulwila ati uwalashita imbokoshi nine, awe chilya muleke. Te butungulushi bulya, buwelewele (We are not stopping people from helping, but it should not be treated as a child’s play. Whoever dies they’re already there, scrambling to buy the coffin; please stop it. That is not leadership but foolishness).”
Kambwili pledged to improve people’s lives when he becomes president of the country.
He said the PF were persecuting him because they were scared of his leadership.
Kambwili thanked the late Chewe for believing in him despite the persecution he has suffered from government.
“Banono sana abantu abacetekela umuntu munabo, ukucilishapo nga ali muma problems nga aya ndepitamo. Mwaliumfwa apa pakati nomba line naliya ku Germany (There are very few people who can believe in a person undergoing persecution such as what I’ve gone through. You heard that recently I had gone to Germany and I came back),” Kambwili said in apparent reference to jail. “Abengi nga baumfwa umuntu aya ku jele balabutuka abati icilonganino capwa. Lelo batata ba Chewe ni shimbi, intungulushi sha NDC balicetekele mubutungulushi bwandi, (When most people hear that someone has been sent to jail they run away; that it’s the end of the party. But my father, Mr Chewe is a pillar, an NDC leader who had faith in my leadership.”
Kambwili asked God to give long life to all former presidents, including President Lungu so that he shows them how to govern properly.
He promised Mpatamato residents that when he becomes president, “mwebalemoneka ukukashika ifi mukawama nge ndalama (those of you that look light will be bright like money)”.
He reminded mourners that when he contested for the position of member of parliament he did not take advantage of their predicament.
“Those doing such should be known. The Bible says you shall know them by their deeds. They think you are stupid and backward and that you are too poor to realise what they are doing since they have the money…Go and register to vote so that you teach them not to be stupid,” said Kambwili.
He urged Chewe’s family to remain united and uphold his legacy.