STATEMENT: HH ORDERS THE EVICTION OF HON. GIVEN LUBINDA FROM NCWALA
26th February, 2022.
We wish to inform our members and the general public that our Party Acting President, Hon. Given Lubinda has unceremoniously been evicted from the Ncwala Ceremony on the instruction of President Hakainde Hichilema.
In recognition of the importance we attach to traditional ceremonies and from the stand point of the cordial and mutually respectful relationship that has existed between His Royal Highness, Nkosi ya Mankosi, Paramount Chief Mpenzeni and the PF, our party put together a high powered delegation led by our Acting President to attend the ceremony.
When we arrived at Mtenguleni venue, our Acting President was ushered to his seat by Mr Noel Nkoma (patron of the organising committee) upon which the arrival of our Acting President was recognized and announced by the Director of ceremonies.
Our Acting President was placed at the very end of the front row in the VVIP dignatories’ pavilion.
Odd enough and much to our chagrin, after an hour and just when the arrival of the Republican President, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema was announced, Mr Noel Nkoma approached our Acting President telling him that he had been instructed by a senior security officer of the Republican President that our Acting President was being asked to leave!
Our Acting President requested to speak to the concerned officer who had issued the instructions for Hon Lubinda to leave! Upon which Assistant Superintendent D Mwanza came along and informed our Acting President that he was commanded to ensure that our Acting President was made to leave saying that they did not want any confusion to take place where the Republican President would be. Asked by our Acting President as to who was making such commands and what confusion was being anticipated, Mr Mwanza angrily retorted that he was not to be asked any questions and threatened our Acting President that he was going to moved forcibly if he did not oblige. After a back and forth argument, our Acting President decided against a protracted altercation and proceeded to leave the arena. This prompted all members of the PF delegation who included myself to follow suit. Much as we had the capacity to resist the ejection, we elected to be civil about it for the sake of harmony and for observing the decorum deserved by Your Royal Higness and the ceremony.
His Royal Highness Chief Maguya was alerted of the development and he tried to intervene to no avail.
Out of respect for the Paramount Chief Mpezeni we had no choice but to leave.
It is very unfortunate that President Hichilema and the UPND have disregarded the very timely theme of the Ncwala ceremony namely ‘Promoting Healing, Unity and Reconciliation’.
We want to register our gratitude towards the people at the ceremony for the overwhelming welcome they accorded our delegation. On the streets of Chipata and outside the arena, Our delegation was overwhelmed with the attention, greetings, words of solidarity and encouragement. And during the hour that our Acting President was on his seat, he was besieged by numerous people who were paying tributes to him and taking selfies with him. We are proud of this show of solidarity to our leader.
We sincerely thank His Royal Highness Paramount Chief Mpenzeni and the Organising Committee for the invitation and we stand ready to attend future events believing that such an occurrence shall not recur.
We wish to advise President Hichilema to realise that the time for politics of vengeance and hatred is long gone. He must realise that he is now President of the Republic of Zambia and he has a solemn duty to preach and practice politics of love, unity and togetherness.
Issued by
Nickson Chilangwa, MP, MCC, AIH
Acting Secretary General
Patriotic Front