I am not a hired gun – Milles Sampa
MILES Sampa has swatted away widespread rumours that his recent political moves are motivated by fat cheques from President Hakainde Hichilema and former Head of State Edgar Lungu.
In the last week, Sampa has been at the center of massive political drama and controversy that has seen him meet with Lungu and dismissal of his right hand man Morgan Ng’ona as party Secretary General as well as Robert Chabinga from his position as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
With rumours flying around that Sampa is nothing more than a politicalprenur, his meeting with Lungu and sudden change of heart was the ultimate proof of the suspicions.
But speaking when he featured on Diamond TV last evening, Sampa said he was an independent politician who did not need to be paid by anyone to practice his politics.
Sampa said all the wealth he has made was not from politics, but through his successful career as a banker.
“There was nothing promised to me by President Hakainde Hichilema or former president Edgar Lungu, anytime, or anywhere, those are fake stories, I do as I see right for the people of Zambia.
“I was even hearing that Miles was given $5 million, I don’t Know by who…I have never touched that kind of money, even the courtesy call by ECL, I saw the article that I was given US$100,000 and I laughed together with him,” said Sampa.
Sampa added that the relationship he shares with President Hichilema is a neutral one, simply because he was first to recognise him as the Republican President.
“He won, and I respect him from that angle and I give him objective checks and balances but there is nothing I was given.”
Sampa emphasised that he was not the poorest of all those who joined politics as he has his own money, from the successful banker career.
“I didn’t come in politics to make decisions because am being given money, if anything, it’s me who gives money. So any decision I make is based on the betterment of the party. I’m an accomplished banker. I could have stayed out of politics, I ddnt make one Ngwe from politics, if anything I have lost a lot of personal fortunes in politics. “
“So I am not in politics to make money but to offer service and leadership to help people. Even to ascend to this position of president of PF was to help the party when I thought it was being stolen from within, so if ever you said can you give it up, I’m not on this position to stay forever,” Sampa said.
And responding to Lungu and Mafinga Member of Parliament, Robbert Chabinga’s earlier declarations as both being PF president, Sampa said the two individuals, and anyone else claiming to be party president should enrol for free education to understand the party constitution.
On the future of the party, Sampa said the PF’s future will be based on unity alone.
“One agreement is one PF, one love, the party comes first and every individual second so we will isolate anyone who is not for unity like Ng’ona and Chabinga because the future of the party is unity. If it’s Ng’ona, he has missed his luck,” he said.
He further indicated that he is also ready to step down from his position of president, if the party does not find him as the capable candidate to win them the 2026 general glections.
“So if there’s anytime that we are going into elections in 2026, if the party thinks, ahh you cannot make us win, it is this one, don’t narrow it to president Lungu, then why not, I will give the position to anyone I am told to give it to because what the party wants is what I will do.
“The party wanted me to go and check on Lungu and I went, we were supposed to stay for 20 minutes but we ended up talking for more than 3 hours because that is what brothers do and there was no talk on anything aside our days of campaign,” Sampa said.
He continued to say, government was never involved in the process of him becoming PF president, as he only did so to save the party from inner individuals who wanted to steal it.
“We held the general confrence and government was not there. There was a vacuum, president Lungu resigned, and the only way to have one was to hold a general conference, also, the only way you can remove Miles Sampa is hold a general conference and vote me out, or if I resign or die because a general conference can only be held if there is vacancy of president, and right now there is non,” added Sampa.
By Buumba Mwitumwa
Kalemba July 6, 2024