I WAS MISUNDERSTOOD FOR COMMENTING ON REGIONAL VOTING IN ZAMBIA
…I am NOT a Tribalist – Dr. Chishimba Kambwili
Lusaka, Thursday, January 26, 2023 ( Smart Eagles )
I have never been and will never be a tribalist, PF presidential Hopeful Dr. Chishimba Kambwili as said.
Dr Kambwili lamented that when he talked about tribal voting prior to 2021 elections, a lot of people called him a tribalist.
He however explained that Zambia needs all the tribes in the country if it is to develop.
The potential PF Leader said this when he addressed the media at his residence in Lusaka today.
“When we are talking about politics, let’s not bring in the issue of tribe. We should never bring in the issue of tribe because in this country we need each other. We need the people of Southern Province, we need the people of Western Province, we need the people of Northwestern Province, we need the people of Central Province, Copperbelt, Northern, Luapula, we are all Zambians,” he said.
“And our prime concern must be to unite all the regions through our motto One Zambia One Nation. When there is a problem, let us face the problem and not bring in the issue of tribalism. During the last elections when I spoke about regional voting, tribal voting, people started calling me a tribalist.”
Dr Kambwili also gave a list of how many people of other tribes got married to his siblings.
“I have never been a tribalist and I will never be a tribalist. For your own information, four of my brothers and sisters are married to Tongas. My young Chisanga married a Tonga, my young sister Sampa who is the last born is married to a Tonga, my young sister Lombe is married to a Tonga, my elder brother pastor Kambwili’s first wife was Lozi so we believe in diversity of tribes,” he said.
“So to label me as a tribalist is unfortunate… I don’t want to encourage demeaning any tribe in this country because in diversity we can succeed.”
And commenting on the reassignment of the former Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya, Dr Kambwili said if it would be unfortunate if the speculations that the basis of Mr Bwalya’s reassignment is on tribal lines are true.
He said no single person in the country has ever chosen to be born in the tribe they are born.
“I have seen on social media people speculating, that it is his tribe… if it is that we need to avoid that because we need all the tribes in this country. And we need to work together as 73 tribes of Zambia. So I hope and trust that it has nothing to do with tribe. If it has to do something with tribe, please, let us stop it,” he said.
“Bembas, Tongas, Kaondes, Namwangas, Nsengas, Kundas, whatever tribe, we all need each other. And in life, you don’t choose to be born Bemba, you don’t choose to be born Lamba, we just find ourselves being born in those tribes.”