By Kombe Mataka
NEWLY appointed High Commissioner to Namibia Stephen Katuka says he refused to accept a job offer from former president Edgar Lungu to serve in foreign service because he knew it would come his way through Hakainde Hichilema.
Katuka is among the diplomats President Hichilema appointed and swore-in on Friday.
Katuka told The Mast that had he been childish, he would have betrayed President Hichilema by opting for a job from Lungu
“It was not easy to survive in the opposition in the last three to seven months. Imagine, I would have been sent into foreign service by Edgar Lungu. That offer came my way with a package prepared for me. If I was childish, I would have gone but the words I said when I declined have come to pass,” he said. “I told them ‘look, I don’t see why I should be sent in foreign service by the PF because I was not their member and I do not want to betray this man (HH) for no reason. There is nothing wrong he has done to me’. I told them ‘if I accept this appointment, I will be the first one to be recalled when there is change of government’. Imagine what would have happened today! I told them ‘if I was ever meant to go in foreign service, it will come my way in a normal manner’. And here it is. So patience pays.”
And Katuka, who has been the UPND’s national chairperson until his diplomatic appointment, said the party secretariat would not have challenges even without his input because it has a lot of people that will take up his position.
“I was not the chairman throughout. You remember, I was secretary general for the past six years before I was elevated to chairman of the party. There was another person before me. Now, there is another person who has taken over from me,” Katuka explained.
He said the strength and growth of the party was dependent on how it would restructure itself.
Meanwhile, Katuka said he was going into Namibia to explore the party vision of economic diplomacy.
“I believe there are a lot of people now waiting to join the party. And the governing body, the [national management committee] NMC, will sit down to see to that. The President has said time and again that when he appoints us, we are party deployees, it is the party deploying us in those positions. So, where are we coming from? It is from the party. So, all of us must realise we belong to the party and must do everything and anything possible to support the party and help it grow. I am happy the President described us as freedom fighters. That is exactly what we are,” said Katuka. “It is a call to duty. There are many Zambians, and among the many Zambians, being picked to serve is a blessing. I want to thank the President for the appointment. It has come at the right time. We have to establish linkages that will benefit the Zambian people. Initially we were thinking when you are in foreign service, it is time to go and relax but there is a lot of work to be done for the good of this country. I know too well that Zambia was considered landlocked but we believe it is land linked, which should be an added advantage to us.”
When swearing in Katuka, President Hichilema said Zambia and Namibia are next month expected to sign a memorandum of understanding for oil and gas.
“Part of my personal agenda is to lower the cost of energy…So that Kazungula Bridge means something to us. So we can improve this economy. That MoU means from there we must act. There is no issue of I’m not an economist. This is not economics. Just get that thing signed – it’s your priority. Before you dress nicely to go to cocktails, four times a week, remember that MoU,” President Hichilema guided High Commissioner Katuka. “We love you. We believe you will serve the people of Zambia. Many people want to be where you are today. But to address those concerns is to deliver.”