JACK Kalala has advised information minister Dora Siliya to stop campaigning for President Edgar Lungu because he does not qualify to stand in next year’s elections.
Recently, Siliya went on rampage in Eastern Province campaigning for President Lungu on tribal lines.
She told village headmen in Sinda district to vote massively for President Lungu because he hails from that region.
Several stakeholders have condemned Siliya for championing tribalism instead of uniting the country.
But Kalala, a former State House special assistant for policy and project implementation and monitoring, said it was shameful that a cabinet minister should waste time campaigning on tribal lines for someone who did not even qualify.
“Politics should not divide us. Politics should unite us in diversity. Political parties should be vehicles through which we should exercise our democratic and constitutional rights to participate in the governance of our country. But these vehicles should not be recklessly used to lead us to self-destruction as a nation,” he said. “In any case, Hon. Siliya should not waste her breath to campaign for President Lungu since he does not qualify to stand in 2021 as our Republican Constitution does not allow him since he has already been sworn in and held office twice. We will not allow him to abuse the Constitution for him to serve a 3rd term. If Hon. Siliya wishes she can aspire to stand for the presidency in 2021, but certainly not President Lungu. We will not allow him to violate our sacred Constitution.”
Kalala wondered what had gone wrong with Siliya who should have been discouraging tribalism as a senior public officer.
“Actually, there is no Zambian who can honestly claim to have no blood relatives from other tribes or regions. Personally I have blood relatives from all the provinces of Zambia. Could it be that Hon. Dora Siliya is a queer rare Zambian breed where all of her family relatives, including in-laws, are a careful selection of Nsengas only and have no traces of connection of any other Zambian tribe or region? It would be strange, should that be the case,” Kalala said.
“I wish to earnestly appeal to all Zambian across the country to reject tribal politics and politicians promoting tribalism. Leaders should be voted for on the basis of what they will do for mother.”
He urged President Lungu to dismiss ministers that promoted tribalism.
Kalala said a person should not be voted based on their tribe but ability to deliver for the people.
“It has become common for senior PF leaders, in particular Cabinet ministers, to urge people in their so-called strongholds to vote on tribal lines. This trend is not only shallow but also dangerous to national unity, peace, stability and indeed development of our beautiful country.
People need to be urged to vote for a person to the position of Republican President on his ability and competence to develop the country for all citizens to benefit. The tribe or the region of origin should not be the qualification and should have nothing to do for a person to be elected Republican President,” he said. “The Republican President should be there for each and every citizen, and should endeavour to develop every part of the country. If, as stated by Hon. Dora Siliya, President Lungu has indeed been concentrating on developing Eastern Province where he is alleged to have originated and neglecting other provinces, that has been wrong of him and he does not deserve to continue to be Republican President. A Republican president is not a tribal chief or village headman. He is a national leader who should ensure that no single part of the country is left out in development for each and every Zambian to benefit and lead a decent life. No citizen should be victimised on the basis of his tribe or region of origin. Zambia needs a president who will strive to build a united and coherent nation with a view to make Zambia a wonderful country to live in. We need a united country where all the citizens will live in peace and harmony with nationhood pride.”
And Kalala asked Siliya if she also wanted people from other regions to raise their own candidates and vote for them.
He also reminded her that each province had resources that contributed to the national coffers.
“It should be stated that the resources that the government uses to run the country are a collective contribution of all Zambians. Why should then some people be denied development on the basis of their tribe or region after having made their contribution to the national treasury through taxes and other means? President Lungu does not use his personal resources, ‘akasaka ka ndalama’, to develop Zambia. National resources do not belong to the Republican President but to all citizens of Zambia and for them to benefit. Where does the bulk of the electricity that is used to run the wheels of the economy of our country and what we use in our homes come from? Where do the mineral resources that generate the bulk of government revenues come from?” asked Kalala. “Should areas that produce these resources be denied development because the Republican President happens to come from Eastern Province, which should be given priority? No! If, indeed, it has been President Lungu’s practice to give priority to Eastern Province where he is alleged to have come from, why then should people from other regions vote for him to continue to be their President when he is going to deny them development? Certainly there would be no reason or logic for them to vote for a person who will them ignore them. Can Hon. Dora Siliya explain why should Lambas, Luvales, Lundas, Kaondes, Ushis, Lalas, Tabwas, Lozis and many other tribes vote for President Lungu while knowing very well that he will not give them development because they do not originate from Eastern Province?”