By CHRISPA MULENGA
GOSPEL artiste Kings ‘Malembe Malembe’ Mumbi has finally decided to respond to those who label him a PF cadre.
For some time now, there has been talk within and outside the church concerning King’s association with the ruling Patriotic Front. This has led to some sections of the Christian community in the country refusing to recognize Kings as a gospel artiste. They believe his music is more of social commentary and PF praise singing than gospel music.
But in an interview with The Church Newspaper, the artiste insisted that he is very much a gospel artiste.
“The thing is there are talents or giftings which when you have them, only rich people will look for you. There are also gifts when you have them, only poor people will look for you. There are other gifts which when you have them, only your tribesmen will look for you. But there are gifts which when you have them, all men will look for you.
“And that’s the gift of Jesus. The wisdom he had…all men looked for him. So, I have come to understand that my gift is not just for certain individuals or certain families or certain tribes. It’s for all men…starting for people above me, people who are learned, king and queens and that’s the gift I have. I don’t control the gift, the gift controls me. And that’s what people don’t understand. All the people fighting me…busy saying I am not a gospel artiste, it’s because I have got something different which other people don’t have,” explained Kings.
When this reporter asked him whether it would be right to describe him a PF praise singer, Kings responded in the negative.
“It’s not correct to say I am a praise singer for PF. They should put a question to other parties, why don’t they invite us? Is it because they don’t like gospel? Because wherever we go, we are invited. Is it that PF loves gospel than any other parties? And that has been my conclusion. There is no one who is peace preacher than the gospel artiste. Any politician who puts the gospel infront is actually a symbol of peace,” he stated.
Asked further if he felt comfortable mingling with foul-mouthed party carders, Kings said he had no qualms with that.
“Me, I am a field worker. I want to be where the carders. You see, carders need the gospel. The gospel is not for Christians. It’s not for righteous people. It’s for sinners. That question people ask ati ‘why I am always with carders. That’s a Pharisee kind of thinking! Because they too asked Jesus why he was always with sinners,” explained Kings.
Asked further if his activities in the PF were not exactly what he was condemning in his ‘Sobelenge’ hit song which he released more than a decade ago, Kings claimed the two scenarios were different.
“That song ‘Sobelenge’….hmmmmm……hmmmm. Anyway, even you as a journalist, If I can ask you, have I ever done any song for the PF? I have never sang for the president. Singing for someone is where you get their name and sing what they do. We are called to sing BEFORE them, we are not called to sing FOR them. When I am singing in church, I am singing before people….you hear me? I am not singing for them. That is the scripture…your gift will take you before great men. So, when we are before great men, we sing gospel songs before them. So, singing before and sing for are two different things. I have never done any song for PF or UPND. So, I don’t sing for Ba Lungu, I sing before Ba Lungu,” he explained.
When further pressed to explain why some Zambians accuse only him of being a PF carder and not any other gospel artiste, Kings said it’s the people who accuse him of being a cadre who are actually party cadres.
“Infact, the people who call me a PF carder, it is themselves who are carders because they are already aligned on party lines. So, when they see me on a PF platform, to them, it’s an injury,” said Kings.
When asked further why he doesn’t also spread the ‘gospel’ on opposition UPND platforms, Kings claimed that like Paul in the Bible, he wasn’t called to minister to everyone.
Said Kings: “I can’t be everywhere. The Bible says we prophecy in parts. Paul wasn’t called to everyone. Paul was only called to the gentiles. So, there was no way other people will say ‘Why didn’t Paul come to us?’ He was called to the gentiles. So, the other parties, you leave it to God. God will raise His own people to do other things. So, I shouldn’t just sit down and say ‘I will be labeled.’ My duty is to torch a soul. When I touch one soul, if its that of cadre or President Lungu, I am satisfied.” – The Church Newspaper