LUNGU FEELS NO PRESSURE
… he’s keeping himself busy by reading, gardening – Bowman
By Kombe Mataka
FORMER Lusaka Province minister, Bowman Lusambo says former president Edgar Lungu feels very young because he is no longer facing pressures of governance which he did while in State House.
Commenting on his recent visit with his wife Nancy to Lungu, Lusambo said the former head of state was now concentrating on his life.
“It was very good. We found president Edgar Chagwa Lungu in very high mood as usual and we interacted mainly on family matters. He was very excited to see the twins that were named after him and his wife [Esther] because he last saw them when they were babies. He was very excited to see them in this state,” Lusambo said.
“He was asking if they have started school. I told him ‘no’ and that three (years) would be okay. As you could see from the pictures I had with him, there were newspapers, he told me that he was keeping himself busy by reading, going to church and also doing gardening. He is being visited by family members and local leaders as well.”
Lusambo stressed that Lungu had done so much for him and his family.
“He was even saying I feel very young because there is nothing like being called that ‘there are floods in Kanyama, the mealie meal prices have gone up; the fuel prices have gone up’. He said ‘now I am just concentrating on my life’. So, he was very excited,” he narrated.
“We will never forget about his family whether in good or bad situations. It is a family that has come to be part of our family. When I went to see him, he knew that I was coming from court. He asked me, ‘how is it going’? I told him ‘your excellency they (prosecution) are not ready. We have been told to go back on the 6th of April’. He told me ‘apashili ninshi tapali’ (when there is nothing, there is nothing). By the way, he is always glued to TV especially Parliament TV because it is his nature. Even when he was in State House, he was always on TV, checking on what his MPs and ministers are doing. He told me that he was excited when he heard that ConCourt (Constitutional Court) ruled in favour of the PF over the Mkushi North seat held by Hon Christopher Chibuye.”
Lusambo said people thought he would cease to be Lungu’s ‘bootlicker’ but were amazed that he has maintained his loyalty.
He said loyalty was important in politics, no matter the circumstances.
“In politics, loyalty is everything. I remember the late [Michael] Sata telling ministers and district commissioners. He told them ‘you don’t know what loyalty is. I will bring Bowman to teach you what loyalty is’. Even those people that want to work with President Hakainde Hichilema, he sees the character of people from the way they are treating the leaders of the parties where they are defecting from, he will then know the people to work with and the people he can trust,” Lusambo said.
“If he is an intelligent President, he will know. They cannot be loyal to him if they are not loyal to their former leaders. Loyalty defines a man. That is why I am questioning those who are crossing over. What do you want? What value are you taking to the UPND? Even UPND, when they are receiving defectors, let them ask them ‘why are you joining us now?’ It’s not just about democracy is about numbers! Yes, it is about numbers but you are supposed to have people who have interest in what you are doing. Not just interest in financial benefits. Even the UPND they worked to be where they are. It’s not necessary to defect but strengthen your organisation.”
He said he could not remove Lungu from his political career.
Lusambo vowed to keep PF fully functional and hoped that the former ruling party would get back to power.
“My future is bright when I am with the (former) head of state [Lungu] because he is the one who has been grooming me. He is the shaper of my political career and I will never run away from him. He will always be in my political journey. Look we are in a democratic country,” said Lusambo.
“I like the politics of America where the Democrats have to push the agenda of their party and the Republicans too. I want to see a situation whereby in Zambia, despite having many political parties, when they are of UPND they should be able to vote PF back. It’s not like everything we did was wrong. I don’t want PF to die. If PF dies, we are killing our democracy. This issue of leaving one political party to join another has to come to an end.”