Matambo’s language uncouth,can’t be supported – Musenge
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
‘WE will tie you with wires’ statement by Copperbelt minister Elisha Matambo is quite uncouth, he is preaching violence, says Mwenya Musenga.
Addressing UPND members on April 10 in Kabushi, Matambo who is also Copperbelt UPND chairperson said: “From today, we are not going to allow any stupidity of insulting the President. Let us stand up and defend the President. We have achieved a lot so go out and explain to the people what we, the administration, is doing. If other provinces fail to defend the President, Copperbelt will come and defend him.”
He said President Hichilema was an elderly person who has told the UPND to forgive.
Matambo said even Jesus Christ used to beat when he was not happy with people’s behaviour.
“Let us do politics, we are not stopping anyone to criticise. You can’t criticise free education, you can’t make this country ungovernable. We will tie you with wires,” warned Matambo.
But Musenge, a former Copperbelt minister, said Matambo had crossed the red line.
“The minister has jumped the red line. That language is quite uncouth and cannot be supported. President Hakainde Hichilema has done extremely well to tone down political violence. We have seen peaceful campaigns, caderism has been reduced to the minimum and that needs to be supported,” he said. “But if we can have a minister standing on top of the mountain preaching violence that minister needs to be dealt with. The President needs to quickly speak to him and tell him that this is not what the Zambian people want.”
Musenge said President Hichilema received a lot of insults when he was in the opposition but showed maturity.
“And we expect that he will stick by it knowing that he wants peace and love among the Zambian people. So Matambo’s language must be condemned to the fullest because a minister is the President’s disciple who must be very tolerant in the way he handles pressure. I was a minister in that office at once and I want to advise my good friend that the office goes with a lot of pressure. You will be insulted. You will be framed that you have stolen but you have to show a lot of restraint as you run that office,” he advised. “So the best our dear brother can do is to apologise and withdraw the statement forthwith and make sure that in future such talk is not repeated. It is like going to a beehive dressed in a protective gear but the way you handle the bees must be good because if you scamper them the innocent people not wearing protective gear will be stung and may die. Just because Matambo has that ministerial protective PPE (personal protective equipment) he thinks he can say anything but he should realise that innocent people may die or be injured.”
Musenge reminded Matambo that Zambia was a multiparty system and that a lot would be said especially against the UPND leadership.