MULENGA SATA THREATENED TO BURN ME AND MY FAMILY-FORMER LUDLSAKA MAYOR
About Mulenga Sata / ECL 10th Memorial Statements:
Firstly I have been in hibernation Politically, So I didn’t even know where the Memorial will be held coz social medial pulled me left right and centre until I called my trusted source who explained that there are actually two memorial services.
On my mind, I asked myself, “What the hell is going on?”
Our great leader died 10 years ago. Why now two services?
To cut the story short I got drawn to a statement by Ba Mulenga Sata on ECL!
Firstly Politics aside but background history!
If there is anyone who should know ba Edgar Lungu better is ba Mulenga bene because, in Rhodes Park, at Farmers House naku Nkwazi Kwine ba MULENGA was there and very well knew bonding yaba Cobra and ba Edgar!
He could listen even to the lowest whisper.
I personally feel that it’s not ECL’s intention to shun both events. He has been put in a very tight corner and what is worse even by pipo that he genuinely forgave and helped.
1. My Experience;
When the King Cobra died I was Mayor, I was his last born in leadership, Mulenga was in UK naba Mayo bana Kaseba and others.
When the body arrived at the then Lusaka International Airport, me personally I knew what I saw days before. New President’s Campain in making.
It got us shocked that Pipo were already staged to get anointed like a monarchy, I didn’t agree to that because it was too early.
If anything, ECL never publicly harboured intentions for being President, he was a very quite person.
I was chairing the First Lusaka City Council of the PF Government where the President MCS was also a Councillor ( Alderman), Vice President Guy Scott, Minister of Justice, Minister of Lands, Miles Sampa, Prof Nkandu Luo ( Edu) ECL then as Deputy Minister Office of the VP, Hon Gerry Chanda D Minster Home Affairs and Minister of Finance ba Chikwanda.
Now imagine being a Chair amongst these highly accomplished personalities.
As for Mulenga Sata, he was then just a councillor kwa Bauleni.
2. My Personal Encounter With Mulenga Sata:
Fast forward, my deputy then was Theresa Funga, Councilor for Matero ward who was later sent into foreign service where after a few Months she died.
Mulenga Sata became the Deputy Mayor of Lusaka after a narrow win against Shakafuswa Christopher, current MP for Mandevu Constituency and late Kapapula .How we helped him win is history.
3. When my term was ending, he whispered that the old man wanted him to take over my reign as new Mayor
I enquired from the old man who expressed ignorance on his so called endorsement from him but simply joked that your friends.
I convinced all councillors and we campaigned until he won, next he went on Chikwelete neck and Goodson banda ‘grabbing’ their district Title as big boss and a started running the Intercity thugs.
4. My term was coming to an end and I didn’t want to recontest as Mayor so I approached my brother Mulenga that I could support him as Mayor of Lusaka full time and in exchange I simply asked him to support me to run my last term as President For all Mayors in Zambian after running a successful term. ( For those who don’t know what being boss of all Mayors in Zambia means; Your bigger boss to all Mayors’, Town Clerks and Council Chairs in Zambia ( LGAZ).
He genuinely agreed.
After he won as Mayor, Mwebantu he changed his mind that he wanted to also be LGAZ boss( Ine shocked)
I reminded him about our deal-but he refused that such never existed!
He was the son of the Most powerful man in the land but I told myself that I did not have any more powers but I would go and defeat him in the elections in Solwezi LGAZ elections.
He was defiant and promised that I wasn’t going to win against him. My 3 days stay there
In Solwezi was horrific and scaring!
5. By the way for all those who knew me especially ba UPND ama mayors and Councilors then, in my term as LGAZ President I never chose a party, I sent a lot of current DCs in UPND to several countries , actually Hon Makwembo UPND big boss in Southern Province and most UPND local government leaders in Northwestern and Western Provinces can testify to that because I have the proof.
6. In Solwezi most Copperbelt journalist who are still alive know what happened and how I was pushed to withdraw from contesting when those jerabos led by Yongson ( MHSRIP ) stormed Solwezi and all I had was my voters and a driver.
Even with defiant opponent, it was impossible to stand, the other candidate Mr Munthali had to flee to the bushes and only resurfaced on Election Day to lose.
When a reporter asked me from Chengelo Radio, why am daring opposing the President’s Son! I told her that I was also a Son because the President was our Father.
Thereafter, he won the elections with serious jerabo intimidations presence.
Why did I withdraw at the last minute?
7. I received an anonymous call from his cadres from Lusaka that if before dawn I don’t withdraw, they would burn my ka house . Nemulanda, mfwile pali LGAZ?
8. In conclusion, We respect the Family’s decision and I don’t have a problem with that!
But as for Mulenga speaking if you asked me, he should have kept quite.
He ditched his dad’s Party three months after burial and went to join Uncle Bally, he again ditched Uncle Bally came begging before ECL. ECL listened, gave him a position as Minister of State House among others.
Right now, we don’t know which party he belongs to since he keeps changing.
9. Let me end my saying that we should as a Country emulate other countries by respecting our Former Heads of State.
I don’t like what am seeing happening to ECL.
And never will I ever take pride in seeing President HH being disrespected 5 years or even a decade from now.
Let us not create the Office of the President to be an office our future children shall fear to enter or rather contest because of previous historical harassments.
Ine nalanda epo Mpelele
It’s just a personal opinion mukwai
Author is Daniel Chisenga
Former Mayor of Lusaka
And Former Diplomat and Head of Mission Guanzhou, People’s Republic of CHINA