By Dr Nevers Mumba
MY TAKE ON THE KK VIDEO ON HH PLANS TO SPLIT ZAMBIA
A debate has arisen on social media regarding a Video in which our founding President, Dr.Kenneth Kaunda is quoted as saying He cannot think of any other man in politics who is thinking of “splitting” Zambia apart from HH. (Whom he refers to as that man from Zimbabwe, then later Southern Province and he struggles to remember his name)
Obviously, the wide circulation of this video, mainly by political supporters of the PF, as well as other citizens, barely a day before elections would, and has, created anxiety.
As a person who knew Dr.Kaunda very closely,band as someone who equally knows Mr. Hakainde Hichilema quite well, I think I qualify to speak about this sensitive subject as follows:
#1. Let us allow President Kaunda to rest in peace. We burried and mourned him with honour and dignity and we recognised his contribution to maintaining the unity of our Country across Tribe.
Digging up this old contraversial video is both unfortunate and playing dangerous politics.
#2. Secondly, since the video is out, I would like to state that the statement made by Dr. Kaunda was probably based on a negative report given to him as is usually the case with Presidents and Former Presidents. In fact, I myself have received wrong Reports before. Also, I’ve had wrong and false reports about me sent to various sitting and past Presidents from time to time. In fact, this particular rant by our dear Dr.Kaunda does seem to be one resulting from such a case of him being ill informed, and is to be dismissed as nothing but old age bunter.
Why do I say so?
Firstly, I knew Dr.Kaunda personally and he brought me up as a Son. Dr Kaunda never saw himself as infallible and perfect. In fact , Dr.Kaunda was a man of like passions as all of us and he never, as far as I know, placed a burden on us the people of Zambia to ever take each and everyone of his statements and acts as being right and correct all the time. It therefore, would be very careless to assume that in his death, every statement he made, including this one, was to be revered and treated as the gospel truth.
In addition, in my life as a pastor for 44 years, I have quite some experience in caring for the aged and I know better than to take everything that our very senior citizens say as a POLICY direction and to this, Dr.Kaunda’s statement is no exception.
I remember that at the funeral of Nelson Mandela, Dr.Kaunda repeatedly referred to the former ruling party of South Africa as “The Boer Party”, a remark that angered some quarters.
However, it was understood by all that he probably meant no harm and that Dr. Kaunda came from a different generation that did it’s best to achieve unity in their own way.
It is therefore through a similar lense that I believe we must try and view this video.
Dr.Kaunda may have believed and said what he did at some point, before he had met and known the gentleman. His views about HH may have been at some point, informed by a bad report as I have shown above, but that doesn’t mean we as ZAMBIANS must agree with him. We all loved KK and yet in 1991, we all disagreed with him.
#3. I am Running for President in my own stead, and I therefore, have no agenda or motivation to save HH’s name. However, I have know Hakainde Hichilema personally, and I have campaigned and criss crossed the length and breadth of this country together with him and I can confidently say that:
DIVIDING THE COUNTRY IS NOT ONE OF HH’S PLANS OR IDEALS.
In fact, one thing we both share is a passion to unite our people, especially from the North and the South, as brothers and sisters.
We may compete politically, but in the interest of national unity, we meet on this singular principle.
Having said this, it is not my aim to speak against our departed Dr.Kaunda either, but I would like this generation of ZAMBIANS to be brave enough to chart our OWN path, and to feel free to find our answers to the difficult questions we face of poverty, disease, education, technology as well as cultural and tribal division. We believe that this is at the heart of every well meaning Zambian and is indeed the reason why I stand as presidential candidate in the coming election this Thursday.
So, even as that video (which is in copy here) is viewed, please remember that we do not want to plant or water the seeds of division in any way now or ever. And I believe that my brother and fellow candidate, HH does not either (in as far as i have known him).
Join me at 20 hours. I will be discussing this and other key topics as we head into Voting on Thursday.
I thank you!