Former diplomat, Muhabi Lungu says it’s extremely dangerous to lie to the nation that some regions like Southern Province were excluded in the governance of the nation in previous regimes.
“This is a very dangerous lie to suggest that a certain group was excluded in governance, in leadership or in parastatal companies for 26 years,” a daily tabloid quotes Lungu as saying.
To think that an individual with absolute cognitive abilities is able to churn-out such untruths is mind-numbing! If we set the record straight, President Hichilema wasn’t just talking about Southern province when he made those remarks; he was actually referring to the entire Zambezi provinces – Western, North western and Southern provinces! And the previous regimes he was definitely alluding to weren’t the United Nation Independence Party (UNIP) or Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), but the Patriotic Front (PF)!
Stop insulting or mocking our intelligence Mr. Lungu, Sir; evidence of how your colleagues in PF sidelined people from the said regions in government appointments abounds. In my upcoming book, One Zambia One Nation; how various presidents have navigated around the issue since independence, I seek to demonstrate to which extent the recent regime desecrated the sanctity of our motto, “One Zambia One Nation” by completely ignoring certain ethnic groupings in government appointments. For the purpose of this rebuttal though, we’ll restrict ourselves to the issue of nominated MPs right from the Kaunda days to date.
There are basically two reasons why our forefathers inserted provision of nominated MPs into our Republican Constitution:
(1) To give room to a President to ‘head-hunt’ individuals with exceptional abilities and capabilities outside parliament in the event of the same being absent in the August House. That’s how Ng’andu Magande, a man who would demonstrate to be arguably the best Finance Minister, found himself at Manda hill from the diaspora!
(2) In case a particular political party fails to secure parliamentary seats in certain parts of the country; for the sake of fostering inclusivity in line with our motto, “One Zambia One Nation” a President may create space for individuals from such regions to promote national unity. A perfect example was when President Levy Mwanawasa nominated ex-service man, Lupando Mwape as MP and subsequently appointed him as his vice president. Readers may be keen to learn that his party, MMD was rejected in the northern parts of the country.
May we set the tone by considering the example our founding President Kenneth Kaunda set for us. KK, as he was fondly referred to, always ensured that his appointments to public offices reflected the ethnic diversity of our country – Lundas, Tongas, Bembas, Chewas, Kaondes and Luvales always found space in his administration. He never abused this privilege by roping-in every Jim and Jack as long as they traced their roots with him back to Chinsali! For instance, he would bring on board the likes of Professor Lameck Goma, a prolific scholar and excellent researcher and also Frederick Chomba, a brilliant legal mind. Others who cut theb list of nominees between 1988-1991 include distinguished military officers such as Malimba Masheke and Benjamin Mibenge and illustrious sons of the soil such as Fwanga Mulikita, Alex Shapi and Lazarus Tembo, a differently abled person.
Following the 1991 revolutionary elections that ushered MMD into power, the party failed to secure any seats in Kumawa – Eastern province! As it were, the region had overwhelmingly voted for UNIP. Did Frederick Chiluba give them a cold-shoulder, henceforth? Of course, not! Of his 8 nominees, 4 were from Eastern province. The list somehow looked like this – William Harrington, Katele Kalumba, Kabunda Kayongo, Mwami Maunga, Godfrey Miyanda, Zilole Mumba and Hosea Soko.
As respected scholar and historian, Sishuwa Sishuwa, put it in his article, “Leadership matters; Remembering Mwanawasa,” the former lawyer turned politician didn’t only ensure that every tribe was catered for, but also went after the finest brains! When the northern provinces denied him parliamentary seats, he co-opted in Lupando Mwape and also brought in brilliant fellows such as Ng’andu Magande, Mundia Sikatana, George Kunda, Kalombo Mwansa, Patricia Mulasikwanda, Ben Kapita and Daniel Munkombwe – ignore his politics of benefits rhetoric!
At a time when some of us ‘suspected’ akulu mpuno, Rupiah Banda would disappoint us by reinforcing the “Umodzi Kumawa” syndrome by giving them jobs, he surprised many of us by casting the net wider! While still maintaining some of his predecessor’s nominees, his choice of candidates wasn’t disappointing. The following were his nominated MPs: Vernon Mwanga, Kalombo Mwansa, Situmbeko Musokotwane, Chileshe Kapwepwe, Boniface Kawimbe, Daniel Munkombwe and George Kunda.
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! The Michael Sata led PF takes over power and everything goes haywire! Sata would literally throw caution and dignity to the wind by arrogantly or ignorantly neglecting to enhance national unity by exclusively nominating his Kith and Kin as MPs just as he would do with his cabinet! This was indeed a national scandal. Here was his choice of nominated MPs: Alexander Chikwanda, Panji Kaunda, Joseph Kasonde, Solomon Mbuzi, John Phiri, Robert Sichinga, Ngosa Simbyakula and Sebastian Zulu. Not a single representation from the Zambezi provinces! Nangula tapaswosa, sure?
After a barrage of criticism and scrutiny from some of us, Sata’s successor, Edgar Lungu would break with the ranks and try to normalise things although he’d still fail in other places. He came up with the following team: Davies Chama, Edify Hamukale, Richard Kapita, Nathaniel Mubukwanu, Felix Mutati, Joyce Nonde, Godfridah Sumaili and Catherine Namugala.
We now come to the man that his many opponents and detractors want to smear with a tag of tribalism no matter how hard he tries to balance his appointments in government. When touring the northern circuit recently for instance, he reiterated that if he didn’t believe in KKs philosophy of national unity, he wouldn’t have appointed cabinet ministers from the same region. Here’s a complete picture of his nominated MPs: Doreen Mwamba, Peter Kapala, Felix Mutati, Elias Mubanga, Likando Mufalali, Elisha Matambo, Mrs Mazoka and Elisha Matambo. The northern regions have claimed a Lion’s share of 5O%! What more should a man do?
Please, let’s give credit where it’s due! Mulekutika?
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
You have left out the institutions: ECZ, the courts, Police, Army, Civil service and the rest!! All headed by the Zambezi region.
HH threatened his members with expulsion from the party if they accepted nomination into the PF government.A few patriots like Monde defied Hichilema. Your man even refused to recognise the Zambian Republican Government and never attended any national events including the 24 October 1964 celebrations etc.
Don’t worry, your singing voice has not gone un-heard. A ministerial position in the foreign service may be in the post!!!
True PF criminals are dogs/mbuzi
Those who have blurd vision should buy reading glasses size 4 or 5 so that they can see and read between the lines.”Munsakwa”
You have a blurd vision, what did ba Sata said when he was asked as to why he left nominating one from Northwestern province?
Hahaha, he said ” I don’t deal with people but deal with brains”. Meaning no person from NW province was brilliant, educated, civilized, wise, or knowledgeable”.
No wonder he called Northwesterners as his ” door mats” . This still remains intact in what PF considered NW people.
So dear stop bragging over tribal remarks. PF was purely smelling tribalism even now you can point at how many Lunda/Luvale or Chokwe/ Nkoya has a big rank in PF =Zero.