REMARKS BY ZAMBIA’S SIXTH PRESIDENT, DR. EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU, DURING THE FIRST MEMORIAL FOR THE LATE TUTWA NGULUBE, FORMER PF MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR KABWE CENTRAL, IN KABWE ON 9TH DECEMBER 2023
SALUTATIONS
EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO, MY WIFE ESTHER AND I JOINED A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHO TURNED UP TO WITNESS THE BURIAL OF TUTWA SANDANI NGULUBE.
IT IS STILL DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT TUTWA, THAT GALLANT LAWYER, BUSINESSMAN AND POLITICIAN, IS DEAD JUST LIKE IT WAS ONE YEAR AGO WHEN HIS DEATH OCCURED.
HIS DEATH WAS AS PAINFUL THEN AS IT IS TODAY.
HOWEVER, TODAY WE GATHER HERE NOT TO MOURN AND GROAN ABOUT TUTWA’S DEATH BUT TO CELEBRATE HIS YOUNG LIFE. TUTWA DIED AT A VERY TENDER AGE OF 43 AND YET HIS ACHIEVEMENTS IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF LIFE WERE LIKE THOSE OF A MAN IN HIS SEVENTIES.
OF COURSE THERE ARE SO MANY ASPECTS WE CAN TOUCH ON AS WE EULOGISE TUTWA. BUT TIME CANNOT ALLOW US BECAUSE IF WE WERE TO DO THAT, WE COULD REMAIN HERE FOR HOURS ON END JUST RECOUNTING THE GOOD MEMORIES ABOUT YOUNG TUTWA SANDANI NGULUBE.
FOR THIS REASON, I CHOOSE JUST TO TALK ABOUT TUTWA’S RARE BRAVERY IN EVERYTHING HE DID.
INDEED, TUTWA EXHIBITED EXTRA-ORDINARY COURAGE WHETHER IN HIS PRACTICE OF THE LAW OR POLITICS. HE WAS FEARLESS. HE HAD SUCH A SPINE!
MY FRIENDS FROM KOPALA WOULD SAY, ‘TUTWA ALI NA NERVE!’ YES, TUTWA DID NOT FEAR ANYONE AND ANYTHING WHEN IT CAME TO THE DEFENCE OF HIS CHERISHED PRINCIPLES.
WE ALL REMEMBER HOW HE FACED, IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, THOSE WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS TODAY WHEN THEY SENSELESSLY DECLARED ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE THAT THEY DID NOT RECOGNISE OR RESPECT OCTOBER 18 AS DAY OF PRAYERS AND RECONCILIATION BECAUSE IT WAS A DAY WHEN WILFULL SINNERS CONGREGATED.
WHAT AN ABOMINATION!
WE ALSO REMEMBER HOW TUTWA DARINGLY WANTED TO KNOW WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THAT NONSENSE, A FEW MONTHS OR WEEKS BEFORE HE DIED.
I WILL COME BACK TO THAT NONSENSE SHORTLY.
BUT LET ME, FOR NOW, SAY THAT OUR COUNTRY – IN ITS CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS – NEEDS THE COURAGE AND TOUGHNESS OF TUTWA NGULUBE. YES, OUR YOUTHS ESPECIALLY NEED TO REFLECT THE TOUGHNESS THAT EXISTED IN THAT YOUNG BOY TUTWA.
THE BEMBAS SAY “PAFWA BANTU, PASHALA BANTU.” THEREFORE, I AM CONFIDENT THAT MANY TUTWAS WILL EMERGE AND CONTINUE WITH HIS COURAGE AND BRAVERY IN FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS GOOD AND AGAINST THE BAD IN ZAMBIA TODAY.
TUTWA DID NOT DIE IN VAIN. WE CAN ONLY HONOUR HIM IN DEATH IF WE DID WHAT HE LOVED AND CHERISHED THE MOST, ESPECIALLY TO EMULATE HIS COURAGE AND TOUGHNESS.
NO DOUBT, THERE IS A LOT OF NONSENSE GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY TODAY.
IF TUTWA WAS ALIVE, I AM SURE HE WOULD NOT BE ASKING ABOUT WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THIS NONSENSE BECAUSE EVERYONE, INCLUDING TODDLERS, CAN CLEARLY SEE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE NONSENSE.
TUTWA, TODAY, WOULD BE AGGRESSIVELY CONFRONTING THE ONE IN CHARGE OF THIS NONSENSE POLITICALLY AND LEGALLY.
TUTWA IS GONE BUT I SEE MANY OTHER TUTWAS COMING UP TODAY IN EMULATING HIS COURAGE.
SO I SAY TO TUTWA, CONTINUE TO REST IN PEACE MY YOUNG MAN AND DON’T ASK WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THIS NONSENSE. ZAMBIANS KNOW WHO IS BEHIND THE NONSENSE AND THEY WILL DEAL WITH HIM.
YES, ZAMBIANS WILL RESIST ALL MANNER AND DESPERATE ATTEMPTS AT KILLING DEMOCRACY. THEY WILL RESIST THEIR ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE DICTATORSHIP ON ZAMBIANS.
RIGHT NOW, THESE SCARED LEADERS IN GOVERNMENT ARE DOING ALL THE SILLY THINGS TO PROVOKE US INTO SOME REACTION WHICH THEY INTEND TO USE IN JUSTIFYING THEIR DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY SO THEY CAN SUPPRESS AND OPPRESS CITIZENS UNCHECKED.
WE KNOW THEIR IMINGALOTOS AND WE WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO TAKE ZAMBIANS ON A RIDE.
AS I CONLUDE, I SAY TO TUTWA:
CONTINUE TO REST IN PEACE MY DEAR LAWYER AND BROTHER. YOU RAN YOUR RACE WITH HONOUR, DIGNITY AND INTEGRITY.
WELL-MEANING ZAMBIANS WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. THEY WILL HONOUR YOU WITH THEIR DETERMINATION TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND ZAMBIA’S THRIVING DEMOCRACY.
ALUTA CONTINUA !!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
