SABOI IMBOELA, NDC ACTING PRESIDENT
By Emmanuel Chilekwa
5 May 2021
Who is Saboi Imboela? Some would mostly say she is only a mere musician. But is that all? Some would say she is a novice politician – really? But how many would vouch for her that she even has a Masters and PhD in politics and that she’s an ardent Believer with founded Christian values ? Is it any coincidence that the party she now heads, is the only political party whose ideology is centred on God, said as “LESA FYE EKA” (only God is supreme) evidenced by one finger pointing upwards to God?
Allow me to offload the little I have come to know about this hidden treasure, bastion of all round knowledge now offering her services in the practical field of politics.
For me, I see Saboi, my sweetheart as a woman with a long track record of guided divine destiny designed by God many many years ago but with a mission which even herself, did not plan for but Chess pieces are aligning themselves just in time and in order.
See this. For well over 21 years ago, unknown to her, God started curving and nurturing her name firstly, through music, within the Shatel musical outfit.
Her father’s name is a popular stadium name in Ndola called Edwin Imboela stadium somewhere just near Masala Main Market. I know this because Ndola is my childhood City, having gotten my primary education at Kayele Primary School, went to Lubuto Secondary School and completed my senior Form 5 education at Masala Secondaru School – the school next to the grave site.
So, Edwin Imboela Stadium is a defacto sibling of Dag Hammaskjoeld Stadium, if you know Ndola too well.
So, with the Imboela name, it’s a proper Kopala legendary name known even by kids, youths, marketeers and the old folks.
What am I saying? Am saying that Saboi carries a name that is on the lips of all and sundry, a legendary name that spans over a good 50 year history stretch. So, the Imboela name is a historical legend like the Nkumbulas, Kapwepwes, Chonas, Winas, Chilubas, Mwanawasas, Kaundas and so forth.
In Saboi you can see passion for social work, mingling to serve the community are automatic hereditary traits and ethos in the Imboela family name. Therefore, Saboi is not a fresher per se in the Zambian political annals of history of fame, ni zina lakhale maningi.
So, is it surprising that she is now President of a viable and dynamic opposition political party? Not at all. Does she lack the intellect and stamina to run and know what to do in this new role of heading a political party? Not at all. And, if it comes to understanding politics from classroom to the ground, am not sure if there’s a more qualified and all round groomed figure than Saboi. Follow me on this thought line.
This is why I say she is an unknown public package on the political scene right now.
With academic qualifications and great titles to her name, she covers a myriad of useful fields be it being a journalist, computer scientist, political scientist, university lecturer, development consultant, media consultant, social commentator as a contemporary singer coupled with social work. She is an reductionist too running schools of her own as business and many more other areas of importance – all to the service of mankind and truly following in her father’s footsteps of serving mankind with all zest and unequalled oomph.
She is 1970 baby of the late law enforcement Police Chief, Edwin Imboela, hence the Ndola football stadium – Edwin Imboela Stadium.
She has seen the offerings of private and public educational systems in Zambia as she enrolled for a certificate in journalism course at Mansfield College following it up with a diploma stint at Zambia Institute of Management Studies, to gain insights about managing business and people.
Being an inborn multi-talented soul,, Saboi took a step and engaged herself with the Shatel to musical stages. Shatel released great titles that still play prominently on literally all radio and television channels at home and abroad. Her musical career has seen her reap several awards in the entertainment industry.
With intelligence of an eagle, she set her eyes on pursuing law, sociology and English at University of London (Westlyn College) after which she came back to seriously commdnce deeper understanding of the political world couple with developmental studies degree course at the University of Zambia (UNZA) on full time basis.
Noting her quality of work and how well she understood a myriad of complicated issues engulfing mankind, she caught the eyes of the electoral body – Electoral Commission of Zambia, educating the youthful populace about their duties as citizens.
As it were, it was now roller coaster of job offers coming in from left, right and centre. As a qualified development expert, she took up a job at the United Nations Development Program ( UNDP), closely working with the ECZ regarding all youth programs which encompassed sensitisation tasks in the run up to an opposition September victory of now ruling party Patriotic Front in 2011. Ot was a tumultuous general election which recorded an unprecedented interest with one of the highest recorded voter turn out stopping the 1991 victory of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy whose President was H.E Rupiah Bwezani Banda.
The appetite to understand more of the legal mantra was knocking on Saboi’s chest. So the following year (2012) she left for Canterbury University in New Zealand to pursue her Masters degree in International Law of Politics
Upon completion of her masters program, her passion for kids was too much..So a window to help children was at her disposal at Save the Children plying her trade as advocate and specialist in communication. She was also doing part time lecturing again at the United Church of Zambia owned Kaniki Bible College in Ndola (Copperbelt province) as well as at UNZA.
s an Advocacy and Communications coordinator and as a part time lecturer at UNZA and Kaniki Bible University College in Ndola.
With burning desire, talent and dill to serve mother and child, politics was still calling her to play a critical role.
So, in 2015 she now went for an academic crown, pursuing the appex of knowledge gunning for a PhD in Political Science at the University of Zambia.
At this stage, she felt she had to play and test what she had learnt in classroom environment and the newly formed opposition, National Democratic Congress ( NDC) led by its founder Dr Chishimba Kambwili welcomed her as party spokesperson (having a media understanding) and later, became Vice President. And following the resignation of its founding father Kambwili, the NDC Constitution conferred Party Presidency on Saboi Imboela, making her the third female political party leader in Zambia.
With the aforementioned elaboration, I would not be overstating if I say that Saboi is an all rounder, a very proficient academicians, knowledgeable tutor at law, technology, communication expert and last but not the least, a mother at heart with a huge heart for mother and child issues. Should this roller coaster continues, Saboi could just emerge as a practical attendant to Zamvia’s societal challenges regarding development, resolve perennial law lacunae, realise the importance of women in development and put a smile on the group so close to her heart – the youth and children, especially the girl child.