UNTOLD STORY: ZUMANI ZIMBA WAS ALMOST KILLED FOR ADVISING ECL TO CONCEDE DEFEAT & PEACEFULLY HANDOVER POWER
Many times, ignorance makes many of us to run with assumptions about peoples’ private lives such as jobs, businesses, marriages and families. Two weeks ago, Rhodesia Times (RT) came to learn of some terrible experience Chris Zumani Zimba, President Edgar Lungu’s former political advisor went through a day after 12th August, 2021 elections.
Rhodesia Times learnt that many figures within PF and Lungu’s inner cycle never wanted to concede defeat and later hand over power peacefully. After losing to HH, they came up with two ideas:
- Refuse the outcome and petition the results and allow concourt to decide and declare a rerun;
- Hand over power to the army and not HH because of some political violence including Jackson Kungo’s death.
But Lungu’s then special Assistant for political affairs, Chris Zumani Zimba refused any other option and insisted that only one option was available and good for both the president and the nation; “to openly concede defeat and prepare to handover power peacefully”. This discussion lasted for two days and eventually President Lungu took the position of his political advisor and few others who were also lobbying for smooth transfer of power.
When news went round that President Lungu was preparing to announce conceding defeat, some people within the PF and state house inner cycle started to hunt down Zimba with rage and guns. State house was declared a no go area for Zimba. What crime did he commit? They accused him for being responsible for Lungu to concede defeat to HH and UPND which was unacceptable to them. Today, some figures within PF see Zimba as their enemy because Lungu took his professional guide.
RT also learnt that Zimba was further accused of being a UPND in state house hence his firm position to advise Lungu concede defeat to a known political enemy. RT is now informed that it took both Lungu and Simon Miti to take charge and save the life of Zimba. President Lungu was very angry after learning this development, RT was briefed by reliable UPND official.
Today, we know that Zimba is one of the unsung heroes who made sure that the post August 2021 elections did not spill into national protests, bloodshed and loss of innocent lives. The UPND official said the peace we enjoy today under president HH and the UPND government cannot be complete without the critical and professional role Zimba played to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.
Had Zimba been killed and Lungu took any of the two wrong options, Zambia would be at civil war today and in bloodshed. Is this why PF is unrepentant and continuously fighting HH and the UPND government? It is clear that PF never wanted Lungu to leave office or concede defeat to HH at all. It also explains why some of them hate Lungu and insult him today. In their mind, they have never accepted defeat.
If the world is to give a medal to Lungu for fostering peaceful transfer of power in Zambia, we think he should not forget his former political advisor, Zimba who risked everything including his life to ensure the right thing was done.
SOURCE: Zibani Zambia