Maravi

Vote for akulu mphuno, Mpezeni urges subjects

Vote for akulu mphuno, Mpezeni urges subjects
By Christopher Miti in Chipata and Lambwe Kachali in Kasama
Monday October 13, 2008 [04:00]

PARAMOUNT chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni on Saturday advised his subjects to vote for akulu mphuno (the man with a big nose) while pointing at an MMD chitenge material bearing Vice-President Rupiah Banda's portrait. But chief Mwanjabantu of the Nsenga people of Petauke district charged yesterday that only corrupt chiefs in Eastern Province could support Vice-President Banda.

And chief Mwanjabantu has accused science and technology minister Peter Daka of enticing some chiefs in Eastern Province to vote for Vice-President Banda.

Addressing his subjects that included Luangeni MMD member of parliament Angela Cifire at Ephedukeni palace last Saturday, Mpezeni said it was time an easterner ruled Zambia.

“Angoni osati mukabude mpuno, osati kuti banthu okokunamani boza, osati akongoyenda m'minyango utsiku kuchita tuma campaign twa boza. A nkalapo a Sata nakuuzyani kuti na Kaunda, ula onse Chiluba, so naamene aba, amene aba amuona akulu mphuno aba.

[You Ngonis, you must not make a mistake, don't be cheated by these people who do their campaigns in the evenings. Sata was there, I told you about Kaunda, even that one Chiluba so now it's this one you see with the big nose,” Mpezeni said while pointing at the MMD chitenge material bearing Vice-President Banda's portrait.
Chief Mpezeni said his vote was for Vice-President Banda.

“We also want to be on top. We have pushed these others and now we are tired, enough is enough. Let us also try because we also want this position so it's not that it's me who will be on top but if Rupiah Banda wins, then it means all of us are there,” Mpezeni said.

He urged his subjects to vote for Vice-President Banda because he was the right person to continue from where late president Levy Mwanawasa left.

“I want to remind you that we have presidential elections. It's not a by-election where we choose Cifire (Angela). Now we are at war,” he said. “What you should remember is that we gave late president Mwanawasa all the MPs and I asked president Mwanawasa openly through the press to give us a vice-president and he listened and he gave us Rupiah Banda. Now the one who is there is Rupiah Banda and he is the one who has Mwanawasa's ideas. Now, if you don't vote for Banda, who will continue with Mwanawasa's good works?" Mpezeni asked.


He said late president Mwanawasa was good because he introduced the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP) that no other presidential candidates other than Vice-President Banda could continue with.
“Others have been there in the UNIP government; he was a governor in UNIP government and he was a minister in the MMD government. But surely, what exactly are they looking for?

What type of hunger do they have for leadership; let him leave his friends to try.

Is it wrong for Rupiah Banda who is an easterner to contest?” Mpezeni asked in an apparent reference to PF's presidential candidate Michael Sata, as the subjects shouted “no”.

He urged easterners not to be cheated by some presidential candidates.
“Every person who crosses Luangwa coming here, that person is called a resident of Chipata. Now surely, can you give somebody a vote?

Neo nukuuzyani ine, so ine nukamba pano voti yanga niya Rupiah Banda wangu so olo mweo osati mukapatse oyenda voti yayi; nawo abemba nawo eyesako. Kwenze Kaunda enze muchinji, kwenze citeni a Chiluba naachinji lomba, beve beka, lomba beve anamwai wanji (I want to tell you that my vote is for Rupiah Banda so even if you don't vote for these people who come… Bembas tried, there was Kaunda and Chiluba now are they the only ones who are lucky?),” Mpezeni asked.

He said easterners should vote for Vice-President Banda so that people could understand that even easterners want to lead Zambia.

“It's not that everyone of us can lead. There is only one person who can lead so let's support him. If you vote for that person, then that person will continue these things,” Mpezeni said. “As I’m speaking to you now, some of these candidates they depend on those in the markets. Now can those from the market form government?

The people who form government are you from the village because every person comes from a village where there is a chief and a headman. Even you if you are to produce your National Registration Cards, we will see that you come from chief Mpezeni, okay. Who is there if there is no chief? The president?” chief Mpezeni asked as the people broke into laughter.

He urged the people not to listen to those who come like civil servants and bring confusion by telling them to vote for other candidates.

“Let's live the way we have been living. I’m told there are teachers who move round confusing the people but we don't want them to confuse us,” he said.

“The person who is supposed to look at the future of the people is a chief like me so I’m crying for all of you because if we harvest hunger next year, it will not be fine. Mweo Sata akamupatseni fataleza mweo nchito yake nikungoyambana naayake nanshamba lomba nshama ndiye kulamulila dziko aah, nshamba ndiyekuti niutsogoleri? Mukuyoona a headman otukwana pamunzi pagulu yabanthu ndiyekuti naatsogoleri olongotsoka? Lomba mweo ndiyebamufuna?” asked chief Mpezeni literally meaning. Can Sata give you fertiliser? His job is just to quarrel with his friends and insults.

Now, is a headman who insults at the village where there are people a good headman? Is that good leadership? So are those the type of leaders that you want.

He said if Vice-President Banda won the October 30 elections, his works would benefit all Zambians.

“O bana ba Mpezeni, bana ba Zwangendawa tiyeni tipangane chinthu cimodzi tikavotele wamene ula cabe osati benangu yai. You children of Mpezeni children of Zwangendawa let’s agree on one thing, we need to vote for that one (Rupiah Banda). I was in the Bemba land and Chitimukulu said they are behind us; they want to push us.

I was in Zambezi same, same. I was at chief Ndungu's place, he is also saying the same. Even the Tongas, I don't know whether it can be a lie but they are also saying the same thing but because we look at the majority between Southern and Eastern, you are leading here in terms of population,” chief Mpezeni said.

“O baba sunukamba kuti mukavotele pachitenje chisweta yayi kuli chitenje chisweta nachotyani? Chaula muyakene ula amene bamukuti ambuya basu baakuti ambuye basu vila vitenje yayi, koma mukasankhe cila cha blue nenze naoona amai ayakene enze achivwala alikuni?

Obaba, pano sinili pandale koma umwai ukakuwelela, umwai uwela lini kabili yai akupasani namwe mweo yam'mbale enzochita ngati enzoziwa Mwanawasa kuti nisiilepo uyu munthu ndiye angasunge. A Mwanawasa atisiya kusiila Rupiah Banda lomba mweo mumkankhe shuwa.

I’m not saying you should vote for a red chitenge no, what's the colour of the other chitenge material? That chitenge for our traditional cousin the one they call our traditional cousin, those materials no but a blue one.

I had seen one woman wearing, where is she? I’m not politicking but if you are lucky, luck cannot be on your side for two times, you have been given on a silver plate. Mwanawasa did as if he knew who to leave on the seat.”

He said easterners could not just be pushing other people to be presidents but that this was the best time for them to lead. He said he cannot do anything without the people in his chiefdom.

“I’m a chief because of you, I’m just your servant or your speaker where you can speak from. I’m not knowledgeable on my own, knowledge comes from you people,” said chief Mpezeni.
Last Monday, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema visited chief Mpezeni at his palace but after the meeting, chief Mpezeni did not say anything when contacted to comment on the meeting.

And chief Mwanjabantu of the Nsenga people of Petauke district charged yesterday that only corrupt chiefs in Eastern Province could support Vice-President Banda.

"It's not a secret that easterners vowed not to vote for Rupiah Banda. This is why they sent Peter Daka to talk to chiefs and is here visiting chiefs.

He is moving with journalists from government media from one palace to the other…," chief Mwanjabantu said. "I challenge Peter Daka to deny this. They want to use these chiefs to dictate to their subjects to vote for Rupiah. This is what has happened here."

Chief Mwanjabantu urged easterners not to succumb to intimidation by some chiefs but should instead vote for the right candidate who would develop the country.

"Peter Daka has failed to deliver to his constituency. He has neglected his constituency. So I call upon the Nsenga people and the people of Eastern Province that we shouldn't be cheated by these cheap politics exercised by some chiefs who are receiving khaki envelops," he said.

"As chiefs, we are not supposed to force our subjects who to vote for. Let our subjects choose the president they want. It is clear that those chiefs have no vision, no direction just like Rupiah Banda because only corrupt chiefs in Eastern Province can support Rupiah.”

And chief Mwanjabantu urged chief Nyamphande to stop cheating Zambians that he chief Mwanjabantu was not a traditional leader who could speak on behalf of chiefs in the province.

"The way chief Nyamphande was crowned is the way I was crowned. Yes, so he should stop being funny because I am ready to meet him anywhere. I am prepared to meet any chief who feels is capable to meet me, because they are hopeless," said chief Mwanjabantu.

But when contacted, Daka said there was no way he could do the things that chief Mwanjabantu alleged against him.

“They (chiefs) know why they want to support RB. So he should not transmit that from wherever he is to me, because if he wants to start a fight with me, I am not ready to be getting into these fights,” Daka said. “Why should I quarrel with Yosam when he is not even my relative?”

Labels: ANGELA CIFIRE, CHIEF MPEZENI, CHIEF MWANJABANTU, MMD

posted by MrK @ 4:45 AM