Use political power to unite people, Zuma urges African politicians

Use political power to unite people, Zuma urges African politicians
Written by Christopher Miti and Chibaula Silwamba in Chipata

VISTING South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) party president Jacob Zuma yesterday said African politicians should use their political power to reconnect and unite the people in a free environment.And Republican President Rupiah Banda yesterday 'turned' himself into a translator for Zuma.

Meanwhile, Paramount chief of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province, Mpezeni urged President Banda to remain focused and ignore the people who criticise him unnecessarily.

Gracing the Nc'wala traditional ceremony of the Ngoni people in Mtenguleni, Zuma said the colonialists had forced Africans to abandon their culture but this was the time for Africans to regain their cultural identities and reunite.

"It is important to us as political leaders to recognise an important fact that the political power we now have, which was taken from us by the colonialists, we should now utilise it to reconnect and unite our people in a free environment," Zuma said. "We are very happy to be received here today by the mayor of Chipata who gave me the honour to be a free citizen of Chipata. This is a big honour for me."

He said the honour bestowed upon him by the Chipata Municipal Council symbolised the need for Africans in southern Africa to reunite.

"I believe the relations of the countries of SADC will have more meaningful relationship if our people at the grassroots levels are able to interact, to exchange and to trade, to be one united region of southern Africa," he said. "The colonialists wanted us to lose our identity, our dignity by oppressing our cultures, by renaming our cultures with other names, so that we forget who we are, where we come from."

He said southern Africans should identify themselves very clearly.

"That is why I am very happy when I heard our traditional leaders from Zimbabwe saying that they have come to learn so that they can also revive the culture that defines us of who we are, as the Nguni group," said Zuma.

After his address to the people in English, Zuma switched to Zulu but the translator, former Chipata Central member of parliament Matthews Mwale, struggled to interpret.

At this point, President Banda rose from his chair and went to the presidential podium where Zuma was speaking and started translating.

President Banda translated Zuma's Zulu speech to Chewa/Ngoni.

As President Banda translated for the ANC leader and presidential candidate in South Africa's April 22 election, the crowd shouted in jubilation.

Zuma, who looked pleased with President Banda's accurate translation, continued speaking in Zulu for close to 15 minutes.

President Banda translated until after Zuma ended his Zulu speech.

Earlier, addressing the crowd, President Banda, who is Ngoni on his maternal side, thanked Zuma for coming to grace the Nc'wala traditional ceremony despite his busy presidential campaign schedule.

"The government and the people of Zambia are excited and grateful that Jacob Musholozi Zuma has graced this year's Nc'wala ceremony. The world knows that Jacob Zuma is African National Congress torchbearer in the forthcoming presidential election in South Africa. Thus it is very generous of Mr Zuma to have agreed to come to our country at this time to be the guest of honour at this wonderful ceremony," President Banda said.

He said the Ngoni people in Zambia were related in blood with the people of South Africa, particularly the Zululand.

President Banda said he was happy to tell the gathering that Zuma was among several South African freedom fighters that spent many years in Zambia during the liberation struggle.

And Mpezeni, in a speech read for him by Nc'wala organising committee chairman general Adam Chongwe, said the Ngoni Royal Establishment would only criticise President Banda when it was necessary and in camera.

"Your Excellency, may I urge you sir that remain focused and forget about people who keep on criticising [him] unnecessarily. It is surprising that even those people who are drunkards and the lazy continue criticising your good fruits that we have seen. I think it's high time that we keep on commending and blaming you where it's due. My kingdom will remain focused and will advise in camera," Mpezeni said.

Mpezeni appealed to President Banda to increase the number of beneficiaries of the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP).

Upon arrival, the Chipata Municipal Council honoured Zuma as a freeman of the municipality.