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Bringing Litunga into disrepute is courting trouble for MMD – Kaingu

Bringing Litunga into disrepute is courting trouble for MMD – Kaingu
By George Chellah, Mwala Kalaluka and Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 20 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

Community development minister Michael Kaingu yesterday warned that MMD members bringing the name of the Litunga into disrepute are courting trouble for the party in Western Province.

And Prince Vivian Mungenda Mubukwanu described the recent attack on the Litunga as another insult to the Lozi people following President Rupiah Banda's earlier insult that he did not solicit for a vote from Western Province.

Commenting on the resolution by the recent MMD caucus, which blamed the Litunga for the ruling party's recent fall-out in the province, Kaingu - who is also MMD Mwandi member of parliament in Western Province - said the Litunga was a highly respected person.

“I want to say that it’s wrong to bring the name of the Litunga into disrepute. We will not accept that. I, for one, Michael Kaingu, will not accept that. I am disappointed with the people bringing the Litunga’s name into politics. Where we come from, the Litunga is very important and respected. He doesn’t speak about politics. If the Litunga wants to speak, he speaks through the Kuta,? Kaingu said. “It’s very disappointing that there are some politicians who are trying to bring the Litunga into politics. I want to support Simasiku Namakando on this one that anybody bringing the name of the Litunga is courting trouble for us in Western Province. It’s unfortunate for anybody to bring the name of the Litunga into disrepute. Namakando is talking about Aka but I don’t know about that. But whoever is trying to bring the name of the Litunga into disrepute is making a mistake. We shall not accept that.”

And Prince Mubukwanu said the statement by the MMD as reported in The Post of November 18, 2009 was extremely sad and could not go without comment.

"The MMD cannot or should not attribute their failures to organise their party or their diminishing popularity in Barotseland to their former provincial chairman Simasiku Namakando or worse still accuse our Kaongolo Ka Nyambe of collaborating with him in this scheme. This is demeaning and a taboo," Prince Mubukwanu said. "The MMD is drowning everywhere one chooses to look in Zambia. What makes it even sad is the fact that the chief architect of this meeting as reported in your paper hails from Barotseland and understands the Lozi systems and culture. Get a ride on any mini bus and listen to what the people are saying about your party MMD."

Mubukwana said all the successive governments had marginalised Barotseland.

"... No doubt about this (late president Mwanawasa did make some attempt to correct this), despite the fact that Barotseland played a key role in the making of the Zambian nation, through some well-known arrangement and agreements which were similar to the Tanganyika and Zanzibar arrangement," Prince Mubukwanu said. "The big question is “what have we gotten out of it in terms of political participation and leadership at the highest level in the Land”. Bu insignificant Prime Minister Kipeto."

Prince Mubukwanu dismissed insinuations being peddled against the Litunga and Namakando.

"The cry by the MMD and blaming their failures on Mr. Namakando and even insinuating that the Litunga, our Kaongolo Ka Nyambe the custodian of our traditions and culture is unfounded, malicious and yet another insult to the intellect and integrity of the Lozi people in general and our Litunga in particular following the earlier insult from the highest office of the Land that he did not solicit a vote from the people of Barotseland," Prince Mubukwanu said. "The cause of the problems and fall out of the MMD in Barotseland is due to their own making and failure to listen, Let alone go back just to say “thank you”. The gentlemen who organised that meeting have not been to Barotseland just to say “thank you”, for the 2008 vote, which the people of Barotseland gave Mr. Rupiah Banda. Is it our Litunga or Namakando who stopped them from doing that? Bana ba Mulimu mbali nja yaitumela.

"As a people we have a right to reject those who reject us - these wise words were once said by one famous Prince who hails from Barotseland in 2006. So what has changed now? Stop being cat kickers. The MMD knows the source or root cause of their problems and fall out not only in Barotseland but the whole of Zambia. MMD please learn to react positively to situations failure to do so, will see you continue kicking that cat till 2011."

Labels: CHIEFS, LITUNGA, MMD, VIVIEN MUNGENDA MUBUKWANU

posted by MrK @ 9:15 AM