Maravi

Tribalism runs in Rupiah's blood, says Kabimba

Tribalism runs in Rupiah's blood, says Kabimba
By Misheck Wangwe in Solwezi and Henry Sinyangwe in Lusaka
Mon 23 July 2012, 07:30 CAT

RUPIAH Banda has tribalism running in his blood and that's why he was fired from public service by first Republican president Kenneth Kaunda on several occasions, says Wynter Kabimba. And Fr Richard Luonde says every Zambian has a right to rule the country regardless of their tribe

Featuring on North-West television in Solwezi yesterday, Kabimba, who is PF secretary general, said reports that Banda wanted UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema and MMD's Nevers Mumba to enter into a pact to be led by Hichilema because he did not want a Bemba to rule again were extremely unacceptable. He said all well-meaning Zambians must condemn the statement with the contempt it deserved.

"If you understand the political credentials of Rupiah Banda you will not be surprised. With greatest respect to him (Banda), tribalism is part of his DNA that's why he was fired purely on account of practicing tribalism.

I worked with him myself, I was head of the legal department when he was governor, so I can vouch about his character," Kabimba said.
He said all well-meaning Zambians must condemn the malicious schemes by the former head of state who was trying to divide the country along tribal lines.

Kabimba said the alliance between UPND and the MMD would not make any difference to the PF, saying the two parties had entered into the alliance even in 2011 before the elections and they were defeated.

He said the party was not worried about the MMD-UPND pact as its current focus was to redeem Zambians as a ruling party through selfless leadership.
"People see their hope in Michael Sata, in his humility, in his simplicity and in his commitment to the welfare of the people.

The UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema campaigned in 2006, 2008 and 2011 on account that he was the 'Obama' of Zambia and people needed an Obama. The Zambian people don't need an Obama, they need an individual that can speak for them, that has identified with them, that has suffered with them over the years and that's why they voted for Sata," Kabimba said.

He said the fight against corruption was not only targeted at the leaders who served in the previous MMD government but it was the fight for the whole country to eliminate the vice in all sectors of governance.
Kabimba said corruption had been detested within the PF government and all sections of society.

"There are even investors that come into Zambia and think that they can have their way by bribing government officials, by bribing ministers, that will not work and it will not be accepted," he said.

Kabimba said mining investors that had come to Zambia must begin to pay people well and must realise that the natural resources they were taking out of the country belong to the same people they were paying slave wages.

"There is no investor who has come into this country with a mine. They found mines here and this cultural element among investors that I see, I think they were spoilt by the MMD because the former ministers went to bed with the investors and they bought them vehicles and bicycles. We don't want that in PF, I don't need tyres and bicycles from an investor…What we want is for the investor to take care of our people," said Kabimba.

And Fr Luonde, the Kitwe Anglican priest, said it was disappointing to learn that Banda was still involved in politics even after declaring that he had retired.

"To begin to incite people against the Bembas will create anarchy and hatred in the nation. A person like Rupiah Banda should watch his actions and should choose his words when he wants to address national issues," Fr Luonde said.
He said Banda should instead concentrate on uniting the nation as a former leader instead of causing divisions in the country.

"So Zambia has no tribe, the tribe of Zambia is Zambia, the name itself. Therefore, every Zambian has a right to rule this nation. We became a democracy in 1991, therefore, for someone who is so bitter and hateful after the loss of the elections after three years of his tenure is just a source of division. He should just keep quiet and concentrate on uniting the nation after his retirement from politics," said Fr Luonde.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA, TRIBALISM, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 1:17 PM