Chikwelete reveals he refused to be used by GBM
By Roy Habaalu
Mon 06 Jan. 2014, 14:30 CAT
ROBERT Chikwelete says he refused to be used by former defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba. And PF Copperbelt youths say Mwamba does not listen to anyone except his ego. Chikwelete, who is PF Chawama Constituency chairman, said the demonstrations he led were out of personal conviction.
"I refused to be used by GBM; all I did was out of personal conviction, it's a fact. Those that worked with him know themselves and some of them have apologised to the secretary general (Wynter Kabimba)," said Chikwelete.
And former Copperbelt provincial chairman Menyani Zulu said President Sata's loyal lieutenants, whom he recruited from the time he was Lusaka governor, minister of state for decentralisation and local government, had stood steadfast and were still in the party.
"GBM does not listen to anybody except his ego and ignores a very wise Bemba saying from Bembaland, where he hails, that says 'Ubumi bwa muntu bwaba mukutwi'. Today Hon Wynter Kabimba is still in good standing with the PF because he has never shown any disrespect to President Sata. There are no principled disciples that have ever rebuked President Sata both in the opposition and in government. GBM can't wear the same shoes of President Sata's loyal lieutenants like Wynter Kabimba, Ali Simwinga or Emmanuel Chenda, among others," he said.
Zulu said the PF was a product of the youth and many other unsung heroes that had continued to make personal, financial and physical sacrifices and remained loyal to the party without getting anything in return.
He said Mwamba should let President Sata deal with the Bemba standoff as head of state. Meanwhile, former Copperbelt Province youth secretary Chanda Kabwe said Mwamba thought he was indispensable. Kabwe said it was unfortunate that Mwamba had embraced MMD leader Nevers Mumba.
"Despite Mr Mwamba's claims that he has done a lot for the PF to be what it is today by financing the party, he should know that President Michael Sata has never gone public saying that without him there would be no Patriotic Front because he is a down-to-earth person and possesses great leadership skills. Let Ba Mwamba concentrate on his businesses in order to leave room for others because he thinks that the money he has can buy the people in Northern Province and in return support his hidden agenda best known to himself and his followers," said Kabwe.
Labels: GBM, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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GBM, leave PF
By Allan Mulenga and Roy Habaalu
Thu 26 Dec. 2013, 12:30 CAT
PF chairperson for labour and social security Davies Mwila has advised Geoffrey Mwamba to leave the party in peace rather than cause confusion. And Robert Chikwelete says Mwamba is indisciplined and has no place in PF.
Commenting on Mwamba's resignation as defence minister after President Michael Sata admonished him following his visit to Paramount Chief Chitimukulu Henry Sosala, whom government has not recognised, Mwila, who a couple of months ago was Mwamba's deputy but resigned, advised him to leave the party if he wished to do so. Mwila, who is also Chipili PF member or parliament, said the party was above individuals like Mwamba.
"When I resigned as defence deputy minister, I resigned quietly. Even up to now, people don't know why I resigned. As I am speaking, I am in good books with the party and the President because I have to give respect to the President. Even if I am aggrieved, I am not happy, I am not supposed to talk ill against the President," he said.
"If he was not happy about what the President said, he should have just resigned and keep quiet because one day, he will come back, unless he is telling us that he is leaving the party. The institution is above individuals. So, the party is above GBM. So, if he thinks that he has money, let him leave."
Mwila said Mwamba needed to show loyalty to President Sata because he was holding a very important position in the government.
"What he said about the President in public, I don't think that the relationship between him and the President will continue; because there is no loyalty to the President and the party," he said.
"He was once Minister of Defence; if he wants to leave, let him leave quietly, but if he starts making those statements, it shows that there is no loyalty. He was holding a very important position in a very important ministry and he is just supposed to show loyalty.
"He is not supposed to go to the press and talk about the differences he had with the President. He can't do that unless he is leaving the party. If he is leaving the party, he can speak the way he spoke because respect must be given to the head of state, who is our party president."
Mwila recalled a time in 2010, when Mwamba resigned as PF chairperson for elections and Kasama member of parliament following differences with his wife.
Mwila also recalled that Mwamba acted with emotions when he was advised against using State security at his official residence.
"...Honourable Request Muntanga, an MP for Kalomo, raised the issue of security in Parliament. He asked a question on which officials in government were supposed to have State security. His honour the Vice-President answered that: 'His Excellency the President and His Honour the Vice-President'. By that time, honourable Mwamba had security at his house, who were the soldiers. The President decided that security be removed at his home," he recounted.
"You will recall that GBM abandoned GRZ vehicle, he stopped using GRZ vehicle. As his deputy, together with Colonel Lungu, the deputy minister in charge of Zambia National Service, who was my witness by that time, we went to his office and told him that, 'This is wrong' he can't abandon GRZ vehicle. It is like he has abandoned the position of minister. After sometime, he went back and started using the GRZ vehicle."
And Chikwelete, a former PF Chawama Constituency chairman, said it was sad that Mwamba, as a senior party official, showed no respect for the appointing authority.
He said it was unacceptable that a Cabinet minister could discredit the President in the manner Mwamba did.
Chikwelete said Mwamba's replacement was an indication that everyone was replaceable in PF.
He said President Michael Sata had shown that no one could hold him to ransom regardless of their contribution to the party or the position they hold.
"That's insubordination. How do you disagree with the President at a press briefing in your village? The President was trying to find out something from him and he goes to embarrass him! He's got no respect for the head of state, the man who built PF and brought us together. It shows that he's a man with no discipline and should not be allowed in the party," Chikwelete said.
Chikwelete said Mwamba was one of those that joined the party with a hidden agenda.
"These are the people with double standards it shows that even the divisions that rocked the party they were the ones behind its good they are beginning to be exposed for sponsoring confusion," Chikwelete said.
"These are the ones that were mentioned to be fuelling violence and today they are falling out of the party. This tells you such elements are not trust-worthy. In this case we need to get rid of him from the party and replace him with those that care for the party," said Chikwelete.
Chikwelete was in the Mwamba camp during the height of calls for PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba to step down. He later owned up and apologised to Kabimba, saying he would no long accept to be used to get at him.
Meanwhile, PF Northern Provincial committee has urged the party's Central Committee to suspend Mwamba from the party for insubordination.
Northern Province acting PF provincial chairperson, Peter Mwansa, wondered how Mwamba would work with the party hierarchy when he had failed to respect President Sata.
Mwansa said the provincial leadership had resolved to petition the party's Central Committee over Mwamba's conduct towards President Sata.
"We doubt the loyalty of Ba Mwamba or GBM as a member of the party. In the first place, he was a member of the party, and member of parliament for Kasama Central, now he has resigned from his ministerial post and that means that his loyalty will not be 100 per cent to the party," he said.
Mwansa said it was prudent that Mwamba leaves the party because he could not be trusted.
"We would want him to leave the party as well because he will not be loyal to the party. We are asking him to resign from the party because his loyalty will no longer be the same when he was serving as the Minister of Defence," said Mwansa.
During his resignation on Monday in Kasama, Mwamba told his supporters at his house that if the PF also wanted him out of the party, he would consult them on the next move.
Labels: CHIEFS, DAVIES MWILA, GBM, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE
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Respect my decision to reconcile with Sata, Scott and Kabimba - Chikwelete
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 05 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
PEOPLE should respect my decision to reconcile with President Michael Sata, Vice-President Dr Guy Scott, secretary general Wynter Kabimba and the party, says Robert Chikwelete.
In an interview yesterday, Chikwelete confirmed reports of threats to harm him by people he worked with in denouncing Kabimba. He said no one should control his decision.
"Yes, there was a meeting yesterday Sunday where people sat and resolved that they beat me up. I am told there are councillors who were present when they were planning this. If you want to wage war against Chikwelete, I am a better politician. They should concentrate on their civic work because if they try to play around with me, I will mess them up," Chikwelete said.
He advised people to respect his decision to reconcile with President Michael Sata, Vice-President Dr Guy Scott, Kabimba and the party.
"They have to respect my opinion, I have to do things which are right. When I reconcile with someone, I am not reconciling with them. My reconciliation is with the President, Vice-President and the secretary general and the party. These are the people I have reconciled with. This should not be the subject of debate. No one should come and control me. These are politics and I am just doing my politics as Chikwelete," he said.
And Ackson Nkhoma, who worked closely with Chikwelete in denouncing Kabimba, said Chikwelete was a traitor.
Nkhoma accused Kabimba of trying to blackmail what he termed the real supporters of PF.
"It has never happened in Zambian politics for someone to kneel and apologise. It is good for them. In politics, no one can send someone to go and beat them. He is just guilty of what he has done. Who is paying for the police officers who are guarding at Chikwelete's house? Chikwelete is a traitor. Even the time that he was a mayor, he betrayed the PF, including the President," said Nkhoma.
Labels: PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE
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Chikwelete
By Editor
Sun 03 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
IF Michael Sata is able to forgive those who were hired or had hired themselves out to claim he was a Tanzanian and not a Zambian, who is Wynter Kabimba not to forgive Robert Chikwelete?
If Michael easily finds it in his heart to forgive those who were hired or had hired themselves out to beat him up at Ichengelo Radio Station in Kitwe, who is Wynter not to forgive Chikwelete who was hired or had hired himself out to denounce him, humiliate him and accuse him of all sorts of things?
Wynter says if he is going to be a disciple - a true disciple - of Michael, he must practice his virtues. We agree. We should not forget that the name Christian means like Christ, follower of Christ. Now, Jesus Christ was humble, most pure, poor, meek: how can his disciple and imitator be proud, dishonest, angry, greedy and unforgiving?
Alexander the Great once said to a soldier who also had the same name but was sluggish, mean and cowardly: "Either change your name or change your behaviour."
Forgiveness is the only way to inner peace. A Chinese proverb says, "One who pursues revenge should dig two graves."
There are people who do wrong things because they do not have sufficient knowledge or freedom. If they are not guilty, what is there to forgive? The tendency to behave in a particular way is so deeply rooted in our nature as a result of childhood and adult experiences.
This obviously raises the question of free will. We know that we have free will and that human beings are not totally at the mercy of the past. Yet how much influence free will has on us is a moot question. Human experience shows that it is very, very fragile. Though the concept is hard for us to accept, it seems to be well-founded on the Bible and human experience, taken in a wider perspective.
True, the evildoer's action is bad or wrong. It hurts us. He knows what he is doing. But how much does he know? Does he know all the implications of his actions on himself or on others?
To realise that there is nothing to forgive is true forgiveness. There is nothing to forgive because he acted out of ignorance, he was misled, he was manipulated. To forgive just because the other apologised or admitted his mistake or out of condensation, is no true forgiveness. Forgiveness is an act of love and in love, one does not put another down. The interaction has to be on the basis of 'win-win'.
When I forgive because the other apologised, it is like saying, "Okay, now that you have realised your mistake or admitted it, I forgive you." Here obviously one is in a one-up position. On the other hand, when one says, "oh, what is there to forgive? I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes," both are winners.
Hence the words: 'It is easier to forgive an enemy after you have gotten even with him.' True forgiveness is as rare as true greatness. "Unless your justice exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom" (Matthew 5:20).
Forgiveness is difficult, especially for those who have been brought up in an atmosphere of harshness and resentment. But forgive we must, if we are to find peace of soul and health of body. It is said that life is an adventure in forgiveness.
Nothing clutters the soul more than remorse, resentment, recrimination. Forgiveness is a gift we need to give not only to others but to ourselves also, freeing us from self-punishment and enabling us to see wider horizons. There are times when we feel wronged, betrayed, deceived, humiliated.
It would be unhealthy not to react against the outrage. Certainly, we ought not to grant others the right to give us ulcers.
But we shouldn't think that forgiveness is only a precept of Christ or of religious teachers, it is also a law of nature. Forgiveness helps health. Non-forgiveness, holding a grudge, resentment and various forms of anger, all perform the same task - they keep us protected from perceived danger and away from the pain of loss.
Much psychic and physical energy is needed to keep up this defensive attitude. Most of us have experienced how resentment fatigues us. Forgiveness, on the other hand, puts us in contact again with people. This relaxes us, saving a lot of energy.
Forgiveness is easy when the violators see the pain they have caused us and sincerely apologise for their wrongdoing. The trouble is that they may not always apologise. Some people just don't realise how much pain they cause us.
Some of the careless, untruthful and malicious things people say about us can indeed cause us a good deal of pain. Yet others may feel that they have pained us, but are too proud to apologise. They feel that if they do, they diminish in our estimation, forgetting the truth that admitting a mistake is a sign of greatness.
Forgiving is not easy and sometimes we may find it too hard to forgive. Some may try different means and yet not succeed in forgiving.
Christ tells us three things we can do, as a last-ditch effort, which can help us towards forgiveness, provided, of course, we want to forgive and are ready to do what he asks of us. He says: "But I tell who hear me: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:27-28).
If we want to forgive and love our enemy, we need to do good to them, bless them and pray for them. These are all acts within our power. Forgiveness, like love, is not so much a feeling, as a decision to act in a particular way.
Feelings are not directly under our control, but actions are. We may have to do these actions almost mechanically for some time before we begin to experience feelings of forgiveness, namely the absence of resentment and certain degree of closeness to or freedom with the other person.
The first requisite to reconciliation is that we do good to those who have hurt us. This is what St Paul means when he says: "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge: I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: if your enemy is hungry, feed him: if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head" (Romans 12:19-20).
The second is to bless them. "Bless them", as its Latin root "bene dicere" means to speak well of the other. Avoid all criticism, slander and gossip about the others and say good things about them.
The last prerequisite is to pray for them; pray, not that they may realise their mistakes and come to apologise to us, but that God grant them their wishes and all things that would make them happy. It is remarkable how those who do these things get rid of their resentment and come to forgive others. Some might object that it is hypocrisy to behave towards others as if we love them when we really don't.
There is no hypocrisy here, because we admit that we don't have feelings of forgiveness but we are doing these acts precisely because we want to forgive. Hence the saying, "Enemies are not those who hate us, but rather whom we hate."
We usually say 'forgive and forget', as if to mean that when we forgive someone, we also forget the incident that caused us pain.
Forgiveness does not imply forgetting. As long as our memory is reasonable good, we will remember most of the things of our pasts, both good and bad. So remembering a painful incident does not mean that we have not forgiven. The test whether we have forgiven or not is whether we behave lovingly towards the other and speak well of him. One indication of such forgiveness is that we do not get emotional when we think or speak of the event that pained us.
However, to forgive does not imply that we are as close to the other person as we were earlier. This could happen; but not necessarily. It is perfectly okay to forgive one and at the same time decide not to have the other around too much, if that is possible or desirable. If from previous experience we know that temperamentally we do not get along too well with the other, it would be in the interest of both parties, to keep a respectable distance without, of course, alienating the other.
To such as those who thus forgive will peace be given: "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body, you were called to peace. And be thankful" (Corinthians 3:12-15).
It is in this light that we look at Chikwelete's apologies and Wynter's forgiveness of him. There are great lessons for us all to learn from this.
Those who were using Chikwelete will see his act as one of betrayal, of selling out to Wynter. Others who are of goodwill will see Chikwelete's act as a good thing and in line with Christ's teachings and the behaviour expected from a good citizen, especially one who aspires to be a political leader of his people at any level.
Labels: MICHAEL SATA, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, TRIBALISM
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Chikwelete sorry
By Roy Habaalu
Sat 02 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
ROBERT Chikwelete has apologised to PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba for his offending conduct towards him.
According to a letter of apology dated October 31, 2013, Chikwelete further apologised to Vice-President Dr Guy Scott for denouncing, insulting and humiliating the duo.
"Re: Apology for offending the party. I refer to the above matter and would like to apologise to you sir, as secretary general of our party, Patriotic Front, for the offending conduct towards the senior leaders of our party especially yourself as the secretary general and the Vice-President of our party Dr Guy Scott and other genuine members of the party who were offended by my conduct, I ask for forgiveness," read Chikwelete's letter in part.
And Kabimba said he had accepted Chikwelete's apology because he was convinced it was in good faith.
He said he had no doubt in his mind that Chikwelete, the suspended PF Chawama constituency chairman, was sorry and that he regretted his actions.
"I told him I had accepted his apology because I myself remember very well Chikwelete's contribution to the party and therefore I thought he could still be useful as a member of the party and that those demonstrations against me would not be the way of him developing his career in the party for the future," Kabimba said.
"I also told him that I did not see how anybody would give him credit as a member of the party for leading those demonstrations by way of addressing his grievances. The meeting was very cordial and I have no doubt in my mind that the man was sorry and contrite and he had regretted his actions."
He said two days before the Lusaka demonstrations, he had phoned Chikwelete to discuss his grievances and those of others.
Kabimba said he sought a meeting with Chikwelete so that he could hear him out, to which he agreed.
"I was therefore surprised and disappointed that instead of coming to see me on the appointed day he (Chikwelete) decided to get involved into those demonstrations," he said.
Kabimba said Chikwelete told him that he was a troubled person and that his conscience was not free because he saw that there was nothing wrong that he had done against him personally or to the party.
He said Chikwelete complained that he had been let down by not being given a job despite promises by President Michael Sata to him personally.
"He went further to say one of the first promises was that he would be sent into the foreign service, when that didn't work out he was promised that he would be appointed district commissioner for Chitambo district. To his disappointment, neither of them materialised. He also claimed that he was disappointed and not happy with the provincial and district committees and he thought that the two committees were being protected by the secretary general and for that reason he decided that him and his colleagues should rise against the secretary general in order to get rid of Lusaka Province and district officials," Kabimba said.
He said Chikwelete told him that senior members of the party were financing the demonstrations and named them.
But when asked to reveal the names, Kabimba said it was not necessary to do so.
"We want to put this behind us and move our party forward," he said.
"...The gist of his apology was that he had recognised that I had worked very well with him as a councillor until he became (Lusaka) mayor. He praised my contribution to the party since I became secretary general so he wanted to make amends so that we continue working together."
Kabimba said the meeting where Chikwelete apologised was sought through his lawyer Robson Malipenga.
He said Malipenga phoned him that Chikwelete wanted to personally apologise over the demonstrations against him which he led in Lusaka.
Kabimba said he was initially reluctant to meet Chikwelete but because the request came from his lawyer and his personal friend, he accepted because he did not want to appear to be harbouring a grudge against Chikwelete.
"I decided I would meet Robert Chikwelete in the presence of Robson Malipenga hence our meeting held on 21st October, 2013. In the meeting there was Robson Malipenga and myself," said Kabimba.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Chikwelete sorry
By Roy Habaalu
Sat 02 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
ROBERT Chikwelete has apologised to PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba for his offending conduct towards him.
According to a letter of apology dated October 31, 2013, Chikwelete further apologised to Vice-President Dr Guy Scott for denouncing, insulting and humiliating the duo.
"Re: Apology for offending the party. I refer to the above matter and would like to apologise to you sir, as secretary general of our party, Patriotic Front, for the offending conduct towards the senior leaders of our party especially yourself as the secretary general and the Vice-President of our party Dr Guy Scott and other genuine members of the party who were offended by my conduct, I ask for forgiveness," read Chikwelete's letter in part.
And Kabimba said he had accepted Chikwelete's apology because he was convinced it was in good faith.
He said he had no doubt in his mind that Chikwelete, the suspended PF Chawama constituency chairman, was sorry and that he regretted his actions.
"I told him I had accepted his apology because I myself remember very well Chikwelete's contribution to the party and therefore I thought he could still be useful as a member of the party and that those demonstrations against me would not be the way of him developing his career in the party for the future," Kabimba said.
"I also told him that I did not see how anybody would give him credit as a member of the party for leading those demonstrations by way of addressing his grievances. The meeting was very cordial and I have no doubt in my mind that the man was sorry and contrite and he had regretted his actions."
He said two days before the Lusaka demonstrations, he had phoned Chikwelete to discuss his grievances and those of others.
Kabimba said he sought a meeting with Chikwelete so that he could hear him out, to which he agreed.
"I was therefore surprised and disappointed that instead of coming to see me on the appointed day he (Chikwelete) decided to get involved into those demonstrations," he said.
Kabimba said Chikwelete told him that he was a troubled person and that his conscience was not free because he saw that there was nothing wrong that he had done against him personally or to the party.
He said Chikwelete complained that he had been let down by not being given a job despite promises by President Michael Sata to him personally.
"He went further to say one of the first promises was that he would be sent into the foreign service, when that didn't work out he was promised that he would be appointed district commissioner for Chitambo district. To his disappointment, neither of them materialised. He also claimed that he was disappointed and not happy with the provincial and district committees and he thought that the two committees were being protected by the secretary general and for that reason he decided that him and his colleagues should rise against the secretary general in order to get rid of Lusaka Province and district officials," Kabimba said.
He said Chikwelete told him that senior members of the party were financing the demonstrations and named them.
But when asked to reveal the names, Kabimba said it was not necessary to do so.
"We want to put this behind us and move our party forward," he said.
"...The gist of his apology was that he had recognised that I had worked very well with him as a councillor until he became (Lusaka) mayor. He praised my contribution to the party since I became secretary general so he wanted to make amends so that we continue working together."
Kabimba said the meeting where Chikwelete apologised was sought through his lawyer Robson Malipenga.
He said Malipenga phoned him that Chikwelete wanted to personally apologise over the demonstrations against him which he led in Lusaka.
Kabimba said he was initially reluctant to meet Chikwelete but because the request came from his lawyer and his personal friend, he accepted because he did not want to appear to be harbouring a grudge against Chikwelete.
"I decided I would meet Robert Chikwelete in the presence of Robson Malipenga hence our meeting held on 21st October, 2013. In the meeting there was Robson Malipenga and myself," said Kabimba.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Continued squabbles in PF sadden Inonge
By Tilyenji Mwanza and Abel Mboozi
Mon 14 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
INONGE Wina says she is disappointed that squabbles in PF have continued even after President Michael Sata's directive to end the infighting.
And suspended Chawama Constituency chairperson Robert Chikwelete has accused Lusaka Province PF chairperson Geoffrey Chuumbwe of being the commander of the 'militia' group in the Fourth Republic party.
Wina, who is PF national chairperson, said there were more amicable ways of sorting out issues than fighting and threatening one another.
"You know what, let them fight at that level. We do not know what else these people want. The President issued a directive for them to stop the fighting. You would expect them to stop but they are being disrespectful," she said.
Last week, Chikwelete threatened violence against Goodson Banda if he attempted to take over the district offices.
"Let me also warn the Goodson Banda-led committee that if they try to cause confusion or provoke these loyal members of the party, they will face it in a hard way. I know their followers are women; my followers are men and they will face them head-on. We have information that people want to march and come and close this office. We are not going to allow that. If they provoke us to that extent, definitely expect some violence. I am not going to hide it, expect some violence. We do not want to be violent but if they continue provoking us in this manner, we will make sure that we crush them and crush them such that they will never exist anymore. We are not going to allow anymore intimidation and people trying to underrate us. We are the voters. We put this government where it is. We expect leaders to respect us," said Chikwelete last week.
But Wina said violence against women would not be entertained.
Wina, who is also gender minister, said it was uncalled for, for Chikwelete to threaten PF women with violence.
"It is not right to compare women and men, especially in terms of violence," she said.
Wina said the party did not condone gender-based violence at any level, and appropriate measures would be used to deal with Chikwelete.
She said she would study the matter more and see what action could be taken.
"We don't like this and we have asked them to stop but issuing threats against women is uncalled for," said Wina.
But Chikwelete, in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday, declared that his suspension by Chumbwe was null and void.
He maintained that he was still the Lusaka district chairman as appointed by President Michael Sata and that he was fully in charge.
"Chumbwe has no power to suspend me. Let him just concentrate on the Fourth Republican Party where he is the 'commander' of the militia group," Chikwelete said.
"The purported suspension from Chumbwe is null and void. This is a serious exhibition of impunity and disloyalty to our President by Chumbwe and Goodson Banda," he said.
Chikwelete said his appointment by President Sata as Lusaka district chairperson was meant to correct an anomaly which he said was created by secretary general Wynter Kabimba.
He alleged that Kabimba manipulated the bringing in of Banda at the district and his eventual ascension to the position of district chairperson.
"The information we have received suggest that the Fourth Republican Party constitution was used to elect Goodson Banda as Lusaka district chairperson. Therefore Banda's claim of legitimacy as an elected chairman is a big falsehood and we are surprised that he can challenge my appointment by the President," said Chikwelete.
Chuumbwe has suspended Chikwelete from the party on account of bringing President Sata and the party's name into disrepute.
This action has incensed Chikwelete, who has vowed to use violent means to fight Chuumbwe over his suspension.
Labels: GEOFFREY CHUUMBWE, INONGE WINA, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE
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They're tearing Sata up - Scott
By Moses Kuwema
Mon 30 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
Vice-President Guy Scott says the people that have been organising others in order to remove Wynter Kabimba from the position of secretary general are after President Michael Sata. And Vice-President Scott says Kabimba's departure would be a serious loss to the PF and President Sata in particular.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Scott says Robert Chikwelete is misrepresenting himself as Lusaka district chairman because he was not recognised by President Sata and certainly has no letter of appointment.
Vice-President Scott yesterday emphasised that the real target of the "schemers" was President Sata, who was being put into conflict with the PF Central Committee and party officials generally.
"The real issue is that current events are in fact an attack on his leadership, intended to undermine his power," he said.
He said those that wanted to remove Kabimba were bent on controlling the party.
He said the people who wanted to weaken President Sata were the ones who were a danger to the party and were causing the confusion.
"These people are bent on dividing the party. They are after Michael Sata's power if not even his job. This is a much bigger thing than we think, it is not just playing with cadres. Although they are using the language of endorsement, it puts Michael at odds with other leaders, which is an intolerable position. They are tearing him up - on one side there are his lieutenants of many years, who have done so much to put him in power… and on the other hand mob justice or kangaroo justice is being handed out by people who have no idea what they are doing. The basic thing is that the whole thing (calls for Kabimba to resign) is aimed at the old man, to put him in a difficult if not impossible position," Vice-President Scott said.
He said the calls for Kabimba to go were a cleverer bit of political engineering than he had originally thought.
Vice-President Scott, who is also PF vice-president, said President Sata, Kabimba and himself worked so hard to ensure that PF reached where it was today and would not allow it to go to the dogs.
"We made the PF work because of Wynter, me and the boss (President Sata), and other dedicated people. In the hard days, we made it work,even when others were hammering us. Yes, he (Wynter) is my friend but that is not the overriding consideration in politics. But the fact is it would be a serious loss to PF, and the President most particularly," he said.
Vice-President Scott described calls for Kabimba to resign as hard to understand. When asked if there was any charge of arrogance in the PF constitution which the people that have been calling for Kabimba to leave, have been referring to, Vice-President Scott responded: "Yes he can be arrogant, he is a lawyer. And lawyers are funny people. But a lot of people are arrogant, and I am simply failing to understand exactly what he is alleged to have done. People have now started criticising his remarks on tribalism, but these came after some weeks of protest and coffins. Really, I don't understand any specific allegations that caused this whole thing to get started."
Asked about Kabimba's party management, Scott said: "Anyone who controls the money faces unpopularity. And since MMD, many people believe that there is so much money available in the party, but they don't see it. Rather than helping the party by explaining that resources are limited, people who would like to undermine Wynter have led people to believe that he is somehow depriving them for his own selfish reasons."
And on reports that Kabimba was being propped up to form his own political party through an online publication Barotse Times, Vice-President Scott said Kabimba was not stupid.
"Wynter may be guilty of a bit of arrogance, may be guilty of a bit of one thing or another, but he certainly is not stupid. That will be the most crazy thing for him to do, to align himself with the Barotseland calls, where is your point? You are secretary general of the ruling party in Zambia and you go and mess around with Barotse politics; it is just nonsense," he said.
On allegations that Kabimba was plotting against President Sata, Vice-President Scott said that was fake.
"If the guy becomes a threat to the presidency and the boss does not like that, he can stop him. Does he need his own students to teach him a lesson in politics? If he is under any kind of political threat, I have not the slightest doubt about his abilities to deal with it. He does not need Willie Nsanda or Robert Chikwelete or Guy Scott to come along and teach him," he said.
When asked over some calls by cadres that Kabwata member of parliament Given Lubinda should take over from Kabimba as secretary general of the PF, Vice-President Scott responded: "I hope my friend (Lubinda) is not allowing himself to be used in this whole masquerade, pantomime. He has been and can continue to be a very useful member of the party."
And Vice-President Scott expressed worry at the use of the public media in doing propaganda against members of the government on behalf of other members of the same government.
"We have had headlines saying 'Stop lying Kabimba - says another minister'. What is this? In the government papers? We have had ZNBC stories that Wynter is about to join some Barotse separatist, new party. This is not right at all. And the story is so implausible that not even the Watchdog would print it. My searches through Google have not revealed the existence of the Barotse Times somewhere. What is this kind of journalism doing?" he wondered.
Vice-President Scott wondered what information and broadcasting permanent secretary Emmanuel Mwamba was doing at the ministry if he was failing to ensure journalistic standards.
Vice-President Scott observed that it was unfortunate that just when the Independent Broadcasting Authority had been brought in, there was apparent manipulation of the public media.
He vowed to discredit the whole propaganda in the next Central Committee meeting.
And on Chikwelete, Vice-President Scott said the former Lusaka City Council mayor was nobody in PF.
Vice-President Scott said that during the launch of the Pave Zambia 2000 road project in Chawama, President Sata only recognised Chikwelete as the chairman for Chawama Constituency and not Lusaka district.
"I heard this, and later verified that Chikwelete is not a party official beyond the Chawama Constituency. In our party, we do things with letters. If I am going to be appointed chairman of women's affairs, I get a letter saying that I am appointed. If Chikwelete is district chairman, let him show us his letter," Vice-President Scott said.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Scott described a consultative meeting that was held in Lusaka over the weekend, at which it was resolved by 'PF members across the 10 provinces' that Kabimba should leave his post as secretary general, as a kangaroo court that did not follow clearly laid down party procedures.
Vice-President Scott wondered which 10 provinces had resolved that Kabimba leaves when the Luapula Provincial Executive Committee, who were in his company over the weekend, did not want to be part of the 'nonsense' because they did not understand it.
He said the provincial committee told him that there were only two women whom he said were freelance PF members that had travelled to Lusaka to attend the meeting.
"I happened to be in Luapula doing my job, but I am quite sure that if I was in other provinces instead of Luapula, I would find the story is the same. The idea that the 10 provinces of Zambia have met and decided sensibly, honestly and then voted according to our laid down procedures is totally nonsense. It is witch-hunting," he said.
Vice-President Scott said he did not want to allow the outcomes of this meeting to be presented as if they were legitimate, because the people who convened the meeting, and their process, were not respectable at all.
"Of course, there were people who went along to the consultative meeting in Lusaka who thought it was a proper forum, and they can be forgiven, but this meeting was not conducted in good faith," he said.
Vice-President Scott said he was impressed with the PF members in Luapula Province, a province he said gave the PF almost a 100 per cent vote during the general elections in 2011.
"These are President Sata's supporters, they are not jokers. Luapula Province was the highest-scoring Province as it almost had 100 per cent in terms of PF seats. That was largely due to the party conventions and so forth that we held in Luapula, and we can see that observing proper process is good for the party and has good results," he said.
Asked for a final comment, Vice-President Scott responded: "Let us be very clear with unruly behaviour; it is not what people voted for and not what they will vote for in 2016. Let us work on implementing our vision for development, which is the job we were given to do."
Labels: GUY SCOTT, MICHAEL SATA, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE
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PF cadres march, petition for Kabimba's removal
By Moses Kuwema and Abel Mboozi
Sat 14 Sep. 2013, 14:01 CAT
SOME PF cadres in Lusaka yesterday marched in the central business area, demanding the resignation of secretary general Wynter Kabimba. And defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba says it is not automatic that President Michael Sata will be in office for 10 years and that is why he was championing his endorsement as candidate for the PF in 2016.
The cadres, who were led by former Lusaka City Council mayor Robert Chikwelete, who is also interim Lusaka district PF chairman, marched from the South to the North-end of Cairo road before going to the district offices near Millennium bus station.
"We were told that we have been suspended as constituency chairmen, so this prompted us to organise ourselves. We are not happy with the way the secretary general is running party affairs. So now we are calling for his resignation because he cannot listen to party officials," Chikwelete said.
He said the cadres were not happy with the hand-picking of party officials for positions in the district.
"For instance, the district political secretary had no blessings from the party. These political secretaries were becoming more powerful than district commissioners," he said.
Chikwelete said the petition to have Kabimba removed from the office of secretary general had since been taken to the President and prayed that the head of state would look into the matter and bring to an end the ongoing wrangles in the party.
"Let me also make it clear that it is not true that we are being sponsored by defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba," said Chikwelete.
Kabimba, who is also justice minister, was unavailable for comment by press time as his mobile phone went unanswered.
And Mwamba told journalists after the commissioning of ZNS cadets in Kafue yesterday that from day one just after the PF won the 2011 elections, his team started campaigning for 2016 and the preferred candidate.
"And they are saying that its automatic President Sata will run for ten years. It's not automatic;that is why there is that gap of five years. We have to go to a congress, where we have to go and elect him as our candidate to contest the Republican presidency, so it's not automatic. They should not mislead the nation that it's automatic because if it was automatic, they should have said he will run for 10years continuously," he argued. Mwamba said there was nothing sinister about endorsing a candidate now.
"We are merely expressing our opinion; we are not refusing those with a different view. They are free to express their views but as far as we are concerned, I and my constituency Kasama Central, we are saying that we have endorsed President Sata to contest the party presidency and that of the republic," he said. He challenged those against the endorsement of President Sata as the PF's sole candidate for the2016 elections to come out in the open and state their preferred candidate. "Let them tell us so that we know; that's all we want. Otherwise, what we are doing is not outside the law; our party manifesto and constitution, everything is very clear," said Mwamba.
Labels: CADRES, GBM, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Chikwelete asks home affairs ministry to account for K2bn
By Henry Sinyanwe
Thu 07 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT
LUSAKA Mayor Robert Chikwelete has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to account for the K2 billion that was spent on police officers deployed to remove street vendors.
Chikwelete said the bigger task of removing vendors from the streets was only done in three days while the rest of the days, officers were just spending time in the streets doing nothing.
“The actual removal of vendors was only done in less than three days and the rest of the days officers were found lazing around. We have not received any details on how the K 2 billion was spent by home affairs,” said Chikwelete.
And Lusaka City Council public relations manager Chanda Makanta has expressed disappointment at the lack of cooperation by the Ministry of Home Affairs saying that each time they needed their help, they had to spend large sums of money for their service.
“We all belong to Zambia and when it calls for duty, we should help each other and not only when there is money,” she said.
Asked on what the local authority was doing about the vendors that were back on the streets, Makanta said they have deployed council police and they also asked for help from the police but were only given 18 police officers who were placed at strategic positions.
She said council police, who are not armed when on duty, are usually harassed by the vendors hence the need for help from the Zambia Police.
“Inasmuch as these people need to feed their families from the street business, as a local authority we also have the duty to keep the city clean but we cannot do this alone. We need help from the police,” said Makanta.
However, when contacted for a comment, home affairs minister Lameck Mangani said the issues raised by the local authority were administrative.
Mangani said he had not been informed about any problems that the local authority was facing with his ministry.
Labels: MAYOR, MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, ROBERT CHIKWELETE
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PF cadres, councillors annoy Teta by calling him Tetamalilo
Written by Katwishi Bwalya
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:59:57 PM
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) cadres and councillors last Friday annoyed local government minister Benny Tetamashimba after they called him Tetamalilo, katenga malilo [hearse] during the installation of Lusaka mayor Robert Chikwelete. Town Clerk Timothy Hakuyu had called on Tetamashimba, who was the guest of honour at the Civic Centre, to install Chikwelete as the new mayor.
As Tetamashimba walked over to where Chikwelete was for the installation, the cadres raised their party symbol and shouted "katenga malilo [hearse]." However, Tetamashimba was not distracted and went ahead to install Chikwelete.
When Tetamashimba was called to install the deputy mayor, the cadres again called him katenga malilo. "Manda manda boy... Katenga malilo endesa [hurry up hearse]. Tetamalilo," the cadres and some councillors shouted. Tetamashimba only responded when he was called upon to deliver his speech.
"I heard some of the people talk about katenga malilo... it's not in my speech but when people mention it, they are asking me to make a comment," Tetamashimba said as the cadres shouted, "it's not a rally."
In response, Tetamashimba said, "it is not a rally but you mentioned it in the background including there [pointing to where councillors where seated] so I have to explain."
He said it was his responsibility as minister of local government and housing to ensure that the dead were buried in a decent way.
"I want to say this that honourable Guy Scott member of parliament [who was present], when he was young he knows that councils were providing katenga malilos [hearses] for the poor to be buried. I know that and therefore I can tell you that even this time, we are going to provide. We are going to give them hearses to the councils so that the poor who sometimes fail to pay for exorbitant costs for burial will be taken in those katenga malilos," Tetamashimba explained.
"We are going to do that but if the council of Lusaka, the councillors of Lusaka say they are not interested, I will be very happy to take those hearses to another place because we want to give the poor a decent burial by taking them from the mortuary to the graveyard. Ministry of Health their job is to provide ambulances for you to be taken to the hospitals but when you die it is my responsibility to take you to the graveyard."
Tetamashimba urged the councils to use their power and ability to reflect seriously on how they would assist the public to improve their living standards.
He said the existence of street vendors could not be justified but that the vendors would only be removed from the street when the new Soweto market is opened.
Tetamashimba said it was unfortunate that the mayors would only be in office for three months and that they should prepare themselves for another election in September.
And Chikwelete said the council could not carry out any road constructions on its own due to lack of funds.
Chikwelete appealed to the government to release grants timely to the council for implementation of developmental projects.
"I wish to appeal to the government through you minister to release timely all grants due to the council to enable us implement our programmes," he said.
Chikwelete also pledged to work with all the other councillors for the benefit of the residents of Lusaka.
Labels: BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE
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PF instructs councillors to vote for Chikwelete
Written by Constance Matongo
Monday, December 08, 2008 5:19:01 PM
OPPOSITION PF has instructed its councillors in Lusaka to vote for Robert Chikwelete for mayor and Daniel Chisenga as his deputy. Chikwelete and Chisenga are councillors for John Howard ward 3 and Mulungushi ward 18 respectively.
In a letter dated December 6 addressed to PF councillors, party secretary general Edward Mumbi encouraged them to rally behind the adopted councillors so that they would emerge victorious.
“Anyone who will defy the resolution of the caucus meeting which was confirmed by the party leadership will face disciplinary sanctions,” stated Mumbi.
He stated that all those interested in the positions of mayor and deputy mayor for Lusaka should not campaign because Chikwelete and Chisenga had filled the two positions.
“We wish to inform all those concerned and interested in the two positions that despite the postponement of the elections for the positions of mayor and deputy mayor by the Honourable Minister of Local Government and Housing to a later date, the party’s position has not changed and there should be no campaigns within the party for the two positions,” read Mumbi’s letter in part.
And Chikwelete said some councilors who opposed his candidature on the ground that he was imposed on them had no better reason to oppose him because he was adopted after going through elections.
“We had elections and I got 10 points together with councillor [George] Nyendwa. We then went for a re-run and I got 14 votes and my colleague Nyendwa got 12 votes. That is why am saying it is not true that I have been imposed on the people because I went through a democratic process of elections,” said Chikwelete.
Labels: DANIEL CHISENGA, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE
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