HH WAS STUCK, PEOPLE AROUND HIM WANTED KBF TO BE RUNNING MATE, CHARGES LUSAMBO
By Merlyn Mwanza
Former Lusaka Province minister Bowman Lusambo says he has been told by his former MMD friends in the opposition UPND that party leader Hakainde Hichilema was stuck because those around him wanted Kelvin Bwalya Fube (KBF) to be the running mate, as opposed to Mutale Nalumango.
And Lusambo claimed that he did a bigger job for the ruling PF under Michael Sata than the others, hinting that he was actively working with the PF, while being a public defender and fierce critic of the ruling party, during the MMD’s time in power and outside power.
Lusambo, who is defending his Kabushi seat in Ndola, also said “kutumpika” Hichilema to say that he is President Edgar Lungu’s biggest rival.
Featuring on the Hot FM’s Hot Seat programme this morning, Lusambo said UPND vice-president Mutale Nalumango was being used as running mate by Hichilema to show that he was trying to work with other tribes, claiming he had previously refused Hichilema’s tribal overtures.
He claimed that he told Hichilema that he could not work with him simply on the basis that he was a Lamba, saying that “tribalism is deep in his (Hichilema’s) blood”, and that therefore “to be President is a missed call.”
“HH has nothing to do with other tribes,” Lusambo said during a radio programme monitored by Daily Revelation. “…I can’t work with Hakainde Hichilema. He called me that now Sata can only fear the Tonga bull. I told him you are wrong.”
He said Hichilema’s last minute announcement of his running mate, was not about keeping people in suspense in the manner President Edgar Lungu did with Professor Nkandu Luo, but because he was stuck as the others wanted KBF.
Lusambo scoffed at MDC leader Felix Mutati and KBF that they were overlooked over the running mate in preference for Nalumango.
“Baile balechensa ameno…HH tewakuchense ameno,” he said, adding that President Lungu was laughing where he was, as Mutati did so despite having been given several ministerial positions by the President on a silver plate.
Lusambo further revealed that he was working with late president Sata, despite portraying himself to be a vocal and fierce defender of the MMD.
“I used to speak to Sata one on one, talk to (former State House permanent secretary under President Lungu and PF member Emmanuel) Chilubanama,” he claimed.
But the interviewer wondered what would stop him from betraying President Lungu with his biggest rival in the opposition Hichilema, if he were secretly working with the PF while being a vocal MMD defender.
“Which biggest rival? Ba President balikwata rival (Does the President have rival)? Nimwebo mutumpika abantu (You are the ones who instill a sense of false belief in people),” he said.
Over the choice of two running mates for the PF and UPND, Lusambo said Professor Nkandu stood heads and shoulders above Nalumango, both academically and in terms of accomplishments.
“She’s one of intelligent woman,” Lusambo said.
He said whether people liked it or not, President Lungu will win the elections because “the people have already decided.”
Asked if he has had it easy that he earned his parliamentary adoption on the first time of asking during the time the MMD faction of Mutati supported by former president Rupiah Banda entered into an alliance with PF in 2016, while those who were enjoying popularity in the PF and have been long time members like Emmanuel Banda, Binwell Mpundu and Rashida Mulenga had been overlooked, Lusambo said the popularity of an individual was different from the popularity of the party.
“Loyalty to the party is important,” said Lusambo, who during the same interview said he was working with president Sata while being a member of the MMD. “I can’t say I have had it easy because I went through the same process.”
But one of the callers, a PF sympathiser urged Lusambo to focus more on explaining to the voters why the county was going through the hardships, and that he should be telling voters that the other countries were going through the same. – Daily Revelation