By Proud Aushi Musamba Mumba
What those advocating for Mutati as running mate have to say
About Mutati.
Well, President Lungu has settled for Nkandu Luo and his first speech after filing in was to beg members to accept her even if they hate her because that was his choice. He urged his unhappy members to wait for their turn and chose whom they wanted but respect and accept his choice. This he said to a not so jubilant crowd of PF members that culminated into a very loud silence among all PF blogs in a sign of disapproval over his choice of running mate.
Who is Nkandu Luo? Well, she is 70 years old and her involvement in active politics startles across 3 Political generations and 3 Administrations namely, the Chiluba, Sata and ECL Administrations in which she served as full Cabinet Minister.
What is her record?
In the Chiluba Administration, she lamentably failed as Health Minister and it was during her period as Health Minister that Govt fired 300 junior Doctors (who are now senior Doctors and consultants) for striking over pathetic health conditions in the country. It was during her same tenure of office as Health Minister that the country experienced the greatest brain drain as Doctors left to go ply their trade in countries like Botswana, South Africa and the UK.
Fast forward to the Sata Administration, it was during her tenure of office as Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister that we saw the Mwinelubemba of the Bemba speaking pipo get harrased, tormented and blocked by armed military police from taking his rightful place as the Chitimukulu despite been duly endorsed by the traditional kuta’s across the Bemba Land.
Came the Lungu Administration, it is during her tenure as Higher Education Minister that student meal allowances wr scrapped off and universities closed for months on end.
At Fishers, it was during her tenure of office as Minister that saw prolonged fish bans that caused misery and induced poverty among our pipo living around fishing communities.
It is also during her stay in the dissolved Parliament that saw Prof. Luo lead a group of Catholic Parliamentarians who publicly admonished the Catholic leadership over Bill 10.
So Prof. Nkandu Luo has left bitter test among the Bemba Dynasties, the students and parents, the fishing communities and the Catholic leadership among others.
On the other hand, we have Mutati who is a respected Bemba son, respected Parliamentarian, respected Catholic and trusted workaholic with no scandal of corruption or theft of public funds in a Political career that startles across 3 Administrations namely the Mwanawasa, RB and Lungu Administrations.
On any given day, Mutati carries with him a vote of confidence by the Civil servants, Catholic community, Bemba community and ordinary Zambian citizens for his hard work and excellent delivery in all his allotted National duties.
This is what scares pipo like Emmanuel and @+260 97 9195077 together with all other PF surrogates hence crying and discouraging HH not to go with Mutati as running mate because this will spell doom for them as they will lose these elections by 10am.
But worry not, I repeat. Our involvement in the Upnd Alliance is unconditional and not based based on Mutati bn running mate. With or without Mutati bn running mate, we are in this Alliance to the end and we shall give it our all leaving nothing in the tank until HH becomes President in this our poorly administered Country.
Mukose bane, Kuya bebele!!!!