By SANDRA MACHIMA and SILUMESI MALUMO
TRIBALISTS from Luapula and Northern province hoping to use their tribal affiliation to advance their political careers are the ones spreading false lies suggesting that power should be handed over to a person from the two provinces.
And former minister of Finance, Katele Kalumba said suggestions that power should be handed to Luapula or Northern Province was a tribal gimmick intended to lower the Patriotic Front to other tribal parties,
Dr Kalumba said President Michael Sata was not a tribalist, that was why he did not choose anyone from Luapula and no other province to replace him.
He said it was useless for people to start dragging the Head of State into cheap politics.
He was reacting to an unidentified activist quoted in some sections of the media as saying that camps had emerged in the ruling Patriotic Front because some feel the Head of State was not sellable.
Dr Kalumba in an interview yesterday said it was unfortunate that people could stoop so low as to discuss the popularity of the President when they had seen themselves how Zambians treasure him.
The activist had claimed that camps in Northern Province were mounting pressure on President Lungu to hand over power to another person.
But Dr Kalumba said it was unfortunate that people who were aligned to other political parties could dwell on other political parties’ internal issues.
He said such cheap politicking was useless and cannot be taken seriously by Zambians.
“I denounce such cheap politics coming from some camps. I am a mentor of many political parties in the country but when such cheap politics emerge I get disturbed.
What I can advice those talking about the popularity of President Lungu to focus on issues which are affecting Zambians right now. There is an outbreak of COVID-19 which needs efforts from all stakeholders to combat and not start talking about politics
“Politics will have its own time because we need to deal with issues which have an impact on our economy. Don’t talk about 2021 today, talk about how to stop the spread of COVID 19,” he said.
Dr Kalumba who is former Minister of Finance said people aligned to other camps must focus on their internal issues instead of spreading falsehoods.
He said people of Zambia and those aligned to the Patriotic Front still had confidence in the Head of State.
‘PF is not tribal party’
