By NATION REPORTER
HAKAINDE Hichilema and the UPND have resolved to dethrone me as Chitimukulu as soon as they step into the corridors of power, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba has revealed.
However, Chitimukulu says he is not waiting for this and will act to prevent this from happening, “I think the only option is: PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE. The problem is that some people create their own storms, but get mad when it rains,” he said in a veiled warning against the opposition party.
The Bemba paramount Chief claimed that Deputy National Secretary-General Patrick Mucheleka had made clear what the opposition party was plotting.
Chitimukulu has also revealed that late President Michael Sata degazetted him because he was afraid of him being in charge of Bembas.
“He (Sata) knew me as a controversial strategist who operated behind the scenes since I was with him in the United Progressive Party (UPP) that was led by Mr. Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe. His fear was that it would be highly dangerous for me to be at the helm of Bemba power ,” the Chitimukulu said.
“A.L. Epstein, a social scientist who carried out a research on the Copper-belt wrote in his book, Politics in an Urban African Community: ’The Bemba-speaking peoples, make up by far the most numerous category in towns. The Bemba are a proud people, conscious of their military past and are known to Europeans and their fellow Africans alike for their arrogance…’” The chief said.
In a special write-up about his encounters with the Sata administration, the Chief says he was aware of the UPND plans to dethrone him if they formed government next year, but vowed that the entire Bemba land and its chiefs under the Royal establish would not take such a move lightly, warning that Bembas were not cowards.
Chitimukulu has quoted Andrew Roberts in A History of the Bemba to explain where he draws strength, ‘’’The most important social institution among the Bemba people other than the family is chieftainship. There are over thirty clans represented in Bembaland, but the one clan with political significance is the Bena Ng’andu, the ‘people of the crocodile.’ This is the royal clan, to whom is reserved succession to many chieftainships……no other chiefly clan in the region has gained such power for its tribe as the Bena Ng’andu.”’
The traditional leader reminded the nation of the late Mr. Valentine Musakanya who said the Bemba aristocracy and arrogance always believe not only in their inheritance, but also in the vocal aggression…. Their aristocracy has no foundation in wealth or known education but essentially in just being Bemba. The Bemba being a born-warrior regards “the innate temperament trait” as his only survival instinct and strongly believes that fear and coward-ness are the gateway to self-destruction. And hence the saying “cibe cibe, umwenso ni mfwa.”
“ President Sata was very uneasy with my becoming the Bemba leader as you can see from what The Daily Nation reported in the obituary: In 2014, Mr. Lewis Changufu was almost arrested for calling for a meeting to discuss the impasse between the PF government and the Bemba Paramount,” Chitimukulu said.
Quoting intelligence sources, Chitimukulu said, then President Sata was reported to have instructed state agents to find anything that could incriminate Mr. Changufu. `‘’ We have been asked to come up with anything that can link Mr. Changufu to crime. The President wants him arrested ASAP (as soon as possible).”’
On the other hand, the traditional leader explained, the Chinese government wanted to assist traditional rulers in Africa and formed what was called Africa Opportunity Co-ordination Organisation based in Nairobi. Dr. Wang came to Zambia and asked the Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs to give him the name of a chief who would represent us there and the Minister chose a relative, but Dr. Wang discovered that he was not given the right person and so he travelled to Kasama and told me that I was the right person.
“And when he went back, he sent the following letter of appointment , ‘’ With your royal position and high level of traditional knowledge and experience of the traditional norms and culture in Zambia, Africa AOCO board has appointed you to spearhead the formation of Pan African Development Committee in chiefdoms not only in Zambia, but in Africa as a whole.’’ Chitimukulu said.
