Tue, 13 Feb 2018 09:53:36 +0000
…They thrive on malice, evil and natural calamities
By AARON CHIYANZO & MUKOSELA KASALWE
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu’s use of a Bemba proverb ‘Ubomba mwibala alya mwibala’ was deliberately misconstrued by distractors to insinuate that he was promoting an element of corruption when in fact not, says Home Affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo.
Mr Kampyongo said it was unfortunate that some media houses took out of context what President Lungu was implying without having explained to the public what he really meant.
He said he understood what the proverb meant adding that it did not in any way meant to allow one to abuse resources.
“The use of that Bemba proverb was deliberately misconstrued by distractors to insinuate that President Lungu was promoting an element of corruption when in fact not. How can he? When he recently held a workshop with ministers and controlling officers talking about the need for prudent usage of resources,” he said.
And Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister, Ronald Chitotela said he was present with President Lungu when he used the proverb while addressing ruling party officials during his three-day visit on the Copperbelt Province.
Mr Chitotela advised the media not to what he termed cut and paste half information hence leaving data hanging thereby creating unnecessary speculation and suspense.
The minister explained that President Lungu was actually cautioning party officials against using funds made available by donors to support the party build offices.
Mr Chitotela said the Head of State urged party officials to instead use a contingency of 10 percent and not tamper with the 90 percent made available by the donors.
The ministers said this in Lusaka yesterday, on the side-lines of the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) inspection tour, which has reached between 68 and 70 percent.
Mr Chitotela said Government was comfortable with the pace of the project and the quality works being undertaken.
Meanwhile PF deputy media director Antonio Mwanza has charged that desperate opposition leaders making political mileage out of whatever the Head of State said have become a danger to the nation as they thrive on malice and bitterness.
President Edgar Lungu has come under fire from opposition leaders accusing him of encouraging government officials to loot public resources during his visit on the Copperbelt.
The President is alleged to have said that “Uubomba Mwibala, alya Mwibala”, which has incensed leaders of the UPND including outspoken expelled PF member, Chishimba Kambwili.
“The matter of Uubomba Mwibala, alya Mwibala cannot be misconstrued to mean anything else but just that. Uubomba Mwibala Alya Mwibala idiom is used for a thief justifying his theft where he works,” the opposition leaders stated.
But Mr Mwanza reiterated that the opposition leaders deliberately chose to misconstrue the President’s statement because they were bent on inciting Zambians to rise against the current government.
He said in an interview that the opposition had become a danger to the nation because they wished evil and rejoiced when calamities hit the nation.
Mr Mwanza pointed out that opposition leaders now saw it as an advantage to advance political mileage when the country was suffering.
Mr Mwanza emphasised that desperate politicians should not be given a chance to be in power because they would just use it for retribution.
He reiterated that they could not work for the people because they harbored so much hatred and bitterness.
Mr Mwanza charged that opportunists’ opposition leaders had failed to tell the Zambian people what they would do differently because they were blindfolded with revenge.
