Dear Editor,
I HAVE read with a deep sense of sadness on how one tabloid, News Diggers has gone to an extent of accusing the PF national chairperson, Mr. Samuel Mukupa and myself that we are mocking people by encouraging the public to eat Kandolo (sweet potatoes).
I must state from the onset that it is extremely unfair for a news organisation such as the News Diggers to claim in their editorial comment that Kennedy Kamba or indeed Mr. Mukupa are so rich and they are mocking people by encouraging them to eat kandolo. What I know is that Mr. Mukupa grew up in the village and Kennedy Kamba grew up in the compounds of Kitwe in Chimwemwe. We ate kandolo everyday and I still eat it even away from cameras.
There is nothing sinister about encouraging people to eat kandolo and nobody should be demonised and insulted over this.
For me, eating kandolo does not mean poverty and it is unfortunate that my statement has been misconstrued by a news media that deliberately misinterpreted it to make me look bad. Mine was a positive encouragement to Zambians to adopt traditional foods because of the nutritional value and the fact that it is a delicious potato that we grew up with.
We all eat kandolo and there is absolutely nothing wrong to encourage people to it like Mr. Mukupa did. We are Zambians and we must be proud of our foods.
This is not in anyway a sign of mockery. The leadership of President Edgar Lungu and indeed the PF, assumed power to serve the nation and indeed this leadership is working extra hard regardless of the difficult situation due to the ravaging effects of Covid-19, to ensure that Zambians have enough to eat and get the required basic needs.
It is unthinkable for a media institution to begin to insinuate that we are now rich people trying to mock the public. This is unacceptable and I refuse to be dragged into such class of people. Kennedy Kamba is a very simple man, a common man who has just been given a responsibility to lead the PF in Lusaka Province. Everyone including the media that have had an opportunity to visit our simple office will attest to this fact.
I am just a simple person who cannot be projected as rich with a luxurious office. All this is meant to create an impression that we are detached from the people. This statement from News Diggers is malicious and only meant to project us before the people in a bad way.
We live among Zambians, we are one family. The PF as a party and Government is trying by all means possible to be sensitive to the people’s needs. Talking about kandolo and encouraging people to eat this nutritious food is not mockery and has nothing to do with encouraging poverty. In fact, we encourage people to grow indigenous foods so that we create wealth for the nation and to be food secure. It’s only through hard work that we will prosper as a nation. There is nothing sinister about the picture of me eating kandolo and this should not be used to ridicule my character in the eyes of right thinking members of the public. I grew up eating kandolo and I eat kandolo in my house with my family. We all eat kandolo.
We urge some media institutions that are so much against the PF to begin to look at issues with high levels of sobriety than trying to create unnecessary hate. The truth is the PF is not in a ditch. The PF is not detached from the people.
The PF is among the people, it is walking and working together with the general citizenry to make Zambia a better place. This is the more reason why President Lungu is loved by Zambians and it is the more reason why he will bounce back of the seat of Presidency come August 12, 2021. KENNEDY KAMBA
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