HH advisors politically naïve – Mumbi

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 12:51:30 +0000

By JUSTINA MULENGA

UPND’s presidential advisors are politically naïve and have mismanaged their president Hakainde Hichilema by politicising the Kuomboka ceremony, Edward Mumbi has charged.

Speaking to the Daily Nation in an interview yesterday, Mr Mumbi said that it was not correct for any political party to politicise traditional ceremonies in Zambia.

Mr Mumbi said that it has never been on record in the past where opposition political party leaders politicised traditional ceremonies.

“A very good example of leaders who were in the opposition and respected traditional leaders was the late President Michael Chilufya Sata,” he said.

He said that despite President Sata being in the opposition for some time, he never disrespected any traditional leaders.

He said that the UPND President Hakainde Hichilema was being disingenuous and politically naïve for disrespecting the traditional ceremony as big as the Kuomboka ceremony because of not recognising President Lungu.

“It is not only the opposition that should respect traditional ceremonies but even the ruling party and that has been seen through past presidents and the current President Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu,” he said.

Mr Mumbi also said that the actions displayed by Mr Hakainde Hichilema and his followers by walking away from the proceeding of the ceremony was a direct insult to the Litunga, President Lungu and the Lozi tradition.

He said that Mr Hichilema should have known that a situation like that might have risen, he was better off staying away from the Kuomboka ceremony.

He also said that the blame for all that transpired was on the people in-charge of managing Mr Hichilema.

“Mr Hichilema is mismanaged by his advisors that is why they always thought politicking was supposed to be done anywhere including traditional ceremonies,” he said.

He further said that one could not be a big opposition leader and being handled by a tribal clique because aspiring to be republican president required concerted effort to rule the entire country.

Mr Mumbi said that UPND should stop taking everything tribal if they want to succeed in their aspirations.