By SILUMESI MALUMO
F O R M E R N a t i o n a l D e m o c r a t i c Congress party president Chishimba Kambwili says he is more than ready to be arrested on allegations that he has been perpetuating tribalism but that UPND official Buumba Malambo should be arrested as well.
Mr Kambwili wondered why police have not opened an inquiry on Kafue Council Chairperson Bumba Malambo who uttered tribal remarks openly during the campaign period leading to the August 12 general elec[1]tions. “If you remember when she was campaigning and we still have that recording saying we need to vote for a Tonga President.
And HH himself also said the UPND does not need MPs but people must vote for a Tonga President. So such words are not tribal but merely talking against voting pattern. This does not move me,” he said. Mr Kambwili, who is a senior Patriotic Front (PF) official, said he is used to being arrested on political grounds.
He was reacting to sentiments by Inspector-General of Police Lemmy Kajoba that they have opened an inquiry regarding the alleged tribal remarks attributed to him. Mr Kajoba said police conducted investigations and compiled a docket of the case which has since been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) as the alleged offence requires consent to prosecute. But in an interview yesterday, Mr Kambwili said such matters do not move him because he has gone through such in past governments and it has become part of him.
Mr Kambwili said he never uttered tribal remarks during campaigns but only disagreed with the voting pattern. He said if talking against voting patterns is an offence, then the police are free to arrest him. “This is not the first time I am being arrested by political opponents. I have been arrested several times, I think nine times, so it’s not new to me. Let him go ahead and arrest me. “But Mr Kajoba must know that the position of IG is not permanent, he can be used by UPND today and we shall meet in the near future,” he said.
Mr Kambwili also said Mr Kajoba is fighting political battles in the name of the IG but he is a well-known UPND cadre. “Kajoba has been all over social media with UPND regalia, and some of us, we have seen him attending UPND meetings. People accused Kanganja of being PF but he has never worn PF regalia,” he said. He advised Mr Kajoba to be professional when executing his duties.
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