'GBM LIVING IN FEAR'

Mon, 28 Aug 2017 09:24:06 +0000

By Bennie Mundando

GEOFFREY Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) is now living in fear because he knows that the same knuckles that punched Canisius Banda out of the UPND to create space for him will be used to oust him from his position to accommodate Chishimba Kambwili, the PF in the Northern Province have said.

Commenting on Mr. Mwamba’s outpouring of his wrath on the Daily Nation three days ago, provincial deputy elections chairperson Chibwaya Muma said Mr. Kambwili and Mr. Mwamba were both birds of a feather as they were tossed out of PF because of their insatiable appetite for leadership and will use the UPND as a battlefield to realise the dreams.

Mr. Muma said Mr. Mwamba’s recent outburst stemmed from the frustration that he stood no chance to be adopted as running mate to UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema in 2021 in the presence of Mr. Kambwili whom he said had more following than the former Kasama Central member of Parliament.

He said it was hogwash and all pretence for Mr. Mwamba to pretend to welcome Mr. Kambwili to the UPND because he knew that his own position was under threat and the fact that Mr. Kambwili had shown a soft-spot for the UPND underlined the beginning of Mr. Mwamba’s decline.

Mr Muma said that there was no intra-party democracy in the UPND as all the vital decisions were made by Mr. Hichilema, more so, the appointment of leaders as that was mainly premised on their relevance to helping the party win an election as the case was with Mr. Mwamba himself in the previous election.

He said Mr. Mwamba was chosen as running mate by Mr. Hichilema because he fancied votes from the Northern corridor which were not forthcoming and that as a result of the defeat, the UPND would be forced to try other individuals with the muscle to help them garner votes, with Mr. Kambwili being the front-runner.

“Dr. Banda was sacrificed not because there is anything wrong he did to the UPND, but because the party opted to court Mr. Mwamba to break the tribal tag and more so, to get votes from the Northern corridor but that did not come to fruition. Right now, Mr. Mwamba is spending sleepless nights because he knows his position is at stake if Mr. Kambwili joins UPND.

Meanwhile, Mr. Muma has challenged the UPND to approach the reconciliation process initiated by the Catholic Bishops and the Commonwealth with a sober mind as opposed to giving vague demands such as the release of its members who are allegedly in prison across the country as a prerequisite for dialogue.