Sun, 01 Jan 2017 08:08:58 +0000
By BENNIE MUNDANDO
THE Patriotic Front (PF) has given Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili a seven day-ultimatum in which to exculpate himself or face disciplinary action for, among other things, accusing Luanshya mayor Nathan Chanda of practicing witchcraft.
Both PF secretary general Davies Mwila and Mr. Kambwili confirmed the development to the Daily Nation yesterday but could neither divulge more information on the content of the letter nor avail the document to the reporter.
Mr. Mwila said the matter was being handled as an internal issue and that the secretariat was not obliged to avail it to the media. “Yes, I can confirm that Mr. Kambwili has been given an exculpatory letter but I cannot avail it to you or divulge more information because we are handling it as an internal party matter. Since it looks like he has given you this information, go to him and demand for the letter because we will not avail you with the letter you are asking for,” Mr. Mwila said before cutting the line.
And when contacted for a comment, Mr. Kambwili confirmed the party’s action on him but referred the reporter back to the secretariat to get the letter, saying they were the ones who issued it.
Mr. Kambwili, however, explained that one of the charges slapped against him was his alleged accusation that Mr. Chanda was practicing witchcraft, adding that as a loyal and law-abiding member of the PF, he would respond to the charges levelled against him.
“Yes, they have (given him the letter). But where did you get the information? Get the details from the people that have told you because I am not the one who told you and I can only confirm that I have received the letter and as a loyal and law-abiding member of the party, I will respond. I have been given seven days to exculpate myself and show why disciplinary action cannot be taken against me. “What they have said is that I have called the mayor for Luanshya (Mr. Chanda) a witch. And so they have given me seven days to exculpate myself and as a genuine member of the party, when they have written to you, you respond and I am going to respond to the people who wrote to me; the secretary general,” Mr. Kambwili said.
He said he would leave everything to Zambians and the party members to make judgement on what was happening to him from the time he was fired from his ministerial position.
“I cannot divulge the details of what is in the letter because it is strictly me and the PF. It is between me and the party; it is an internal matter. All I can say is that whatever is happening to me, the truth will come out. It appears there is something cooking somewhere but let us wait for the truth to come out.
“I will leave it to the people of Zambia to judge. First, I was fired, now I am told to exculpate myself. I will leave it to the people of Zambia to judge. As for me, I will respond to the charge but only the truth will set us free,” he said.
