Tue, 01 Aug 2017 14:31:41 +0000
By MUKOSELA KASALWE
LUANSHYA Mayor Nathan Chanda, who attended late President Michael Sata’s 2014 closed door meeting when he accused Roan lawmaker, Chishimba Kambwili of harbouring presidential ambitions, says he was satisfied with the verdict of the Patriotic Front (PF) disciplinary organ.
According to the Post Newspaper, the closed door meeting was attended by then PF Secretary General Edgar Lungu, Local Government Minister Emmanuel Chenda, and Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda, Chiefs and Traditional Affairs deputy Minister Susan Kawandami.
Others present included provincial chairman Stardy Mwale and expelled member of the central committee and former Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge.
According to the Post Newspaper edition of September 18, then president, Mr Sata had accused Mr Chanda of being used to further Mr Kambwili’s presidential ambitions.
However, when pressed to comment further on the meeting, Mr Chanda refused. He maintained that he cannot divulge information on what was discussed in a meeting when late President Michael Sata met senior members of the party and advised him against being used by expelled Roan parliamentarian Chishimba Kambwili in his presidential ambitions.
Mr Chanda said he could not divulge information as confidentiality was one of the attributes a good leader needed to possess.
He said he could not betray late President Sata who is Patriotic Front founding leader even in death and that if he did he could not be found to be trustworthy by President Edgar Lungu or citizens.
Sources who attended the closed-door meeting at the Presidential guesthouse disclosed that President Sata told then Copperbelt youth chairperson Nathan Chanda to stop Mr Kambwili from using him in his presidential aspirations.
But the civic leader said he held confidentiality in high esteem and that it was a sign of sound leadership. “You ,” President Sata said, point at Chanda, “be very careful with the people who are using you to campaign.
“I am sure you know the people that I am talking about. Anyway am talking about ba Kambwili. Ba Kambwili is campaigning here and I know what he is doing,” President Sata said, according to sources.
“He is just using you. Be careful with him,” President Sata said.
When contacted for a comment yesterday, Mr Chanda maintained that, ‘‘I cannot divulge what was discussed in the meeting we had with late President Sata because as a leader, I am bound to confidentiality. If today I can divulge information about our founding father then tomorrow I may talk about President Lungu,’’ he said.
He said he preferred not to comment on his perceived bad blood with Mr Kambwili as the verdict was passed by the disciplinary organ of the ruling party and that he was satisfied with the outcome.
