By KENNEDY LIMWANYA
GEORGE Mpombo’s time as Zambia’s defence minister must have been an exciting and transformational curve for him as it must have taught him the ability to use military terminology to comment even on subjects he was grossly ignorant about.Mpombo now carries himself as a master commentator on nearly all issues fashioned against President Rupiah Banda’s personal integrity.
In attacking Mr Banda and his MMD government, Mpombo’s hate speech is now littered with such terms as political battalion, squadron, rockets, grenades, political shooting, kamikaze, foot soldiers, mercenaries, battlefront, and unleashing political missiles. Mpombo certainly wishes he were a military general.
Unfortunately, for him, it takes more than just memorising military terminology to become a Wisdom Lopa (Zambia Army Commander), Andrew Sakala (Zambia Air Force Commander) or Anthony Yeta (Zambia National Service Commandant); one has to be outright sane, of a stable mind, sober character and rational thought.
Mpombo’s obvious inadequacies notwithstanding, President Levy Mwanawasa kept him as defence minister although he apparently used that whole time to only study the English dictionary or memorise military jargon Being a self-appointed champion of anything opposed to President Banda, Mpombo has once again thrust himself into the news, this time accusing the head of State of being a tribal introvert.
It does seem that every morning Mpombo gets out of bed, the first thing he does is call newspapers, radio and television stations, asking them to ask him questions against President Banda so that he can spew out his misdirected talk.
What bitterness!In the latest episode, Mpombo, of all people, can accuse the president of being a tribalist when his own stay in Mwanawasa’s cabinet was because of nothing but nepotism and tribalism.Some people simply have no shame.
This is a typical case of giving a man an inch and he wants to take a yard; you give him a yard, he wants to take a mile.In the first place, Mpombo was given a position in Mwanawasa’s cabinet not because he deserved to be appointed minister; records are there to show his performance as Energy Minister when he comically made disjointed statements at the height of a fuel shortage in the country.
Mwanawasa momentarily tucked Mpombo away from the spotlight by appointing him Copperbelt Province Minister before he elevated to the position of defence minister.Did Mpombo deserve that position? Zambians can answer this question.His only qualification was being one of Mwanawasa’s Lamba lieutenants.
Period!When Mr Banda took over as President in 2008, he overlooked Mpombo’s lack of capacity as defence minister and maintained him in the same portfolio but without realizing that the man had higher ambitions. He wanted the vice-presidency!The case of giving a man an inch!
Today, Mpombo has set out to exploit Paramount Chief Mpezeni’s statement in which he said President Banda’s Cabinet had no Ngoni representatives.In the first place, Mpombo knows that it is practically impossible to balance a Cabinet with each of Zambia’s 73 tribes.
Currently, Zambians are talking about the need to reduce the size of Cabinet so as to cut on the costs of maintaining such office holders.What Mpombo has chosen to conveniently forget is that Paramount Chief Mpezeni’s statement has, in effect, vindicated President Banda as non-tribal in his appointments.
Mpombo ought to know that the President is both Chewa and Ngoni, and if his desire was to fill Cabinet with both Chewa and Ngoni ministers, he would easily have done that.But Mr Banda considers other tribes from other provinces as equal partners in the country’s development, which is why he would not limit his appointments to one region.
In fact, if President were to appoint a Ngoni as Cabinet minister, Mpombo and his like-thinking cynics would be the ones to cry the loudest that the Head of State was restricting his appointments to his tribesmen.
For argument’s sake, if a president were born from Tonga and Ila parents, should it follow that people from both tribes must earn Cabinet ministerial positions?It appears this is what Mpombo and his friends want, just as it was when he served in Cabinet with his fellow Lambas while the other side of Mwanawasa’s relatives—the Lenjes- were also heavily represented.
If Mpombo has not been overcome with amnesia, he still remembers that when he was Cabinet minister, he shared that comfort zone with fellow Lambas Gabriel Namulambe, Marina Nsingo and Mike Mulongoti while Ronnie Shikapwasha replaced fellow Lenje Lackson Mapushi as Home Affairs Minister.
These are bare facts and not an attack on Mwanawasa’s legacy which its defenders do not even understand.But again, if these Lenjes and Lambas who served in the Mwanawasa government as either Cabinet ministers or deputy ministers deserved those positions, it was Zambia to benefit and not Lenje or Lambaland.
And, who knows, maybe even Mpombo deserved his appointments that taught him military terminology which he now abuses to direct political artillery at enemy fire.
If Mpombo were to use reason as opposed to bitterness, he would discover that President Banda’s Cabinet only has two Chewa-speaking ministers namely Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani and Local Government and Housing Minister Eustarckio Kazonga.Education Minister Dora Siliya and her Agriculture and Cooperatives counterpart Peter Daka are Nsenga, while Mines Minister Maxwell Mwale is Kunda.
As if to demonstrate that the tribal element that Mpombo is preaching does not matter much in the Eastern Province, Mangani’s victory was in Chipata, which is predominantly Ngoni.As it is, despite being Chewa-speaking, Mangani represents the Ngoni-speaking people in Parliament and Cabinet.The tribalism that Mpombo wants to dwell on is just a manifestation of his own predilection for family-tree politics that have been phased out.
Without any facts on his fingers, Mpombo alleges that President Banda’s senior advisors at State House are from the Eastern Province.Surely, Mpombo can perform better than this.
Of all 16 senior staff at State House, only Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, Dickson Jere, is Ngoni, and none of them is Chewa.None of the other special assistants— Dr Richard Chembe (economics), Dr Francis Chigunta (politics) and Joseph Jalasi (legal) —is either Ngoni or Chewa.
The Chief of Staff at State House, Dr Austin Sichinga, is Nyika from the Northern Province while the Chief of State Protocol, Mr Bobby Samakai, is Luvale.
Mpombo might also find it enlightening that two of President Banda’s senior private secretaries who handle his confidential correspondence— Rapson Chilufya and Differ Mulimba— were appointed by President Mwanawasa, and the current head of State has simply continued with them.It is only Mr Robinson Nkonde who was appointed by President Banda.
The difference between Zambia and other countries is that politicians in this country argue from a point of bitterness and deliberately gloss over key issues to the detriment of national development.
Zambians deserve better than this decadent political matter that does not even matter to thousands of Zambians yearning for politicians that inspire hope.That it is Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni who is crying for a Cabinet minister should prove that President Banda puts country before tribe.
Viva RB for tribal balancing!
KENNEDY LIMWANYA. To become a Wisdom Lopa (Zambia Army Commander), Andrew Sakala (Zambia Air Force Commander) or Anthony Yeta (Zambia National Service Commandant); one has to be outright sane, of a stable mind, sober character and rational thought.
What about the Generals who are serving jail sentences did they have these qualities of it is a misplacement of the qualities? What about the generals who are still answering cases in courts of law, are they smart than Mpombo as you have said. This is cheap analysis. Please consult beyond your ego before to publish something especially on the internet.
Useless KENNEDY LIMWANYA. **==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Surely the Impala(Impombo) is wrong here…I thought people should have critisized Mpezeni and not RB…
THE DISINGENUOUS POLITICS OF GEORGE MPOMBO
Mpombo is not proud of his humble education as a mere Grade 12 wastefully studying the dictionary for words he publicly misapplies with impunity. I presume many educated Zambians feel insulted whenever they hear Mpombo is claiming he is studying for a BA Political science at UNZA then changes the version that he is doing an MBA with some Australian University.Unfortunately for his lies both disciplines demand an analytical and intensive reading mind which his deficiencies cannot handle intensive disciplines.
That aside, Mpombo has become the personification of politics of irrelevancy democratic peace theory covers. He is an ethnic chauvinist who is not seeing RB’s innumerous efforts in ending years of polarization and identity politics through his selfless approach towards a Mass party in Zambia. In all this circus Mpombo is shooting himself carelessly at national constituency level. Wondering how he will redeem himself from his irrelevancy politics.
Simply the chap is one embattled political vagabond whose fixated mindset holds strong that its future lies squarely on promulgating tribalism and hatred. His promulgation of ethnic hatred is without basis. Here he is failing to see that Mpezeni’s complaint actually vindicates RB that he is a true nationalist. Then comes the question which ethnic group is Mpombo belaboring to channel his hatred against which RB has been practicing tribalism with? Is it the Ngonis, Bembas, Lozis, lalas, kaondes, ng’umbos, Nyikas or tumbukas?
The RB administration is the most diverse and inclusive administration the country has ever had which Mpombo should have known if in his Matero university Pol.Science degree he has taken Comparative politics 101 and research Methods mandatory course in many Political Science curricullums.
Nice meat the duicker (impombo), especially iyakocha.
Then where do Mpombo innuendos hold water? Which tribe does he want to be hated and cleansed based on his crusade?
Mpombo’s lifeless agenda of fueling ethnic hatred is sterile, self-serving publicly irrelevant in a country where progressive democratic forces under RB are creating national harmony, common purpose on mutual respect, and non-ethnic national identities fbeing built on excellence and ability of individuals other than their tribes.
Number 3 above: You are speaking from an abundance of ignorance. Do you know how many of RB’s tribesmen he has sent into foreign service. Please shut up!
Politics of baseless reprisal formations Mpombo is thriving on in the tabloids can only whip up his own negative ethnic sentiments he is senseless promulgating and confine his few gullible trolling followers to selfish but romanticized ethnic identities that are useless and of no necessity to our unitary state but hostile to his own camp of trolls.
History records the failure of such parody lMpombo personifies. His struggle is a stunted one inspired solely by self induced grievances and vested ethnic interests already defeated by the robust of President Banda and his MMD party inspired leadership ever driven by the pursuit of democratic ideals for all citizens.
Zambians are seeing that the change movements of RB politics are driven by universal democratic ideals such as the rule of law, justice and freedom, pursuit of the emancipation of all, including ethic chauvinists like Mpombo himself and all wishful narcissistic political trolls here. The RB administration is focused on and seek to dismantle all primordial unjust systems of family trees that were, not to take them over as the new detriments into our Zambianness anymore.
This said, Mpombo is just unprincipled political vagabond of grievances and sectarian mindset surrendered to the legion of scheming and short-changing our national unity. He has vainly allowed himself to wastefully get into bed with whoever will advance his chauvinistic agenda.
His disingenuous ethnic hate is not driven by the desire to eradicate or limit sources of suffering among the people, but to address his own social-economic struggles as they manifeste or latent, in oppressive structures of family tree hegemony he can see no more.
Am sure this Liwanya is well renumerated for licking bums of his masters including those of the terminally ill like GK. Suppose we were to have a change of government today what would happen to this i.m.b.e.ci.l.e? l would really love to see how he would make an instant u-turn towards new backsides probably he would even add blow jobbing as ‘mbasela’ to endear himself with the new masters and guarantee himself chicken and chip for yet another term. what a life people like him live.
Senior Citizen you i.d.i.o.t you already posted that on the other thread. what kind of pills are you on? come on stop boring us with same crap post something else you chestnut. ulicinkula iyi?
Am not a fan of RB and never will, but I agree with Senior Citizen, Mpombo is a political vagabond.He is some lost chap who still yearns for the LEGACY of the family tree of Mwanawasa and his minions.It shouldn’t be about tribal balancing but having the right people to do the facking job! This Antelope got to become Defence Minister only because Mwanawasa was tribal and a nepotist.I know many i.diots that got jobs because of being related to Mwanawasa or Maureen in one way or another,Muteteka for example! This ka chief Mpezeni is also some lost chap.In fact we need to get rid of these tu ma chiefs in Zambia,they just bring confusion.
Mpezeni I hope you have learned a lession for supporting RB. He has used you and left you out to hang and dry (1) No. diplomatic passport for you (2) your pipo have been sidelined (3) you are not invited by RB to ride in his presidential plane to go for game viewing in Nfuwe (4) you are not invited to go to Zimbabwe with RB (5) RB did not attend your Nc’wala ceremony this year. Hope next year you won’t tell your pipo to vote for big nosed RB.
On “The President said he felt vindicated by comments attributed to Paramount Chief Mpezeni that he has not appointed a Ngoni in his cabinet… Mr Banda, who is Chewa/Ngoni by tribe, said the comments by Paramount Chief Mpezeni showed that he was not a tribalist because he has not appointed a single cabinet minister from his own tribe“, I wonder what thinking capcity some leader has. Surely, how can one feel vinidcated with such a serious statement by Chief Mpezeni when there are many Easterner Cabinet Ministers in Mr President RB Banda MMD Administration, a thing that is a clear manifestation of Regional politics. What is the no. of Chewa C. Ministers?
B blest O.
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Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto…
Only a fool can support Mpezeni and Mpombos tribal talk. Tribalism should be condemned. That is why I support HH you will never hear him bordering on tribalism. These chaps should emulate him.
It is interesting to note that sometimes ministers speak sense, but it’s also a pity that this happens only when attacking someone who has fallen out of favour
Can somebody just publish the names of cabinet ministers and their deputies aswell as PS to see if RB is indeed tribal instead of wasting time just on speculation?
Again,again….the article is misplaced.I’m not a fan of Mpombo or RB however,i find the article to be utterly personal of one George Mpombo,instead of Kennedy Limwanya bringing out the reasons and analyses about Mpombo’s outbursts,he’s being overly person.If yes Mpombo is as he describes him,why haven’t the MMD expelled Mpombo.Secondly,Mpombo was never fired for incompetence by RB,rather he resigned.If yes Mpombo was incompetent and RB knew about it but never fired him,then RB failed in his duties and functions as republican president as described to him by the constitution and out to resign himself for failure to dispense duties that have been bestowed to him by the Zambian people.Also,Chembe,Jere,Sichinga are easterners.Sichinga is from Miyombe,Tumbuka/Namwanga area.
We don’t care whether Mpombo wakes up and phones newspapers and all as such data can’t be substantiated,in my view,it’s pure hogwash and kindergaten analyses and talk.Tell us why you think Mpombo is wrong in saying what he says against RB.Mpombo and the Mpezeni this week commented on RB as being tribal.Your article only addresses Mpombo in this regard,why didn’t you touch on the Mpezeni’s outbursts as well.About the 73 tribes,your reasoning on this subject clearly belittles the thinking of Zambians.When have the 73 Zambian tribes demanded for such representation as you’ve described it,there was totally no need for you to have referred to this.Again,it’s totally nonsensical,it’s bull crap!!!!
think tribalism is inherent in all current crop of politicians.FTJ did his part by putting Bembas and Luapulans in key cabinet posts,parastatal as well as diplomatic missions.LPM came and undid the FTJ legacy and ofcourse the direct beneficiaries like Moses Kaunda cried foul saying Bembas are being sidelined.LPM went on and built a family-tree of which Mpombo was part and parcel.Lambas and Lenjes where everywhere:London(Anderson ),Moscow(Rev.Chintala,now replace by Mulenga),Berlin(Chinkuli),Zesco name them.RB is now in and dismantling the family tree disguised as the Legacy,the direct beneficiary in Mpombo is on rampage.To be fair terms of tribal balancing,RB is better than LPM cos under LPM some ministrial posts were exclusive tothe tree.
Haaaaaaa i dont know but what i have seen is most of the appointments that our old man has made include at least a chipatan or an easterner. So for me really ngoni or chewa do not matter but what matters is EASTERNER – ana akwasu .
RB IS TRIBALIST PERIOD.
Lets face it RB is a tribalist
On “Mpombo ought to know that the President is both Chewa and Ngoni, and if his desire was to fill Cabinet with both Chewa and Ngoni ministers, he would easily have done that“, I wonder what thinking capcity some leader has. Surely, the issuue by Chief Mpezeni is serious can not be brushed side with the heavy/many Easterner Cabinet Ministers in Mr President RB Banda MMD Administration as indicate about that shows the President’s and MMD’s regional politics of Eastern Province to rule Zambia.
Chief “Mpezeni said Ngonis were also a factor in Eastern Province and needed to be in decision-making positions,” a clear indication that Mr President RB Banda is practising regional politics. This sadly shows that even Chief Mpezeni is not a Nationalist as he is Eastern…
Continued:
Chief “Mpezeni said Ngonis were also a factor in Eastern Province and needed to be in decision-making positions,” a clear indication that Mr President RB Banda is practising regional politics. This sadly shows that even Chief Mpezeni is not a Nationalist as he is Eastern Province (or Eastern region of Zambia) concerned only.
Therefore, both Mr Presient and Chief Mpezeni are regional and tribal.
Be blest all.
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Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.
To the tribalists who are trying hard to justify the tribalism in MMD under acting president and Presiden RB Banda, check out “Mpezeni said Ngonis were also a factor in Eastern Province and needed to be in decision-making positions… He wondered what they would get out the sweat they poured during the 2008 presidential campaign for President Banda who hails from chief Chikuwe of the Chewa people in Chipata” in the POST of Wed 12th May 2010 under a title “ Those close to Rupiah are misleading him – Mpezeni” which shows that Mr President RB Banda’s father is Chewa going by our Zambian National Registration Cards (NRCs).
If the father is chewa, may be the man detests his moter’s tribe 4 a reason.
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Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His…
live mpombo alone,atleast he can use the dictionery as opposed to you who fails to spell the word entrepreneurship
Continued:
If my analysis “If the father is chewa, may be the man detests his mot[h]er’s tribe 4 a reason” above is true, then the “What Mpombo has chosen to conveniently forget is that Paramount Chief Mpezeni’s statement has, in effect, vindicated President Banda as non-tribal in his appointments… Mpombo ought to know that the President is both Chewa and Ngoni, and if his desire was to fill Cabinet with both Chewa and Ngoni ministers, he would easily have done that” in the article is terribly misplaced by whoever misjudged Chief Mpezeni’s crrect sentiment data.
The real message in Chief Mpezeni is that the probable mother’s side of Mr President RB Banda has been sidelined in light of Cabinet appointments given.
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Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom…
I seriously think we should just hire a President from abroad to avoid all this tribal nonsense. Am sure they will perform much better than the ones we have had so far. Any country suggestions???
If you are a Bemba President, just invite a Tonga and related tribues or a Ngoni and related tribes (but never a Lozi) to deputise you. The rest of the Cabinet positions do not matter. This is the oneness and national unity that Dr. Kaunda introduced. With this in mind, Chiliba appointed a southerner and later on an easterner as his vice and then with impunity filled the rest of the strategic potions with Bembas. In Defence, Finance, Education, Home Affairs…it was all Bemba. Such was Chiluba’s trabalism that his was termed a ‘Bemba Hegemony’.
The only reason people complain about this Rupiah guy is that he’s not as popular as Chiluba was. Chiluba engineered the murder of his opponents, created a Bemba biased Cabinet, froze wages for civil servants for two years , closed strategic institutions such as the University of Zambia just to give a few examples and got away with it. Our current President is a minority president that’s why every day he’s attacked on almost anything he does.
As for Mpezeni, there is also the issue of benefits. Given that the chief was one of the many people that openly supported the candidature of Rupiah in 2008 elections (‘Vote akhulu Mphuno Says Mpezeni’, screamed one headline), why should the benefits go to chiefs like Mukuni who never even campaigned for the President.
i guess to be president is a hard task. I thought Rupiah carried on LPM’s cabinet well over three months. To date most of the Ministers remain Levy’s appointees. I dont have evidence on the numbers of those in the foreign service but really looks like you cant please everyone.
Mpombo’s moves are/were suprising. Can someone who knows him better explain why he is on such a mission – is it hatred of RB? He really blows hot air around. Is it not possible for people to ignore such characters?
when will this mpombo drama end we are tired of it all:-w:-w:-w
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Party launched
As democrates we welcome Luena independent Member of Parliament Charles Milupi for resigning from the August House to lead his own ADD. We are in a democracy where people have the right of way. we believe that competition in any discipline is progressive and good for the country.
Congratulations and all the best Milupi.
I’m suprized.LT seem to be pro Banda. any way who cares, they have now started questioning Levy’s legacy, an action which is being induced by RB in the background.
It is so interesting to note that Mpombo has become the champion of Antagonism. When he was in the Mwanawasa regime he was so tender and meek. And this because he had a tribes-mate in power. Now, we all know that Mwanawasa was stigmitized for the FAMILY TREE he had created. it was a big issue then and nobody has forgotten. Mwanawasa had his tribe-mates all over the show. Rupiya was appointed to that VP position for Mwanawasa wanted a yes man. RB seemed to be a no trouble and not even a major challenge to him. Mpombo knows all these things. He is trying to demonize RB because he feels Mwanawasa had given him an impetus to rule regardless. Mpombo is a political novice who is trying to fight for recognition looking at the way he is going. Maybe we need to begin praying for him.
Mpombo must not be chastised because that will make him so big an issue in the political arena. He has chosen a path of divide and rule when he is not in power. He must begin to learn that politics are temporary. Though they are addictive they are not permanent. You are there for a season. So if you antagonize everyone where do you go when you are out of office. Please, Mr Mpombo listen to the voice of reason. Never create a terrain around you of bitterness and birds with arrows flying above you. What you are doing is what we call sowing. Remember the principle of sowing and reaping. What you sow is what you reap. Be careful of the seed you are planting now. It will surely back to you. Don`t doubt that. It will germinate. Learn to appreciate what you have now. God watches.
Senior Citizen you want to dominate every blog like your friend Mpombo! What is the difference in verbal diarrhoea that you and Mpombo are suffering from? Mind you we know you and Mpombo both belong to the MMD! We always say “If you can’t stand the heat, stay away from the kitchen!” Meaning if you accept criticism, then we shall be talking on a level playing field!
IWE CHI #4,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,14..pliz yu pipo…why cant senior citizen write a book 2 educate his/her dull mates..whith me he irettates..n way thats me..by the way yu chi so called senior citizen what en who do yu thik u r in zambian issues..ukankala na ka degree and some bit of luky 2 be where u r ..u start thinkin that utichilla nzelu..zambia is rich in human resource my brother……………………………
senior citizen, you suck me…go shave ur armpits !!!!!!
QUOTE
And, who knows, maybe even Mpombo deserved his appointments that taught him military terminology which he now abuses to direct political artillery at enemy fire.
END QUOTE
The whole analysis has been brought down by not us bloggers but the author himself.
How funny.
The author is NOT levy so what right does the author have to question the decision taken by LEVY?
Did this author ever write a bad story about LEVY?
this mpombo is crazy…the last time sill;y findlay made some comments, mpombo now began saying its RB, how do you connect the two?
Findlay insults you and then you say its RB, maybe mpombo is blind
Mpombo ni simbi .I like his stance.He is a nice and good man.He always tell the trueth.Keep it up big man.
It seems Mpombo was promised the VEEP position had Maureen managed to get the Presidency after Levy died. No wonder Maureen is complaining on BBC about benefits despite her looting of Levy’s safe whilst he was on machines in Paris. She even went to the extent of cutting his finger so that she could open the state house safe. Mpombo’s utterances are cries over spilled milk that the Legacy/ Family Tree is using to attack RB who is perceived to be an outside. The difficultly of the Speaker is that if decalres Mpombo’s seat vacant then he has to declare the PF rebel seats vacant and then we can see who has what support.