Thursday, March 28, 2024

Father Frank Bwalya justifies his decision to support RB during a court appearance

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Alliance for Better Zambia president Father Frank Bwalya blows a whistle against the government's refusal to release the Zambian draft constitution
Alliance for Better Zambia president Father Frank Bwalya blows a whistle against the government’s refusal to release the Zambian draft constitution

WHY I FR FRANK BWALYA WENT TO SUPPORT MR RUPIAH BANDA AT COURT ON TUESDAY 8TH APRIL 2014

PREAMBLE

I and Mr Rupiah Banda are not enemies. We have become friends. On the day world leaders converged unto Johannesburg to pay their last respects to Nelson Mandela at a powerful service I had lunch with RB.

As we watched and listened to breathtaking speeches about Madiba which highlighted his forgiving heart, our own reconciliation took place. We talked about our country and what the future holds. We talked about the mistakes we have made as a country and how to correct some of the mistakes. We also joked about what happened during the election campaigns, including the red card campaign, prior to the 2011 tripartite elections.

That was the first time I met RB on a one-to-one basis. Since then, we have been talking and I think that he appreciates who I am very much. He has told me that he regrets the reality that he had no chance to meet me earlier. We have also drunk tea and watched English soccer together. He was very happy to learn that I like soccer and that I support Manchester United, a team that one of his sons supports.

So why did I go to court?

  1. I went to court because a friend of mine, RB, was appearing before court;
  2. We have something in common with RB. Both of us are appealing before our courts. For me, it’s the magistrates court in Kasama. So I identify with his situation;
  3. I went to court to support RB because he too, like all of us, needs the support of friends;
  4. I went to court to be with my friend RB to demonstrate that I appreciate him as a friend regardless of what other people may think about him;
  5. I went to court not to send a signal that RB is innocent because he is innocent after all until proven guilty;
  6. I went to court to support RB to show the world that I differed with RB the president and not RB the person;
  7. I also went to court to support RB and send a powerful signal that I didn’t hate RB and I don’t hate Mr Michael Chilufya Sata (MCS);
  8. At a time when MCS had threatened to sort out our bishop Right Reverend George Lungu of Chipata diocese in Zambia, I saw it wise and appropriate to show solidarity with the man (RB) who diverted his plane in 2010 or 2011 to Rome to see Bishop Lungu when he was hospitalized there at the height of differences between the MMD government and the Catholic Church for reasons including demands for a people driven republican constitution. RB was heading to the USA when he diverted his plane to Rome. Instead of planning to sort out Catholic Bishops, RB showed love and understanding. Therefore, I think that his mistakes, real or perceived can’t outweigh his goodwill and thoughtfulness.

CONCLUSION

I went to court aware of the reality that some people would condemn me for my action. But since our defective constitution guarantees me freedom of association I still decided to go and support him.

As for the allegations he is facing, it is up to the courts of law to determine. My prayer is that the due process of the will prevail and that justice will be done. If I will go to jail for likening Mr Sata to a rigid sweet potato (Chumbu Munshololwa), RB has assured me that he will be coming to visit me.

33 COMMENTS

    • But does the lunatic Frank Bwalya know that the Catholic Church failed to strighten him and therefore handed him over to Satan?

    • But as for me iam just glad for one thing, and That thing is coming to pass soon, TB Joshua or no TB Joshua Prophecy The guy in Plot One is kicking the bucket soon and then we will have a party and cerebrate like we did when Margaret Thatcher died

    • @HRH – I know who u are….. There can only be one person in this country who can write and punctuate like you.

      That said, I guess u know who I am – especially considering the fact that I use HTML tags.

      LOL!!! Frank Bwalya is a daft lampoon and should just go back to the violent PF.

    • @Membe Post; I hear you! Ding-dong the witch is dead. Even the National Broadcasting Service played the song due to popular demand by the British public. The song went to number 1 in the charts just to celebrate the passing of Maggie Thatcher. Democracy at play. Try that in Zambia, even now when one criticises the prevailing lunacy, one is reminded to have respect coz MCS is like someones father. That mentality has led to complacency in the older folk and a reticent attitude in the young folk

  1. To be reconciled with others is to live in peace. When men are reconciled to God they live in peace with Him forever. Thanks Fr Bwalya for telling us this warm and very personal story of your relationship with RB.

    • Outsiders like you and me think Zambian politics are a joke but what about those who are inside, do they feel the same?

      However politics are the same in all the world…more so subsaharan Africa.

    • Let Bwalya first remove the log from his eye.

      The guy is feeding on public sympathy. Sadly, like Nevers he has come to a dead end. He needs the Church.

  2. Father Bwalya has now come full circle.Glad he can now see who the real public enemy is and who,in hindsight, was a better leader.

  3. Fr Bwalya is a free man who can go anywhere and can support anybody of his choice. He does not need to explain to anybody why he supports RB!

  4. Thats what am talking about. Kindergeten opposition leaders. 2016 the mighty cobra unleashes its vernom,we servants rejoice and under 5 politicians,lie dwn in agony and watch the cobra in Glory.wat GOD binds here even in heaven.sori bane,u are yet to taste the pain of being a runners up.thats the procedure

  5. Frank – why are you sinking so low? You are a young politician develop some serious principles and live by those principles. What can you learn from a man you know was corrupt when he was leading this country? You killed chicken in your red campaign to show how bad the MMD was, what friendship is this that has developed now?

    Dont spoil your political career ka.

  6. I shudder to realize that the voters will actually give this guy a chance to be their President. Such is the comedy stage set up on the entire land of Zambia. There are very few who see the sense in being serious with things.

  7. “But since our defective constitution guarantees me freedom of association I still decided to go and support him.” I like the bit about, ‘our defective constitution.’ What more can we say…

  8. Whats wrong with politicians supporting each other? So ironic that Zambians would rather see grown up men at each others throats than working together……. what a sick culture!

    • Cindy, interesting point. However there doesn’t seem to be any political culture in Zambia in any case. What is playing out is crudely “your enemy is my friend because I am also your enemy” scenario. I am currently reading an interesting work describing some inherited behaviors and it describes traits common to country behaviors like Zambia’s right through the cultural and racial divide on all continents!

    • Indeed there is no political culture in Zambia. As you righthtly stated, it all stems out from an “unexplained” Human behaviour. Should be an interesting topic you are currently working on.I have done a share of my on research on how people see, judge and percieve each other without knowing their behavoiural actions are actually the same, yet again comfirming how interlligent but stupid Humans are! Though I cant explain why….curioius to find out, I have my own suspicions ranging from a natural inherited percentage of mental exhibitions by humans in senquential range,( every human posses a small %age of madness) to environmental influence, I have also suspected medication people take but thats more for the western world. Anyhow politics in Zambia have always been a Gladiator show!

  9. Interesting how Zambian readers react from opinions without ever reading and factoring in the grounds and basis and essence of Fr Bwalya’s argument. Africa twasebana.

    It is no wonder tribalists have survived by accusing other tribalism or the corrupt by accusing others of corruption, the violent by accusing others of violence.

    Today, RDA is in State House meaning the major share of $1.75bn Eurobond is under the discretion of one great leader. I was thinking of such a situation under RB with The Post and Sata in opposition.

    • You have inferred in your last statement. Any chance you could educate us on that? I would be interested to get the low down on how that office is being used or abused.

  10. What a fake person. Sata did not bribe him then he rebelled. He wanted a diplomatic posting but was told to get lost. He was part of the Zesco board but could not steal manee then he went crying to Sata who again told him to get lost. Can you refute this you Frank ? During the past PF campaigns Bwalya was enemy number one with MMD.

    • Totally agree with you Patrick. You also forgot the scholarship abroad which he was denied. What useless reasons to show support to someone in court for abusing a country’s resources for personal gain.

    • Stirflow, that is right. This is a corrupt person who wants public office to enrich him self. Most of them do but this one is using the church as cover.
      If Bwalya continued his crusade for the long suffering Zambians and against bad governance without blackmail, he could have stood a chance of maybe leading Zambia one day. But he has been de-clocked and seen for what he is, corrupted wanabe

  11. Aka katata (FATHER) kalishilu. Elyo naci Rupiah cine mwalingana fye umungulu. You are BIRDS OF THE SAME CONFUSED STATE. So mwalaumfwa ati na HH is also my friend and yet only two years ago you were caliing him “HAKAIVOTELA HIMWIME “. WHAT A FOOLISH SHIFWE YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  12. Frank you never cease to maze me. You are honest with yourself and you have no problem sharing your feelings with others. It would have been very hypocritical of you to have reconciled with RB and keep conceal that fact from the public for fear of of public ridicule. I can only hope that one day your make will fulfill the purpose of your creation. Continue being yourself

  13. U r nothing Father but an hypocrite of the waste kind.Are on earth can u support some1 u labelled a thief.

  14. It baffles my reasoning when I consider what we ve called our presidents from 1964 to date. KK – fonkofonko dictator, Chiluba – thief, Mwanawasa – muwelewele cabbage, RB – Ukwa/joker, Sata – chumbumunshololwa. These names are symbolic of a pessimistic or low esteemed society. I think we have allowed mediocrity as a nation and this probably explains why our kids are slowly loosing it on social media/fora.

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