Thursday, March 28, 2024

Why Wynter Kabimba Cannot be President of Zambia

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Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba ushers in the Vice President of China Mr. Li Yuanchao during the bilateral meeting at Government Complex
FILE: Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba ushers in the Vice President of China Mr. Li Yuanchao during the bilateral meeting at Government Complex

By: Wilson Musha-shatala

Background

It is said that people find it easier to worship the rising sun than the setting sun. Sunrise signifies HOPE – the break of a new day and new possibilities. Sunset on the other hand signifies FEAR and GLOOM, the onset of darkness and night and all the uncertainties that go with it. It is clear that the era of Michael Sata as both leader of the Patriotic Front (PF) and the nation is drawing to a close, both due to old age and health concerns that have dogged the president. The uncertainty and anxiety in the nation due to Sata’s failing health is also partly due to the gross and immature mishandling of this issue by both State House and Government, thus fueling further speculation, rumour mongering and slander. For good reasons, Michael Sata is now a “virtual president” since he governs by being invisible and separated from the very people he was elected to govern. He is a “Facebook president”, and now has defied technology by appearing in “still photos” rather than “motion and live videos.” He is being kept away from the public so they do not really see his true condition, especially after his last sightings at the Lusaka High Court, Africa Freedom Day and during the visit of the Chinese Vice President revealed rapid deterioration in his health. So, any objective political observer within and outside PF can see that the curtain is closing on a popular actor, the once mighty King Cobra, now a mere shell of his former self.

Succession in PF – Wynter Kabimba is Sata’s “Anointed One”

In truth, many senior PF members have always known that President Sata would be a one-term president due to his health issues. Hence the reason that the cartel in PF whose main architect is Post Newspaper Editor Fred Mmembe started planning for Sata’s succession even before the 2011 elections. Mmembe was the one who convinced Sata that PF did not need an alliance with UPND to defeat MMD, because this could have complicated his succession plans. True to his word, PF defeated MMD alone and with Wynter Kabimba as the identified successor, that plan was aggressively implemented. Sata believes without Fred Mmembe’s Post Newspaper he would never have been president, hence the reason the cartel has held him to ransom almost to a point of blackmailing him. The so-called A-Team in PF comprising Sata himself, Wynter and Guy Scott, and by extension other key members like Fred Mmembe, Inonge Wina, Emmanuel Chenda, Sylvia Masebo, Shamenda, former president Kenneth Kaunda, leaders of key institutions (DPP, AG, SG, IG, DEC, ACC) all have hijacked the PF and government without the knowledge of the majority PF members. The extended group and other functionaries are what are known as the CARTEL.

How the Cartel took Power in PF

When PF was an opposition party during the 2011, the purported party convention in Kabwe could not cast a single ballot because President Sata knew that none of the cartel members were popular to win an election. Hence he had to protect them by all means and cancelled the elections, only presenting his own list of “Members of the Central committee” which he commanded all delegates to endorse and support. Hence, Guy Scott, Wynter Kabimba, Inonge Wina, Chenda, Shamenda and Co. all found themselves in this “appointed” Central committee all because of Sata’s intervention. That day, democracy DIED a painful death in PF. And just before the 2011 elections, party Secretary General Wynter Kabimba micromanaged the adoption process for all parliamentary candidates and imposed his “cronies” against the people’s wishes in the party structures. Little did people know then that this was the beginning of the grand plan to take total control of the party. Hence the reason many MPs in PF are loyal to Kabimba, not to the party and the people they are supposed to be representing. The performance of these MPs was always predictable and is obvious today – they have lamentably failed to perform and deliver on PF’s electoral promises, making the party so unpopular with the grassroots. These MPs are a huge liability to the party in the 2016 elections. While the MPs parrot praises to Kabimba, they have become so unwanted on the ground and risk losing terribly especially in the PF strongholds, almost similar to what happened with the so-called “rebel PF MPs” (mostly from Luapula province and a few from Lusaka and Copperbelt) who were swayed by late Fredrick Chiluba in opposition to Sata . Even president Sata has realized this, calling them “Useless MPs” and “Useless Ministers.” Merit was sacrificed for Mediocrity!

Once in power, Wynter’s cartel supported by Sata also ensured that only their cronies were appointed to key positions such as district commissioners (DCs), diplomatic service, heads of key institutions (IG, DPP, SG, AG), etc. The cartel also monopolized the public print and electronic media, Fred Mmembe’s Post Newspapers, and online social media bearing all sorts of names and managed by State House press secretary George Chellah. These media fora always give wide coverage to Kabimba and Masebo especially, portraying to the public that are very hard working. They also masquerade as President Sata’s chief praise singers just to dupe the people. In addition these media, especially the Post Newspaper and “PF” social media have launched a campaign to demonize potential threats to Wynter’s political ambitions in PF, especially Geoffrey Mwamba Bwalya (GBM), Given Lubinda, Chishimba Kambwili, Yamfwa Mukanga, Edgar Lungu and Alexander Chikwanda, attempting to dent their images before PF members and Zambians. To further consolidate power, the Ministry of Justice portfolio occupied by Wynter was elevated to No. 3 in Cabinet hierarchy with President Sata’s consent. In truth, Wynter is now essentially No.2 to Sata both in PF and government, especially that “ceremonial” Vice President Scott is merely symbolic.

Results of the Cartel’s Actions in PF and the Nation

PF – A House Divided Against Itself Will Not Stand (Matthew 12:25)

With President Sata’s blessings, Wynter Kabimba and the cartel went ahead to create and fund parallel structures in PF countrywide to serve his presidential ambitions, sidelining and disregarding elected party officials seen not to support them. These officials were arbitrarily suspended and expelled from the party, similar to what Michael Sata did as MMD Secretary General. So never doubt Wynter when he says he is Michael Sata’s disciple, and when he and his colleagues like Guy Scott, Sylvia Masebo and Emmanuel Chenda claim they are graduates of the “Michael Sata School of Politics.” Hence, from the above, it’s clear to see that with Sata’s backing Wynter and the cartel have a huge advantage in controlling and taking over the PF leadership.

Those old enough will remember that Wynter and Masebo caused the same divisions in late BY Mwila’s Zambia Republican Party (ZRP). Wynter and Masebo, then living together as intimate partners after Wynter had deserted his wife, were welcomed into ZRP after their failed political careers in ZADECO. They were subsequently appointed party vice president and secretary general, respectively.. ZRP was subsequently embroiled in infighting with two factions emerging – one led by party president BY Mwila, the other led by Wynter Kabimba. Kabimba’s faction expelled the “owner” of the party BY Mwila. When ZRP cadres went to peacefully demonstrate against a meeting being held by Wynter’s faction, Kabimba, armed with a gun, fired gunshots in broad daylight much to the shock of the cadres who fearfully scampered for their lives. BY Mwila took the matter to court and easily won the case against his expulsion, especially with Wynter being such a mediocre lawyer. This was the end of the political careers of both Wynter and Masebo in ZRP. Like political refugees wandering about, Wynter eventually joined PF in 2008 while Masebo, the only ZRP MP, stuck with Mwanawasa’s MMD served in his Cabinet. She was suspected of leaking information to PF by Rupiah Banda and she was kicked out of Cabinet, eventually she was brought to PF by Sata and Wynter on the eve of the 2011 elections. In Mwanawasa’s time, Masebo literally used to insult PF leader Michael Sata as behaving like a 12 year old child. No permanent enemies in politics!

Wynter Kabimba’s Arrogance makes him a Hated Figure

There is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. With full knowledge of this grand plan to take power in PF and the nation, and him being seen by his supporters as the “anointed one” in PF leadership succession, Wynter has irresistibly come to embody the word “Arrogance” itself. This is why he is such a hated figure and lacks appeal both within and outside PF. One could see so much tension in the country when he remained acting president when Sata was on a “working holiday” in Israel, which included a component of “Medical Tourism” according to Guy Scott. There were all sorts of wild allegations, paranoia and speculation about him and his cartel. Surely, even Sata himself, though he’s not the once vibrant King Cobra he once was, can surely see how hated and reviled his “anointed one” is to the nation. Anyway, some wise ancients said he who the gods must destroy they first make mad.
Just look at how he and Sata have disrespected Zambians by arrogantly shooting down the new Constitution as being unnecessary for Zambia, a 180-degrees turnaround from their campaign promises. Again it is hard to understand what political benefits Sata and Wynter hope to reap from polarizing and galvanizing so much opposition from opposition parties, the Church, Civil Society and the general public. PF is now seen as lacking integrity and credibility. Wynter’s arrogance is also what has resulted in serious divisions within PF and violent conflict which sadly has resulted in bloodshed and loss of innocent lives, all perpetrated by Wynter’s minority faction in PF led by the likes of Chumbwe, Kennedy Kamba, etc. The situation has been worsened by divide-and-rule tactics employed by Wynter, Vice President Guy Scott, part chairperson Inonge Wina and company.

Wynter Kabimba’s Succession of Michael Sata – “Snatching ashes and smoke, not the fire.”

Although Wynter is not popular in Cabinet, the Central Committee, and with majority PF members, it is probable that he may snatch a pyrrhic victory during any stage-managed PF convention similar to the one in 2011. Most likely delegates will be well chosen and his opponents barred from attending, similar to what happened during the 2001 MMD Convention in Kabwe when the likes of late Gen. Christon Tembo, Gen. Miyanda and Edith Nawakwi were barred from entering the convention site by violent cadres led by then Secretary General Michael Sata himself who had earlier expelled them from MMD. Even if Wynter manages to snatch the “ashes and smoke, not the fire” in this way, many political pundits and Zambians believe he simply cannot win a national election. He has never won any election in his life, having failed as a parliamentary candidate in his own village in Mumbwa, and only made to be what he is by Sata himself – appointed Secretary General and nominated MP with no constituency. His own father is a key UPND official in Mumbwa. Wynter has no political base in Zambia and simply wants to “inherit” Michael Sata’s political base which had once belonged to Simon Kapwepwe and Fredrick Chiluba. Wynter’s natural political base in central and southern province belongs to Hakainde Hichilema and UPND, and he simply doesn’t have the political muscle to wrestle that from them. It is also very doubtful whether, in the absence of unity among all PF members, Wynter can win on the Copperbelt, Northern, Luapula, Muchinga and Lusaka provinces. Eastern, North Western and Western provinces already belong to the opposition parties. So what is Wynter’s political base? NONE!

Conclusion

If President Michael Sata and PF make Wynter Kabimba their PF candidate for presidency, this will be as good as PF kissing goodbye to being a ruling party in power and slide back to being an opposition party where they seem more comfortable since governance has proved such a tall order for them. Moreover, it is predictable that PF will break into various unknown number of parties if Sata insists on this course of action, the same way MMD split into many parties when late Chiluba attempted a failed Third Term and subsequently imposed Mwanawasa as MMD presidential candidate. This will obviously advantage the opposition parties especially UPND, unless the majority of disaffected PF members choose to form one political party and leave Sata and Kabimba with the shell of a party.

36 COMMENTS

  1. Wishful thinking…its amazing how some people have so much time on their hands to waste on such futile analyses. No wonder Zambia is not developed

    • A very well articulated article befitting the ‘sad’ ending of a poor political experiment.

      I would have thought that with all the drama and Dandy Crazy’s music – PF possibly actually had a plan.

      It sadly turns out that the plan was to give jobs to 200 direct relatives. What an ending.

      Thanks.

    • This article may as well have been written by Mbita Chitala or any other spin doctor who belongs to the Bemba clique in the PF. Its partisanship is counterproductive. I am actually beginning to warm up to Wynter partly because of the propaganda against him, such as this one. To suggest that Wynter ‘cant’ be President, as if you are the only voter, is to exercise the very arrogance that you accuse Wynter of possessing. Key questions: if you don’t want Wynter, who else? You are saying PF will lose with Wynter, lose to who?

    • This article can be summarised has PF = Bemba.Hence no non Bemba should take over from Sata.Since Kabimba is Tonga he can not be president of PF.Fellow Zambians for how long are we going to held to ramsom by one tribe grouping who believe there the majority and there only one chosen by God to rule Zambia till Jesus return.Are they only ones with the monopoly of wisdom and Knowledge?

  2. Being a fitting president of Zambia is about temperament,values,sense of focus and direction plus integrity,respectability and trustworthiness -all the qualities that kabimba lacks.
    Being born in zed shouldn’t be automatic qualification for plot 1 otherwise any clueless loser from msisi might as well run for the office.

    • Are you suggesting that all dudes from misisi are losers? I am from Misisi but I am very sure I am not a loser.

  3. Not a bad effort but left out key pieces i.e opposition leaders who can defeat Kabimba or any candidate to stand on PF ticket

  4. Where do you find time for such long articles especially analysing a non-factor. In most times you find typing errors in our comments because there no time waste analysing every word and letter.

  5. I have always said that red lips kabimba can never be president of Zambia because his real boss is bum bandit Mmembe.Red lips kabimba will always be a chola boy of bum bandit Mmembe.

  6. WYNTER KABIMBA IS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO HH AND UPND ! SOME MAY ASK “WHY” IF KABIMBA STANDS AS A PF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN 2016 HE IS LIKELY TO GET SOME VOTES FROM THE HH STRONG HOLDS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PROVINCES ESPECIALLY AMONG THE LENJE, SALA AND SOLI SPEAKING VOTERS BECAUSE OF BANTU BOTATWE THING. PEOLPLE OPPOSED TO KABIMBA ALSO KNOW THAT HE HAS BEMBA SPEAKING VOTERS. HENCE THIS DESPERATION TO DISCREDIT HIM. WYNTER GO FOR IT YOU ALREADY HAVE OVER 43 % OF THE BEMBA SPEAKING VOTERS ON YOUR SIDE.

    • Ubepele fye. He has no support from the Bemba speaking people. He, together with his boss, have been in the forefront of denying Sosala Kanyanta his birthright of becoming Chiti Mukulu. Should Kabimba become presidential candidate for the PF, then I will vote for HH.

    • u r lying u impostor.why then did he not win in his home village if the bullshit you spewing here is true.ass

  7. Wynter is facing opposition from the Bemba clique within PF and this group is likely to join MMD if Kabimba is chosen to lead PF. As correctly stated by the author, Wynter is no match to UPND in Sothern and Central provinces and this extends to North Western and Western provinces. Easterners will be king makers in the next elections. Though at the moment MMD seems to be the preferred choice for Easterners(due to the RB connection) this is likely to change when power brokering takes place as we approach election time.

  8. SOME OF US ARE HERE TO BE LED. LET THEM KILL THEMSELVES WITH MACHETES IF THEY WANT. AS FOR US WE WILL JUST LOOK AT THE BEST MAN WHO WILL PUT UP A GOOD FIGHT AND WE WILL VOTE FOR HIM. OF COURSE OTHERS LIKE HH ARE ALREADY OUT OF THE QUESTION.

  9. Voting patterns have changed for worse. Look what the voters dragged into state house. They just might bring in gunslinger Kabimba and his panga wielding villains and it’s goodbye to peace in our land.

  10. Rubbish lies and speculation. It’s HH who left the pact due to his monstrous ego not being satisfied. He will never be president

    • imagine if president HH was in the pact today,was he going to cope up with chumbu munshololwa’s nuisance?nooooooooo!!!!

  11. It’s not Kabimba alone, anyone the PF fields will fall, even Sata himself were he not marked for death with kiss dust at the polls.

  12. GOOD ARTICLE INDEED.
    So at the moment who is the president of Zambia? I failed to answer this question when my 7yrs old daughter asked me this question.
    Do we have a sitting president or a sleeping president at the moment?

  13. The watchdog has penetrated the cartel,so it’s a matter of disseminating the link between kabimba and mmembe.the cartel are already planing how to rig 2016 general elections.

  14. it is amazing how a true leader like KABIMBA IS FEARED. People think we zambians don’t have eyes to see and brains to think for ourselves. To tell u the truth, u are promoting him for the people to begin to love him even more. Bushe ni party yobe?
    Go make yo own !!!!!!!!!

  15. I just don’t see how someone will wake up at 5 am in 2016 to go and vote for PF. Their glory days are numbered.

  16. This article actually shows that Bemba voters were duped by Sata and his cartel. Also, those who say that PF = Bemba have been fooled just like the Bembas themselves. Power in PF belongs to the A team and the cartel – period. GBM realised that he had been used – that is why he resigned using Chitimukulu as an excuse.

  17. At least this article shows that Bemba voters where duped by Sata and his cartel. Also, those who see some names and think PF is synonymous to Bemba have been duped just like the Bembas themselves. GBM realised that he had been used and resigned giving Chitimukulu as an excuse.

  18. Unfortunately the author’s personal estimations are mistaken for the truth. This is why Zambian news is all googleable and habitually times than not, all lies. While we need not judge every connotation in the article as made-up, the clear thing however is that the author’s perspective is one-sided favouring only HH and the UPND- when bringing out the fact that the opposition will benefit from PF’s cracking ends.

    In this life, God created the Past- Present– Future because they are all linked to one another- one simply can’t exist without the other. In this light, we people live without this sequence- we anticipate the future if only we can make a realistic connection between yesterday and today. In political terms, any contemporary political strategist or guru will know how easy it…

  19. Imwe bakolwe talking about tribes should be ashamed of yourselves. What is it that makes you hate Bembas this much? I believe the most important things a leader should have are morals & wisdom (integrity). How many leaders can u count to be men of integrity in Zambia today? Zambia needs a man of integrity! Clean, learned, honest, caring, not these current bunch of thugs. I don’t care about the tribe, let the right man rule, period!????.

  20. Like it or not but Wynter will rule this country. Even the writer for this article knows very well.
    any candidate that will be anointed or appointed by President Sata to take over from him will ermerge victorious in 2016. Yes it will be by a small margin just like the Mwanawasa first term but he will win.
    Even with a difference of 20,000 votes only.
    You will remember me.

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