A picture where Livestock and Fisheries Michael Katambo is seen kneeling for President Edgar Lungu, has gone viral on the internet.
The photo was taken on Sunday inside the Parish priest’s office at Mary Immaculate Parish in Lusaka shortly after President Lungu attended mass.
While President Lungu sat comfortably on the only chair in the office, Mr Katambo with fear all over him, clenched both hands as he knelt.
It looked as if President Lungu was scolding Mr Katambo.
Another man was seen in the room, but his face was not visible.
It is possible that he took the snapshot that is now all over the internet, as the man was seen holding a camera.
Many people in Africa have taken to Twitter and Facebook to poke fun at Mr Katambo and mock President Lungu
Fikile Mbalula, South African Minister of Sports, taunted them on Twitter.
“Zambia’s president holding discussions with his livestock minister. No seat for him, not even kneeling,” Mbalula wrote.
Social Activist Laura Miti wrote, “How the President could sit there and accept that kind of veritable self-flagellation from the Minister, I cannot understand. What is going on in your head as you speak to a Minister grovelling before you like that?”
She added, “You somehow convince yourself it is due to you? To be quite honest no one; no matter how “lowly” their position in life, should be expected to take that posture before an elected official or anyone. Ah a-Lungu, yayi Baba! Muleke zoteti.”
Isima@IsimaOdeh wrote, “Africa will not progress if Africans don’t stop treating their leaders like gods.”
President Lungu appointed Mr Katambo in September last year after he was re-elected as Masaiti PF Member of Parliament.
A similar Picture below went viral during the Late President Mwanawasa’s era
What’s wrong with kneeling before the president, you don’t know in Africa we knee before the elders . This is also a story.
You should be wearing skins then….
@ Bemba Man: I do not agree with your comments because a President is a Public and Professional Leader not a Traditional ruler like a Chief. Its shameful to see such behaviors in modern times, especially that Lungu is a younger President who should embrace excellence than power. He should respect and take his Ministers as his colleagues in a similar manner as a CEO in an organization.
If Zambia has to change, it starts with respect from top positions cascaded down. This culture of tradition is what kills our public workplaces. We should be professionals than being seen as Puppets. This is not leadership because a person with fear cannot perform to his / her abilities hence the president doing everything. It’s a shame and should be condemned.
I for one won’t vote for Lungu like I have done in the past two elections if the Concourt alows him to stand, but I accord him respect cause he’s the current head of state. I see nothing wrong in what the Minister did, it’s in our culture to kneel before those in authority. I have seen a lot of people more influential than the Minister kneeling before the Pope & and kissing his hand. Your hatred for Lungu will take you nowhere!
So why can’t the so-called humble man ask the kneeling man to not do that??!! Where’s the humbleness in Edgar Lungu???
Humble Lungu confirming his humility.
We all do that to people who feed us. We even do this even to people who have a lot of cattle when they promise us free beef
@Ba Sebenza: you cannot compare Lungu to a Pope (Who is a religious leader not a president) Similarly we all agree that we can and should kneel for our Traditional Leaders. This is a President and the man kneeling is a Minister? Both are serving the Public Office. My question is why don’t you Kneel for your CEO or MD at work? This is not respect but humiliation just to be seen as being powerful. Let people respect someone than fear.
It’s stupid to compare Mpombo picture, he was holding to a chair. But the Lungu one is too much. Ba Lungu was supposed to stand up.
Anyway, I knees before priests too.
I can see a Priest in robes standing next to the President. In that scenario the Priest is the highest to the one who is kneeling and the one who is sitting. It is also possible that the Minister was kneeling to the Priest and both the Minister & the President were being prayed for & blessed by the Man of God. One has to really know the facts & contextualise before making an opinion.
BY THE WAY WHAT’S WRONG WITH KNEELING YOU WESTERN INFERIORITY-COMPLEX-FILLED ZAMBIANS. EVEN UP TO THIS TIME I KNEEL DOWN WHEN TALKING ANYONE I PERCEIVE SENIOR TO ME IN TERMS OF AGE OR FAMILY POSITION- MY UNCLES, AUNTS, GRANDMA/PA, ETC. KNEELING IN AFRICAN CONTEXT ESPECIALLY, ZAMBIANS IS A SIGN OF RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY. IT DOESN’T MEANS BEING A F00L OR SEEKING ANY FAVOURS. TROUBLE WITH AFRICANS IS THAT THEY ADOPT WHATEVER A WHITE MAN DOES WITHOUT QUESTION WHILE SHUNNING THEIR RICH CULTURE. THERE CERTAIN THINGS A WHITE MAN DOES AND WRONG THINGS THEY DO, TOO. THE SAME IS THE CASE OPPOSITELY.
Katabo is not the first one in 2015 jean kapata did the same to the humble lungu, only problem with katabo he has doing it like lungu is king, unlike mpombo who is even leaning on the chair, katabo is doing bobulye kalombo, bulye, bobulye kalombo to his king.
#abash Babylonian human worship mentality.
I don’t suppose Lungu asked this man to kneel before him. Fire this punk a.ss fake Minister. He can’t even stand up before another man.
Listen, if you are a low self esteem person who decides to kneel before me, I will let you!
@Peter you are a full, you go and kneel before your parents and elders in your community. You don’t kneel before an elected official. Get some brains and stop stooping so low.
Would you please stop typing in all caps, that’s equivalent to screaming or yelling. Get smart and stop “Muzungu anikonde”.
Really laughable one empty tin kneeling before another lazy tin..these rotten mindsets, do you kneel in the office for your boss?
Everything portrayed in this picture depicts everything not right with the subjects and message it intends to share! Those who don’t see anything becoming out of what their eyes see have a very shallow perception as regards traditional norms and conduct for public office otherwise to break it down stupidly simpler and in agreement with those questioning why the same should not apply to CEO’s then it must be justified that in all public hierarchical settings one that is of lower rank should grovel to one a rank higher!
Whatever was going on in the heads of the two this gone viral picture must make them at least feel embarrassed as too are their families! This in Lungu portrays that which is lacking for his ego! I am sad!
There is nothing wrong with kneeling if this was any other setting.
We are a democracy and not a chiefdom. And we are not a monarchy or a Religious state.
Government officials are elected by is the voters. We elect them into office and pay them their salaries to work for us. Not to kneel for each other. The President of Zambia is not a priest, not an elder, not a king, not a chief, not a god.
There is no need to kneel to him.
Outside of government circles when he is not on duty and I was at his personal residence, yes, I will kneel to him.
That is how I was raised.
But when he is on duty, on official business, appearing as the president, driving around in my motorcade, we should not kneel to him; he should kneel to us.
Please wake up my people.
#OneZambia.
Change from “bemba man” to “slave”
Lungu is commander in chief of theives…the man is simply cluless.
The PF kaponyas see this as authority and strength.
Eehhhhh Mr Terrible, kudos, 2020vision and peace for zambia…..
He is a big thief,chakolwa,murderer…
I have never heard such foolishness by Zambians – eh plus the foo.lish SA Minister – it is common courtesy not to stand when talking with your senior who is seated. Either you kneel or you stoop – there is nothing peculiar about that you fulls.
Kneeling is a sign of respect, why do we bow in Japan? its a sign of respect thats our culture of you dont like it. TOUGH LUCKY. NI KNEELING YA NYOKO
@Lelo Courtesy is different from kneeling! It is over-zealousness!
would you also kneel before your MD? Only possible when you have sin to confess!
@LELO: Don’t misuse the word respect. That picture tells a thousand words. Leadership is about “the people you serve” not showing power or who serves us. What was wrong with Lungu standing up and advise the Minister to stand as well?? Know that whoever holds a high office should plant a good seed of mutual respect to subordinates. I appreciate my Zambian values but this is beyond respect. Even Lungu’s sitting / body language show no respect for the Man. Moreover, that was at church were everyone should be equal.
LUNGU FAILED ON THIS ONE, worse of it, that he just came back from Israel??? where he was praying on Jesus Tomb. RESPECT to any Human kind matters.
It was worse in Chiluba’s time(mhsrip)
See the guy was short in height and when he called you to his office, you will find him seated and there will be no other chair. so you were forced to kneel so that you were at the same height.
Eish that ka chap!!
Zambia I love you! You have finished me!
No wonder the Livestock and fisheries industry is facing serious challenges.Such a representative in a demanding ministry is retrogressive and absurd.You mean the whole Zambia including me there’s no one better than this katambo.What we need are results,performance,and good representation.How did ELC pick this Man?
Birds of the same feather flock together ee level yabo.
This man serves his master not the taxpayer…if the President calls him and tells him to transfer K10 Billion into another account he will do without question.
So ECL is more important than the POPE So the POPE should kneel should for ECL Zambia please grow up. We are 53 year old *****s laughed at by the world. The king of shamilimo kneels b4 ECL The daughter of Chief Mushilli must be proud to see her husband like that.
This is shameful to say the least!! This is not respect but a sign of stupidity!!!
I totally agree. What a shame!!
he is lobbying for favour from the chief thief,drunkard…
@Chikafya: you just summed it up. You really made me laugh.. I could not control it. “Truly Sign of Stupidity”
Ulemu Imwe nothing wrong kneeling before the President. If you loose a job muZed uzamwa manzi let him lick his bosses boots bana bali abroad kumasukulu ka. Yaba apart from God I don’t know when I last knelt down on anyone.
You will kneel down one day,go and join politics.
Lelo… bowing and kneeling are two different actions ….you bow to show respect ypu kneel to kiss……..
Katambo is a strong and proud man. Ask everybody around mishikishi. He is very strong
this exemplifies what is perception of political leadership in Zambia. we as a people are complaining over this picture without asking why. if you look through our history, we’ve always referred to our political leaders as fathers of the nation. so the kneeling is in order with such an understanding. I don’t think I can kneel before someone I employed but in this case ECL employed Katambo – the erstwhile MMD chairperson for Kafulafuta area. I used to see him trying to market himself at every meeting when I worked there. that said. as Zambian we should agree to either keep the status quo or question it.
DON’T BELIEVE THE FAKE NEWS!!!This photo is misleading- sources have confirmed Hon Katambo actually was asked to stand up by the President and he insisted on kneeling which is infact what the President was talking about until he finally managed to persuade Hon Katambo to stand at that point the main discussion took place!
#DON’T BELIEVE THE FAKE NEWS
@2020Vision: Don’t lie, if truly Lungu wanted him to stand, what would have he done? Stand himself and ask him to do so to have a talk while both are standing. We do that at work places. That’s not just right and Lungu should know himself. The problem with Zambia is that people love power and so short sighted. It’s Wrong and should be condemned the other man is also a leader.
@2020Vision: Who released this picture? It has to be someone who was in the room? Which means someone wanted us to see this from amongst his people. Are you now saying the President has been betrayed because the picture sends a very bad message about ECL? With all that in mind, it then becomes difficult to believe that he was asked to stand up.
When a person born of a woman is treated like a god, and to those who think Lungu is humble, I hope they’ve seen humbleness in this picture. Mind you, these are officials elected by the people, so how can one expect Katambo to provide objective advice to the president with such shameful conduct. No wonder politics in Zambia will never deliver development, we hero-worship too much our bosses at the expense of what needs to be done correctly. He should either have stood up or to the minimum squatted but because of his stupidity he did the worst in the name of respect. It was out of fear and not respect Katambo.
No need to get annoyed! Supposing he was asking him to stand up and before he did that someone took a shot? Avoid insinuations please people
personally i don’t consider this to be news, where on earth can kneeling to the elders become news.
Indeed its not news but reveals the extent to which folly goes in the name of being respectful be it to the elderly or office held! So behind the scenes this is what goes on with leaders we elect to represent us? Maybe its a good thing that for the next elections we should have all those jostling for leadership kneel before the constituents and literally beg for votes so that we judge them on how passionately they can beg!
And we wonder why ECL behaves the way he does. They treat him like a God and as a result he has become to believe he is the alpha and omega. This is how power goes to Presidents’ heads.
I am told the President told him to stand up and stop embarrassing him… What do you have to say? You did not even see the end on that posture… dull chaps…
It is normal to kneel before authority… If you have no manners where you come from, that’s your own meat to chew!!!
@JUJU: lungu is the one with no manners, this is a minister not his son or nephew? please learn to tell th etruth than use emotions, just becoz u are part of Dununa.. Its a shame to see such rushing in Public Office. Lungu is younger and should not encourage this nonsense. Stop it and condemn were is due. How do we develop our country with such people??
This is Zambia at its best. Head of state is looked as if not human. Ministers who are not able to deliver behave like this. If you know your job, why treat your boss like God. You should also be respected since you are part of the team able to deliver on behalf of Zambians. Sad indeed and there is no carpet. Has he got children and wife.
I cannot believe this is happening between a president and a minister. I think this is a chief and his Kapaso. This is Lungu’s plan(the humble president) to appoint people who always agree with him and foolishly knee before him.He clearly has no respect for fellow human beings.This is a recipe for disaster and Zambia is not going anywhere with this use-less leadership.
The UK ,for example, is developed not because it better than us but has strong opposition not only in parliament but also within the cabinet.Minsters are able to challenge the prime minster and still remain loyal.
Somebody had said that Obama worked with people who knew what he did not know.
That is called propaganda photo. They have cut off the priest in purple robes to whom katambo was kneeling and they compose a story suiting what they want you retards to believe.
@ HH Oval Head, why would Lungu then be seated in the manner he is while Katambo is kneeling to the priest? Let what my eyes see help me make an opinion than me starting to hypothesize! This is placing oneself too low and embarrassing!
Monies don’t fall from heaven you have to get on your knees. That is the natural game
I would not kneel for anybody apart from a traditional leader, if people are willing to kneel for those who live on tax payers money let it be for them.
THIS PICTURE IS INDEED WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS , I THINK I SEE A PRIEST SOMEWHERE, BUT AGAIN BETS QUESTIONS, HOW LONG DID KATAMBO DO THIS STANT? WAS IT A MEETING? WAS IT A GREETING? WAS HE BEING REPRIMANDED? HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SEEKING SOME ADVICE ON PERSONAL ISSUES, ONLY THE GUY WITH THE CAMERA AND THE CUT-OUT PRIEST CAN TELL US FOR SURE.
HH oval head you could be right, katabo wanted to confess the pf vote thieving ways to the priest, but that other guy is asking him not to do that, OK frankly speaking this is total nonsense from katabo.
Is this what you wanted honorable UPND mps to do on Friday last week?
Viva UPND MPs. You are truly honorable. Salute.
I doubt if HE Lungu could have told this man to kneel before him. It was his own decision to do so as a sign of respect for a leader. Do you know that in Japan, that bow before someone has a meaning? When a junior person bows before a senior person, the bow of a junior person should be such that the senior person should see the top of your head. On the other hand, the junior person should not see the top of a senior person’s top of the head. That is their tradition. In Zambia, there are some traditions where, when a subject approaches a chief who is seated, the subject much approach the chief on his four.
The late Sata used to compel persons who aspired to be members of parliament to kneel before the crowd as they requested for their votes.
Let’s be fair many times the President has also kneeled infront of elders such as Chiefs! So let the same people also spread those pictures on social media such as farcebook and twit-ter!
You people opposed to this kneeling, what would you rather have done, to stand akimbo or stand with your hands in your pockets while facing the President who is seated? Or would rather have the President stand up in order to talk to his minister? The only problem I see in this kneeling man is that he seems to be gripped with fear. Fear and respect are mutually exclusive.
I do recall at one press conference during kaunda time,,the president asked major wezi kaunda to bring him water to drink…wezi was minister of state…..the prime minister then kebby musokotwane stood up and told the president that wezi was a government minister he could not bring water for the president…….impressive indeed…we had strong men before…..
In those days the government office had ethics and morals. this is why they also never allowed them to run businesses. not these corrupt hovels…
To me the posture of this Minister looks a lot like someone begging back his job. One never knows there could be a leakage for possible cabinet reshuffle and he is one of them likely to be replaced. His inner thoughts are the ones compelling his muscles to fold involuntary and display his body like that. In other words he must have be called in by the head of state for debriefing and reasons why the butcher knife of reshuffle is not sparing him this time around. When there are no words or reasons sufficient to convince the head of state to revoke the decession, the best way is to show remorse and lean your agony on the president’s chest. This sign of over submission is not coming from a man with conscious and conviction. He is totally fished. Any one with a youtube??
Honorable Katambo don’t listen to the doom sayers. In my language we say UBUFUMU BUCHINDIKA ABENE meaning you the disciples of Edgar Lungu should lead others in RESPECTING him. If you don’t kneel before him as his Minister, how do you expect kainde to respect him. By kneeling before your boss, you have not lost anything. Even in a home a wife kneels before the husband as a mark of respect for him while in the night she becomes the boss by dancing all night on top of the husband in pursuit of orgasm.
Mmmm ECL must really be getting on the nerves of some people. Tough luck to them! Can somebody post a video so all can see what really happened … this is not to say there’s anything wrong with kneeling before somebody you respect!
Anyone with a youtube?? We want to see how he stood up or went back. Its possible he must have gone back in reverse gear and stood up when it was clear that the president was no longer seeing him to dust off his knees
and proceed. Im only hopping the president did not cough during that process because if he did mistakenly cough, the velocity of adrenaline must have quivered the body of this innocent soul. Shame!!!
I LIKE THIS, IT SHOWS LUNGU IS MANNING UP. THAT’S THE WAY TO GO, I HAVE ALWAYS TOLD HIM TO EAT A ROASTED HEART OF A YOUNG LION FOR HIM TO BECOME FIERCE AND BE A MACHO RULER. FROM HERE FIRE MINISTERS AT WILL IF THEY DO NOT PERFORM TO EXPECTATIONS. BRAVO
@M.M,just a reminder a president is there to serve people and not to be worshiped with the help of his/her co workers.My problem is if Katambo is not only kneeling shameless but also holding his hands completely frozen,can he have guts to object/advise ELC if say the instructions he’s receiving are not in tandem with the people?
Politics of appeasement. What of kind nonsense is this? Hon minister is a grown man with a family. Why should he be kneeling for ECL?All those in support of this crap, do you kneel for your bosses at work?
I will be sending a video to LT where Daniel Munkhombwe was crawling towards RB and then kneeling for over three minutes at a public gathering. This Katambo thing is not fit to be called Honorable.
This is really laughable. I see absolutely nothing wrong with kneeling before authority or someone older than yourself. I don’t think he was asked to kneel. He just did it on his own as a sign of respect. It’s better to Kneel and later asked to stand or sit on a chair. And I believe this what could have happened but somebody quickly captured him in that position and posted on socio media. Supposed he went and stood hands akimbo or with his hands in his pockets, the same people would have been busy condemning him. Glorious Band were correct when they sung ati Kubanthu takwaba icisuma.
What the f**ck yo? What is this sh!t? No wonder these useless ministers cannot perform their duties to the people that elected them in the first place, because the bow down to their President. This is sad for the Zambian people.
Freedom of expression – the end!!
You mean freedom of oppression?
You mean freedom of oppression?
I bet from this, one should not be supersized to hear that the minster’s body guards and his drivers have started playing general kanene’s music in his ministerial vehicle, while sucking shake shake and playing draft in his presence.
Is he related to Dany Kaningoke (Sauzande) in any way?? (MHSRP). This literature reminds me of the days of Maximo and Sauzande performing together.
Mpombo and Mwanawasa looked healthier though.
The Late Kamuzu Banda’ s behaviour is being emulated by Lungu. if it was not for the Petition, Lungu would have changed his official Title to “President Ngwazi Edgar Chagwa Lungu”. Clearly Lungu has Dictatorial traits and has set his eyes to a One Man Dictatorship beyond 2021 Elections. To stop Lungu from moving towards this Dictatorship the Petition must be heard and disposed off. Lungu is trying to use Parliament to fight the UPND Petition but UPND and its Lawyers are much smarter than Lungu and his Legal Personal Legal Adviser ,the Attorney General of Zambia. Lets go for It and see who will blink first. Well done UPND MPs, Lawyers and the Petitioners.
To keep eye contact two things should have happened. Both should have stood up or both sit down. Now that thereally was no chair, kneeling was the best alternative. Imagine if the minister was standing while talking. Unless he was really exhausted, the president should have stood up.
The minister should have knelt down on his feet not on his knees.
This is just tradition, not news worthy in the manner of a viral interest! I remember when my pappa went to ask permission for early retirement from President Kaunda, he said he had kneeled down humbly to thank him for granting it!
In any case, what was President Lungu to do? Bring a spare chair with him on the visit? Should that office not get a sofa or extra chair now that it’s been demonstrated that one chair not a good idea or planning? All Zambians raised at home with proper home schooling know these guys are showing Patriot and cultural ethics. Do most respectful Briton, not kneel when meeting Her Majesty? They do, except the non-traditionist, it not just in Zambia deference is shown to people in power. You get promotion and all, since the President is sure to remember…
Now you all know what I mean when I say African leaders pretend to be servants of their people but in real life they treat their people as their servants. There is no way the minister can think for himself. He has to toe the line and cannot differ with a president’s opinion right or wrong. Zambia is going backwards more and more.
It is just the tip of the iceberg!
Organizations that lend us money they will look at this and turn a blind eye.
Let’s be honest; it’s not looking good for Zambia, that’s why when visiting countries that value and respect human rights we find ourselves getting a second-hand welcome.
But who said that you only kneel before a priest, chief, pope etc and not before an elected official? Is there such a rule anyway?. What I know is that we kneel before people that respect or hold in high esteem.
If I do my job right. I do not need to kneel before anyone. This is what laziness can get you. Unbelievable!
KATAMBO is a lamba from MASAITI he is my brother since am also TONGA, together we are politicians of bellies. We don’t bite fingers that feeds us. bravo bro KATAMBO
This picture is a reflection of the kind of decadent political economy that Zambia has descended into. A system of complete political subservience to the aristocrat (Lungu) by evolved design or of the ‘subjects’ (cabinet) own volition. It indicates a lack of financial and social stability in the individuals appointed and placed under a model of total supervision and consequently submissive gratefulness for the position. It is not even whether Lungu directly asked for it or acquiesced to the act – It is the atmosphere of excessive allegiance for favours that either insinuates an expectation for such a posture or Lungu further taking advantage of the same by letting it be.
As a Christian nation why can’t we learn from jesus’s humility. Jesus washed his disciples feet. Well jesus said you shall know them by their fruits.
What poverty does!!! WTF
SO WHATS WRONG WITH KNEELING MULINANJALA JABE MA ZAMBIANS JEALOUSY IYI IKUPAYENI BABA
It doesn’t look like Lungu is scolding him. Poor reporting as usual