By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst
WHEN Michael Sata was ignored for the position of MMD Presidential candidate by Fredrick Chiluba after his botched 3rd term attempt in favour of one Patrick Mwanawasa who had taken a break from the bruising and grueling game of politics in 2001, the outspoken man, popularly known as King Cobra, was seething with anger!
In no time, he would abandon MMD and form his own political party, the Patriotic Front (PF), adopting the boat as its symbol. Being a shrewd and calculating politician that he was, he would rope in son to Scottish immigrants, Guy Scot, not that he had much political clout, but as a magnet to attract funding from would be donors and of course, bolstering the image of the new party since we love too ‘chimpwena’ as citizens!
Realizing that ejecting a party that had only been in power for a short while compared to 27 years of UNIP’s hold on power was going to be a toll order, King Cobra had to quickly craft a message which would strike a chord with the electorate, particularly those in the north whence he would draw significant support.
In the meantime, immediately Mwanawasa formed government, he would embark on an ambitious crusade to pursue suspected plunderers of national assets. Obviously, Chiluba and many of his closest lieutenants would come into conflict with the law. What would you expect when a President goes out of the way to exclusively ‘populate’ important government positions with his kith and kin? Simple logic tells you that if any of those dipped their hands into our treasury, the long arm of the law would definitely fish them out!
And yet, this is the ‘sweetener’ King Cobra had been craving! With the once influential defunct The Post Newspaper at his disposal, Sata would make earth shattering headlines with his brusque remarks accusing Mwanawasa of holding a grudge against Bembas, hence the reason for persecuting them! Since citizens generally have a poor reading culture, they would embrace this as the gospel truth without taking care to interrogate the activities of those individuals whilst in government. As King Cobra had anticipated, support for PF amongst the Bemba speaking people would obviously grow, exponentially.
As fate would have it, Mwanawasa would die during his 2nd term in office paving a way for his deputy, Rupiah Banda to take over from him. Unfortunately, Banda would suffer stunning defeat at the hands of the indefatigable King Cobra, barely a few years at the helm as President!
In a clear case of history repeating itself, the cold hand of death would strike State House again….an obscure individual, with no known Presidential ambitions hitherto, would emerge from the shadows to step into Sata’s shoes albeit in controversial circumstances. Edgar Lungu would be ‘selected’ as PF president by a simple display of hands!
After defeating his closest rival, current head of state, Hakainde Hichilema, in closely contested elections, Lungu would go on to appoint a lopsided government – beneficiaries being mainly those from northern and eastern regions of the country, much to the chagrin of many political observers, including this author.
It’s not a hidden secret that rampant corruption and plunder of national resources would escalate to record levels under Lungu’s tenure. Former ministers and senior government officials, including the President himself, who once suffered through life as paupers living in shanty compounds, and could be seen walking in flip-flops or driving around battered vehicles producing excessive smoke would become instant millionaires, over night! They can now boast of fat Bank accounts, do their shopping in capitals of the world, own breathtaking mansions and properties everywhere around the country, and maintain a fleet of impressive vehicles. How did they suddenly become rich, if not from corrupt activities?
Egocentric individuals such as Seam Tembo who curved a name for himself in the previous elections by accumulating zeros at most polling stations around the country, are desperate to improve their political fortunes by riding on the same tactics employed Sata…..that the fight against corruption is simply a witch hunt against people from certain ethnic groupings. Where does Sean and his ilk expect the fight against corruption to be directed? To villagers in Chitokoloki or Shang’ombo who never served in government at all? My foot! What sort of reasoning is that?
Citizens and particularly our chiefs must not allow charlatans, bandits, embezzlers, frauds, gangsters, thieves and plunderers who have robbed poor citizens to escape justice under the shield of tribe! When these individuals were stealing, they weren’t doing so on behalf of the tribe, unless of course they were sharing part of the loot with some of the so-called chiefs who are busy defending them! If there’s overwhelming evidence that they stole, they must be held accountable….chapwa!
So after this, the next clique fight of corruption deals will shift to other regions which is in majority in government now.
Great article! Those PF thieves never stole for the tribe… they looted for their individual selfish interest..
By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst? My foot.
Stupid article not educative in any way but just childish attacking. Data didn’t get guy Scot for what u say accept that they where best of friends but u accuse us Zambians of loving ichimpwena. Sure?
Mr Kaping’a why can’t you let go off this subject? What are you trying to justify or better what are trying to defend. The president boobed big time. He’s human with his own sentiments. He said it maybe by the slip of the tongue, unconsciously or out of anger as result of pressure, we shall never know. So please let sleeping dogs lie.
Good article……….
The theives are indeed trying to inflame tribal tensions to deflect investigations as to how they became so rich………..
HEHH should cut the crap and stop beating around the bush………….
We need to know how lungu earned $2.3 million after 18 months on office ……….
Stop procrastinating , the affairs of head crook needs to be looked into ASAP
one term one time could be painful.lets work
When you write articles like this don’t forget to mention how much people like HH, Valentine Chitalu, Milupi were worth before selling national assets to themselves. Then it will be a balanced article. Insider dealing is corruption bane please be truthful. Selling pricing something cheaply you have been asked to sell on behalf of someone so that you buy it yourself is dishonesty and fraudulent bane. Let’s forget about the past and allow HH to bring the economic policies he thinks can bring development to Zambia. Pushing him to focus on corruption fight is telling him to fight himself too.
Why is that people the same regions keep on vilifying Northerners as corrupt? This could be a recipe for tensions in future.
He is teaching us History, i thought he would mention the comment Sata passed over the former president.
UPND will go beyond 2030…….
2 terms for HEHH are assured………
Even without the economic benefits of his policies kicking in , there is normalcy to governance , which is boosting everything else……….
When the job provision for the youth manifests , the tribal supremacists who think zambia belongs to them, the clique , will have nowhere to hide……..
#7 Dominion
November 10, 2021 At 8:13 am
“…….Selling pricing something cheaply you have been asked to sell on behalf of someone so that you buy it yourself is dishonesty and fraudulent bane. Let’s forget about the past and allow HH to bring the economic policies he thinks can bring development to Zambia. Pushing him to focus on corruption fight is telling him to fight himself too…”
for 30 years GRZ has failed to prove anything against HH, ………..
4 hostile governments have failed to prove your allegations,
Why should anyone belive you ????
Only those offended by what the president said are guilty. No apologies to anyone. A clique of these is exactly that. We leave it to their conscious to bother them.
Stealing of government monies has continued under the New Dark administration. Despite having specially trained presidential security personnel on government payroll, HH still took that “medicine man” who was always on the side of him when he was in opposition and on the side of Anderson Mazoka. During the time of Mazoka this so-called “bodyguard from Beijing” always carried a small black bag with contents only known to himself. We saw the same bodyguard disembarking from the plane with HH when he was arriving from the UK. If that is not stealing from Zambians, tell me what it is. How was that bodyguard who grabbed the instruments of power from ECL at Heroes stadium employed? On what basis is he being paid by government? We also saw that Chieftainess Muwezwa of the Ila people of Itezhi…
tezhi was also part of the presidential entourage to Glasgow. How was she picked from all traditional rulers and who paid for her trip and upkeep to Glasgow? HH still continues to defiantly reside at his New Kasama home. Not only does he continue to inconvenience Zambians every morning and evening when going to and coming back from State House for work. There is intensified security at not only the official work place of the Head of State at State House. There is also intensified security at HH’s New Kasama home which he has unofficially made his residence as Head of State. The additional allowances being paid to security guarding HH at his New Kasama is theft of public money. One may even wonder how the road leading to HH’s private residence has now come to be tarred including his…
carpark. Who paid for that? Is it not the Zambian tax payers paying for that?
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a, I think uli musepela, you know nothing. Don’t waste our time with shallow articles.
Ba kaping’a kwati tesana.This continuous tribal talk will explode in your faces very soon.
Can’t we spend our time on more productive topics than defending wrong statements by the president?
Anyway, the by election result in eastern province was a warning. Nomba kwati tamuleumfwa, you think you know it all.
Natulolele more by elections, Bambi bakaisanga mu minority in Parliament!
Trying to justify the careless talk of your HH.He is gainst the tribe called bemba.We have heard that and he’ll see in few years to come after insulting us.We voted for him but he want to label people tribalist when in his area the ruling party got zeros.he should be ashemed of his tribal voting.Everyone knows even my cousins from southern province said we are too tribe and we are ashemed what other provinces have done.HH won in northern,luapula and easter,copperbelt and lusaka where most people come from eastern and northern region.is this what we voted for to be insulted just bcoz you have inferiority complex against a tribe.UPND stop it before it’s not too late.You may rule for 5 years if not careful with your tribal sentiments. This country would have been split but easterners and…
@ Spaka, How many politicians have be proven to have stolen from Zambians and sent to jail? Courts failing to do so does not imply they never stole. If you are to be sincere, when did HH deposit funds in offshore accounts? Can you walk to any bank in Zambia that will show corresponding transfers to offshore/abroad accounts that will agree with the moneys he has abroad? Thieving from Zambians happen in many forms and the greatest is done by civil servants through transport, sitting allowances etc which they use to build houses and buy cars as well as doubling as suppliers to government as insiders. I repeat HH should be allowed to implement his policies than destruct him with corruption fight.
#16 Dominion
November 10, 2021 At 9:50 am
“@ Spaka, How many politicians have be proven to have stolen from Zambians and sent to jail? Courts failing to do so does not imply they never stole. If you are to be sincere, when did HH deposit funds in offshore accounts? Can you walk to any bank in Zambia that will show corresponding transfers to offshore/abroad accounts that will agree with the moneys he has abroad? ….”
HH is an international businessman, and last I checked depositing money in offshore accounts is not a crime but part of business………
HH has offered a 3 bed fully furnished house to people like you , nawakwi and tiyali , show where he has stolen or been involved in fraudulent activities. ……..
To date , zero , HH has even advised those accusing him…
……..to seek international help from the likes of Scotland Yard FBI financial crimes unit to help consoul yourselves …….
Still nothing………..
That said, If HH can be beating the whole world at hiding his financial crimes , then he is the right man to fix zambia
”Watch my lips”- very highly coded phrase, telling the spporters a different message.It is very popular mpali actors!!!!!! I was shocked to hear that from these actors on the screen.On radio 1 late last night I also heard a continuity announce saying things have under bally.
What a stupid article
Who the cap fit, let them wear it!
PF jokers will try to project, distract and send their minions to lie and defend their indefensible behavior.
Just return the money you stole!
Moscow(op) on 15, you are very correct
All very well, provided arrests end in actual convictions. But what we are seeing are what look like punitive arrests to humiliate the targeted person, but also impress the public; nothing more. The arrests seem to be rumour driven without hard evidence. And once the rumour info has been exhausted, law enforcers appear to be stumped; leading to the conclusion – there was no real crime, it’s a witch hunt targeted at certain people. Sorry, but you lost all credibility when you couldn’t even prosecute a clear case of dubiously earned money stashed in a house. The law should take it’s normal course, not decided arbitrarily dependant on the mood of the law enforcers.
#plant a tree now!
“CLIQUE OF THIEVES” The phrase that brought discomfort to the 1 million PF voters. KKKKKK
Kapinga or whoever should learn that HH was not voted on tribal lines. We voted because we collectively as Zambians from all the 10 provinces were against what the PF were doing, when you mention regions ,you are not only insulting the thieves but tribes men and women who equally were not happy with PF. if you cant use English correctly, I suggest you stop posting hate articles or go back to school to learn communication skills so that you don’t insult leaders. We are UPND also regardless of were we come from
Until now I always thought that conmen only came from other provinces other than southern. Ladies and gentlemen we may just have a real conman in state house. watch the space. Thieves are the only ones who could be so bold as to point at others while shielding their own thieving records.
Insider 13, 14, 15… Our KK used to say that as you point an accusing finger at another person three fingers are pointing at you too accusing you of some sin.
#28 Farmer do your arithmetic again…if the southern Province had voted fairly HH or Edgar would have gotten not more than fifty one percent of the vote. However I thank God this didn’t happen because today we would be where Ethiopia is.
Politicians have become careless with ‘tribal talk’ and ‘cadrerism’ Who would benefit during a civil war?
Now that we have a Tonga president suddenly we find ourselves bombarded with tribal articles? Mbuzi & sheep articles written at Chainama.