Thursday, April 18, 2024

No doubt Hichilema felt intimidated by the swarm of PF officials at Umutomboko

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By Venus N Msyani

What could be the reason why President Hakainde Hichilema left Umutomboko before ukutomboka?

President Hakainde Hichilema was invited to officiate at this year’s Umutomboko Traditional Ceremony of Lunda people of Mwansabombwe in Luapula Provinve, which he honored.

Unfortunately, the president didn’t witness the core ritual of the ceremony. He left before it took place and it has left the public debating.

PF Member of the Central Committee Chishimba Kambwili put a blame on United Party for National Development (UPND) officials. Particularly those who come from Luapula Province.

In a voice posted on YouTube Kambwili is heard arguing that Hichilema’s advisors from Luapula should have properly informed him about Umutomboko.

Kambwili says without witnessing the ritual, which is a dance by the chief (Mwata), one has not attended Umutomboko. In short, Kambwili is saying HH didn’t attend Umutomboko.

On what he calls Direct Talk on his Facebook, Economic and Equity Party (EEP) president Chilufya Tayali has revealed that his source has informed him that the president left Umutomboko early because there are no lights at the airport at night.

Meaning if the president didn’t leave before dark, he would have been forced to spend the night in Luapula, which would have affected his next day schedule. He was to officiate the opening of the 94th Agriculture and Commercial Show in Lusaka the following day.

It doesn’t make much sense. It is about one hour thirty minutes travel from Mwansabombwe to Lusaka by air.

Agriculture and Commercial Show official opening normally takes place after 8am. Meaning if the president left Mwansabombwe by daybreak the following day, he would still have managed to officiate the opening of the show.

Past record drives me to a deferent conclusion. Few months ago, it was alleged that Hichilema instructed state security to eject PF acting president Given Lubinda and his team from Nc’wala Traditional Ceremony of the Ngoni in Eastern Province.

Implying that Hichilema finds it uncomfortable to mingle with the opposition. To be specific, members of the Patriotic Front (PF).

The just ended Mutomboko ceremony was swarmed by Patriotic Front (PF) officials. Davis Mwila, Raphael Nakachinda, Richard Musukwa, Nickson Chilangwa, and the rest.

They appears to be the main reason why President Hichilema left the ceremony prematurely. Ejection of Lubinda and his team at Nc’wala caused a lot of criticism from the public. Hence, Hichilema could not play the same at Umutomboko. The best he could do was to leave.

After Nc’wala, HH has attended a number of traditional ceremonies. Including the most popular one, Kuomboka. No report of the president departing at the middle of the ceremony has been heard. The reason is because presence of PF officials in those ceremonies has been low. Not high enough to intimidate Hichilema.The swarm of PF officials at Umutomboko was to much for him.

27 COMMENTS

    • Dream on KZ, never again will you insult zambians like you did, they have not forgotten when you burnt a village for the land. Bounce back to where?

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    • Hey PF stop intimidating our president. HH should feel free anywhere in our land. Even Lungu, Mwanawasa Chiluba etc needed to feel free anywhere in Zambia. When someone goes into State House he is not the opposition leader any more. He looks after all our interests. If you want to intimidate him wait for next election day. Right now he is our president and you PF should know this better since you protected the Lungu presidency with a hammer whenever a fly tried to overtake your motorcade!

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    • You are saying here today, that you are willing to return to Zambia, and face prosecution for corruption, among many other crimes? I do not think so. Depending on how much money you stole, and how well you will use it, you might avoid becoming a sweeper on the platform at Paddington Station, as the founder of you PF, Michael Sata(n) was, when he had to flee Zambia just before independence, to avoid prosecution for having been an English agent, snitching on other people in the liberation movement to the white colonisers.

    • Keep dreaming thieves like you will not be allowed to come anyone near power. Behave yourself you thug and don’t take us for granted. You are lucky that you are not behind bars after the insults, framing of innocent people for aggravated robbery like mwalitata, Dep IG state house,
      So don’t think you are cleaver, now you even have courage to come out and talk nonsense

  1. Let us help the president govern this country. The advisors must know that perceptions and insinuations may damage the effort to unite the country. Please manage the president’s movement with maturity. He should not be seen as divisive. In some ceremonies, he spends the whole day while in others he spends two minutes and worse others he does not attend without even apologies or delegating. It is unfortunate.

  2. It’s these suspicious that has stagnated this country. I hope this is not true. If it’s true then he shouldn’t have gone there in the first place. Again I hope it’s not so.

  3. Saturday I was with my friends at some place when one of our MPs came in. My friends were from a certain political party.. I advanced to greet the MP and when I went back to my place, one of them said to me KANSHI NAIMWE MULI BA PF? I was shocked not by the statement but more by the reasoning behind that statement. I have known this MP even before he entered politics…now imagine this kind of mentality

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    • I had a similar experience at a cousin’s funeral. There was the usual discussion of politics around the bonfire, with most of the youthful mourners seemingly in the New Dawn euphoria, laced with generous rounds of whisky and wine. At one point when I opined a contrary political position, one of them turned to the other mourners and cynically remarked – “Ba mudala aba tabalapilibuka”. It’s like we are all supposed to defect to the New Dawn. To do otherwise is to invite vilification and very negative stereotyping. That’s the new game in town.

  4. It is simple. Cut all funding to these unelected tribal rulers. If their tribe wants to host lavish ceremonies, let it come up with its own money. If this happens, most of these ceremonies will be reduced to village celebrations that do not cost the rest of us anything. Lets federalise Zambia, and let work equitably with the elected provincial authorities.

  5. He was humbked by the support of the multitudes that turned up to see him since they couldnt see him during the campaigns …..as he was not allowed to be seen …

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  6. I doubt it. For once Tayali seems to be talking sense….kikiki. In that case New Dawn should prioritise improving the Airport. Maybe bring in an investor. Traditional ceremonies are tourist attractions too. How do we get tourist to an airstrip with no lights, like its Pablo Escobars many airstrip. We can do better.

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  7. Since PF officials were craving for the
    Mwatha’s attention the President did well to leave. Otherwise the Mwata would have been in an awkward situation of giving PF officials divided attention.

  8. The problem with kambwili is that when you are saved with food is to eat and finish everything even lick the plate. that is why you have a chima big drum.

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  9. So if he attends the ritual or he does not, will the price of fuel come down. Very petty debates in this country

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    • I meant the President had to go. And attend to other things> What is the issue? He is a hard working President after all.

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  10. NO SUBSTANCE,, NO SENSE FROM THE GANG OF POLITICCAL FAIILURES AND ?ELL EXPOSED CRROOKS. AWE CHALIMIKALIPA SANA PA KULUSA. AS FOR CK , TAYALI AND NAKACHINDA WITHH HIS DEFECTTIIVE BINOCULARRS,, NO WELL MMEAANIING WILL AGAINN PPAY ANTENTION FOR THEY HHAVE LOST THEIR VALUE

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