By Fred M’membe President of the Socialist Party
It’s crass dishonest, ignorance and stupidity for anyone to accuse me of tribalism.
Firstly, my ethnic, and even racial, composition make it very difficult and unrealistic for me to be a tribalist or a racist. I directly originate and hail from ten ethnicities and four provinces of our country. And indirectly, I have ethnic links with all the provinces of Zambia. This is my fortune or misfortune!
I am a Toka-Leya. There was this Toka-Leya man from Kalomo who went to what is now Nkeyema and married the daughter of the Nkoya chief, Mwene Kahare, and produced a daughter from whom I descend. I am a Mbunda royal from Mwene Kandala in Yuka, Mabumbu and Mwene Mundu in Liumba, Kalabo. My mother’s grandfather, Ndiyoyi who was the Mukulwakashiko of Lewanika, was a descendant of Mulambwa, the tenth Litunga. Ndiyoyi married a Totela woman from Bwina in Mulobezi – so I am Totela. I am Kwangwa from Kakulo in Ikabako. I am Kwamwenyi and Kwamashi from Silayi, Liuwa, Kalabo. All in all, on my mother’s side I originate from seven ethnicities in Western Province and one in Southern Province.
On my father’s side, I’m a Bemba royal from Mwika in Chinsali. The current Chitimukulu is my cousin. My grandmother, my father’s mother, was Bisa from Makumya on her father’s side – and this is where I was connected to Michael Sata.
My grandfather’s mother was white.
All Lozi or Luyana royals are Lunda. My relative Sikufele is a Mbunda chief in North Western Province. I also have a relative who is a Nkoya chief in North Western Province. It shouldn’t be forgotten that when the Kaonde came to Solwenji from Congo in 1000 AD they found the Nkoya there – so they mixed and became one people. The Mbunda are the same people with the Chokwe, Luchazi and Luvale. So I have a connection with all the ethnicities of North Western Province.
The connection of the Nkoya with the Ila, Sala, Soli and Lenje is well known and beyond dispute. Even the names are same. Nkomeshya is a Nkoya name. Chiti – the first Chitimukulu – died among the Nsenga in what is now Petauke. And it took a year to take his body to Chinsali for burial. The Bemba royals and Nsenga people are one with a common history and tight historical bonds. Zwangendaba – the father to the first Mpezeni – is buried in Muchinga Province, Chitimukulu’s land. Our Bemba and Ngoni ancestors exchanged blood to bond their togetherness. How can one with this heritage, and the knowledge of it, be a tribalist?
Secondly, my family – both on my father’s and mother’s side – paid a very high price for the independence and oneness of this country for me to divide it. Not less than fifty per cent of the first cabinet of this country were my relatives on my mother’s and father’s side. How can I fail to be a patriot and fail them?
I have fought against Bemba tribalism, Lozi tribalism, Ngoni or Nsenga or Chewa tribalism! I have fought against racism. And I will continue to do so for the remaining part of my life.
Pointing out tribal-inclined decisions and actions of this UPND government of Mr Hakainde Hichilema and denouncing them is not being a tribalist.
Using derogatory remarks against other tribes is tribalism and you are a serious tribalist by action and speech . You almost succeeded in dividing Zambia based on tribal inclination with your post newspaper. Your background you have posted above means nothing because your tribe is based on your father and mother and not 10’s of generations before. So, your major tribe is Bemba, from your father side and minor tribe is Nkoya from your mothers side. Why do you want to hide your tribe as you propagate your tribal agenda. I call on all well meaning Zambians to ignore this sworn tribalist, he is a danger to Zambia’s unity
Let us be realist in condenming Mr. M’membe.He has given very useful informatiom about himself.To me it clearly shows that indeed he is a pure Zambian.No wonder hid observations are a least balanced. Calling him names will never help but narrow the way we anlyse issues.Today pure tribalists, who public declared themselves in black and white, are today angels of being for one Zambia, One Nation. So respect his opinions and avoid insulting him.
Mmembe is not unique, all the people from Barotseland are from multiple backgrounds. There’s a reason you have Mutumba Mainga, Situmbeko Musokotwane and many others.
Fred M’membe: You are tribal and you have taken advantage of HH and the UPND. What you have written in your article is sugar coating your malicious rantings. You exaggerate your intelligence and insult other people. We can read in-between your words and sentences. You consciously constructed your defense in order to strengthen your lies about HH and the UPND. Your story is not well thought of and the more excuses you concoct, the more immature you sound and appear. Your poorly arranged background has no substance and you have not contributed value to unity or a debate. Implicit in your latest dogma is that your are accusing HH of being tribal. Most Tongas are not tribal. You and your likes are rebirthing this tribal nonsense. You are tribal and you cannot deny it.
What is the meaning of pure Zambian? No African can claim tobe pure this or that. May be pure African yes but not pure Nigerian, pure Angolan or what
The uniformed forces hv advrtised for positions and are still receiving applications but Fred M’membe has already seen it fit to accuse Tongas of seeking to swamp the military with their tribesmen. The recruitment process in the military is rigorous. One has to undergo both physical fitness tests apart from meeting minimum educational requirements. Is Fred M’membe telling this country that only Tongas are physically fit in Zambia? Promoting tribal hatred is an offence in Zambia and M’membe is very close to crossing that line, if he has not closed it already.
Very true. Let our army recruit Zambians. Not Tongas, Bembas, Luvales, Ngonis
I fail to see why people cannot see that the so called balanced cabinet has been possible because there was no way out for Mr. Hakainde. He has got MPs from all provinces except Luapula. Was going to ignore those MPs and appoint only this tribesmen to cabinet. That would not only be careless but political suicide. It is jus common sense unless one thinks with his mouth and has no time for logic.
Mmembe only points out the truth but unfortunately truth hurts especially bigoted minds.
Look at this one who sees tribe in everything GRZ does……….
Also,
Did you not insist membe was not bemba but a lozi when we accused him of supporting a PF bemba tribal
agenda ???
Spaka…. someone lost his energy to produce a worm like you. The article is about tribal bias so you want me to talk about the artificial Kwacha?
You are a very thick maggot who thinks he knows more than he knows………I said membe pushers his kins bemba tribal agenda and you responded with insults about me being lozi…………you dullard.
………..to try to hide your dirty tribal supremacists mind behind being just an observer shows how shallow you are…
Every post you post concerns tribe and seeing tribalism…………
…balanced cabinet has been possible because there was no way out for Mr. Hakainde.
The shallow and scammy contorted logic of a biased mind selling itself as objective. Having representation from all regions of Zambia is a winning formula obvious to any child. Cabinet composition is intentional. It started with choosing people who would win as MPs in as many regions as possible.
@Deja Vu kikikikiki! Lost his energy????Kikikikiki!
Please excuse our colleague Deja Vu he looks up to Fred…really laughable
Thick maggot. Slim maggot better?
Now you think others have no similar inclination has you have.
This is why there is peace in this region ever since and before Livingstone came to this region because of the interconnections we have had. When a research was done on how many tribes are in Zambia, they are only 16, others are just mixed-up languages.
What used to work in this region is Imikowa or Totem which are just human imaginations only.
After all we are all descendants of Adam the first man and his wife Eva.
Beba zikapaka, njudyana. Creation of tribes, itself is tribalism. So the twelve tribes of Israel is tribalism itself. The 72 tribes of Zambia is tribalism in it self. Our NRC are tribalistic in nature.
Mmembe is 100%.he is pointing out but UPND is hiding in calling tribalist meanwhile if you go in govt most senior positions now are given to Tongas and their cousins.The president promised to unite the country but what we are now seeing is disastor.Kambwili was right.Most people thought Kambwili was telling lies but go to Zesco,govt offices and all these powerful institutions.They have fired people especially who come from northern regions.Let them not cheat us by using fake propaganda.We are seeing real tribalsim now in govt
Lies………..
Only because the president is correcting the 95% imbalance where cabinet ministers, board members, ambassadors and heads of parastatals were from 2 regions…….
you now seeing a tribal agenda where there is balancing …….
Membe was quiet and happy when the PF had a cabinet of people from only two regions. Ministers, permanent secretaries, directors in govt CEO’s in quasi govt institutions were all from 2 regions but he was quite because it made him happy. The PF even went a step futher by only recruiting young people from 2 regions into the civil service, to the exclusion of others. One can only imagine whom they would have recruited as teachers and health workers including the military if they were still in power. Talk of Membe’s hypocrisy. And he wants to cheat you that he comes from all the provinces in Zambia, what a spineless manipulator
You are part of the problem M’membe is talking about! What is this obsession with what PF did about it? So copying all the things you say were bad about PF is the solution for you? The cabinet is chosen from members of Parliament, and tell me how UPND treated its MPs who chose to be part of the PF cabinet, both under Sata and Lungu? You refuse to be picked for cabinet offices and then you turn around and accuse someone of tribalism for not picking you?! Make this sh***””t make sense! Lord have mercy.
“…….I have fought against Bemba tribalism, Lozi tribalism, Ngoni……..”
Cde Membe is talking sh.it…………
Only because lungu came down on him like a tonne of bricks was he then seen to mention bemba and eastern tribalism…….
When he was in bed with PF at the beginning,………
he did no such thing and was infact the mouth piece of PF tribalism and marginalisation with his post newspaper.
How many try-ball-lists have you fought? You are quick to recognise and see it in others. To you memtioning a tribe is same as practicing the vice. You seem like everyone including yourself is practicing it.
“…….I have fought against Bemba tribalism, Lozi tribalism, Ngoni……..”
What a load of bs.
Fred Mumembe the fact that you have responded to what is a non-issue speaks volumes… MCS described you most aptly ‘ An accounts clerk at zsic and a wanna be journalist’ later you sought to polish that out look but Cobra was miles ahead of you and described you as a ‘shibukeni lawyer whom he wouldn’t hire’ …You lost a lot of power when you went ‘politics’ ..you were duped by a fat desk lawyer to ‘invest’ in a struggling airline…you mint under the task force as you pledged to ‘cover’ the criminals proceedings in the trial of FTJ to money from ‘donors’ ..when the door opened and you were in ‘plot one’ most of your former under paid workers went into foreign service or were made PS….You likened UPND to a Bantustan .. History is
Where there was more than 95 % appointments and GRZ contract issues to people’s of 2 regions ………….
Now the president is balancing things to include other marginalised tribes……….
the clique are seeing tribal appointments where there is in fact balancing
They are not used to there being equal representation of appointments to GRZ positions or equal distribution of GRZ contracts …….
To them equal distribution seems like an anti bemba agenda……….everything is seen through a tribal lense……….
It is not crass nor stupid to cite your tribal biases.Mr Membe,historical anthropolgy shows that the space we now call Zambia is a melting pot of many ethnicities from all over Africa.So,Strictly speaking,every one here is related to every one else.It is vain to feel that you are any special.There is a point at which we should stop this lineage thing and focus on you as an individual,not the royal or ethnic pieces of your perosn.I even doubt if if the royals you mention would be willing to confer you will the title of prince,earl,duke or whatever.You MrMembe are an egoistic tribalist with amanic hatred for certain people/individuals
And there are no Toka-Leyas in Southern province.Snr Chief Mukuni titles himself as the chief of all Leyas in Kazungula,L/Stone,Zimba and Kalomo.Then you…
….Then you come on this forum calling yourself a ‘Nigger!..Fooolish man
Some people thing Bemba and Eastern is Zambia.
Zambia is everyone in this territory.
The beauty after Democracy is that many people have opportunities to rule.
Just wait for your time
We are having Insitutions have have only people from Southern, Western and Nortrh Western Province. Is that not trabalism ? Let us call a spade and spade.
Which institutions ????
But you are in Germany. How can you know whats happening in Zed?
Which institution has only people from Southern and Northwestern Province? You are used to seeing only Mwewas and Mwales hired. When they hire on Kakoma, Mubita or Mwiinga, you start complaining, and yet that whole government department is full of people from only 2 regions.
Spaka why do you waste time on a maggot? If you think you are intelligent you can easily convince people without engaging maggots in your discussion.
But you the chief maggot that enters our food without invitation.
What is your food ? Tribalism ?
Or GRZ business seen through a tribal lense ???
The one messenger we should always shot, never mind the self-serving message.
Freddy… Anyone who is everyone is nobody. Anyone who is all things is nothing at all. But we understand, you are a chameleon, reinventing yourself with a change of wind for political expediency.
Why not trace you ancestry all the way to Adam and Eve, or maybe Broken Hill Man? You thought yourself unique and singular when you ran the post and your Bantustan school-boy cleverness, and now you think yourself unique and singular in possessing a rainbow coalition of ancestors… the one special incomparable Zambian? Always so full of yourself with total lack of self-awareness in your writings.
Mmembe really overrates himself. Mr. I know it all. What’s the purpose of writing all this bee ess about which blood runs in your veins.All this is irrelevant coz you have time and again shown your hate towards Tonga people. Reasons know to you and you alone. Which chiefs name is on your NRC? You seem to have an inferiority complex which you want to package as superior. I pity you.
How?
Your tribe is what grouping you are identified with or identify with. Its never in your blood. You cant be born speaking any language or dancing certain tribal dances. You will be coached by whoever brings you up. This is orientation. Thats why Kenneth Kaunda who was Tonga identified as a Bemba. Chinsali is where he got his orientation. If you look at apartheid you will see an ideology that exploited these artificial identities to the benefit of a certain racegroup. The lesson is Stop wasting time with these superficial identities. Identify the spiritual YOU. Dont be in a hurry to inherit this world’s discriminations and accompanying ills. Seek and Obtain happiness
Fred, you cannot stand on the podium and pretend to patriotic. PF recruited from 3 provinces and you were Ziii. In PF did you see any advert for Immigration, OP, Judiciary etc? people were just told to submit CVs finish. You have no moral authority to speak on this subject. You are a source of confusion and hatred yourself. thats what you only know and i would advise you better change.
My grandfather’s mother was white. So what?
Fred Mmembe is seeing how irrelevant he is to Zambia’s politics. He gets desperate for recognition so he vuvuzelas this way and that about his tribal roots so he can appeal to all tribes in Zambia. To prove he is more Zambian than HH, Lungu, Kalaba, Lusambo, even his wife. He conveniently doesn’t tell us about his Tanzanian roots. These couch politicians!
Ba Mmembe, you are very learned person who at one run a very respected Newspaper, the Weekly Post and then the Post! The report for the greater part of it was investigative and most of the time factual. TO AVOID MUDSLINGING AND UNNECESSARY ARGUMENTS FOR OR AGAINST YOUR ASSERTIONS,COULD YOU PLEASE PUBLISH AN ARTICLE WITH ANALYSED INFORMATION THAT WILL SHOW FACTS OF WHAT YOU HAVE SAID! That way there will be little or no arguments and no name calling, THEN YOU WILL BE A HERO !!
Munyale kukabulonga too much tribal
Mmembe shamelessly admits he was related to Michael Sata yet when he posed as a journalist he never revealed this. How unprofessional! He was writing editorials supporting Sata without telling his audience that this is a relative! He really takes us for suckered.
What is prompting this namedropping? An identity crisis?
Mmembe shamelessly admits he was related to Michael Sata yet when he posed as a journalist he never revealed this. How unprofessional! He was writing editorials supporting Sata without telling his audience that this is a relative! He really takes us for suckers.
What is prompting this namedropping? An identity crisis?
Tarino Orange… I have never looked up to Mmembe. If you check my postings on… that is if you are an honest man… I have referred to his dark past.
But on this one he has scored a distinction. Like it or not.