PF in yet another tribalism gaffe

At the time the country is urging President Edgar Lungu to practise what he preaches, and guide his cadres against deviding the nation along tribal lines, PF national mobilization committee member Bizwell Muutale has issued another tribal gaffe.

Muutale, said he was more Tonga than UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema.

Speaking in Livingstone, Southern Province, where he met PF party officials, Muutale said;

“Today I refuse – the gloves are out. We will not be deprived. We are here in Southern Province and I’m not leaving. If Hakainde thinks Southern Province belongs to him.

“I’m more Tonga than he is.”

The general public outcry is that no one should claim to be more Zambian than the other.

He vowed that PF rules the roost adding that; “no change will come out of Southern Province and I’m assuring you now. We can bet.”

Meanwhile, the Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CISCA) says it has noted, with great concern, the continued tribal sentiments attributed to senior members of the Patriotic Front (PF).

CISCA says the fact that Lungu has not publicly reprimanded his cadres, it would seem he is giving it some blessings.

“Considering that these sentiments have been expressed openly and publicly without any censure or rebuke from both party and government leadership, we have no doubt that those spewing such vitriol are sanctioned by the PF leadership, with the full blessings of the Republican President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

“CiSCA calls on President Lungu to prove us wrong and categorically, unequivocally denounce his senior leaders for their tribal utterances and accordingly sanction them to deter others from this vice.

“We doubt he will. If he is unsure how to do this, we encourage President Lungu to seek counsel from our former first President, Dr Kenneth Kaunda who worked hard to erase the tribal lines which Lungu and his cronies are shamelessly working hard to bring back,” said CISCA in a statement.

The further charged that the PF presently holds the dubious record as the most divisive party this country has had since independence.

“The Zambian people have worked hard over the years to live up to the ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ motto as manifested in the integration across tribes. Any utterances that promote tribalism go against the national values espoused in Article 8(d) of the Constitution, and undermines the national unity and harmony as contained in Article 43(d).

“The PF has failed to live up to their campaign rhetoric of improving the lives of the millions of Zambians living in poverty and have resorted to divisive, tribal tactics to try and hang on to power.

“We note that the tribal attacks are perpetuated mainly by a few misguided individuals from one ethnic group, the Bemba. Sadly, the traditional leaders have remained mute suggesting that they too agree with this misrepresentation of the many Bemba speaking people who are not vile tribalists like the few PF leaders,” added the Agenda.