Zambian politics: What we feel and what they feel

President Lungu waves at the audience during the celebrations

…PF Is Ticking Because Of Tribalism

By Masinga Khumalo

I want to ask my fellow Zambians to allow me to say the truth even if it may sound too crude and unacceptable by many.

If people like Mwaba Mutale can call UPND a tribal party without being reprimanded then we must be allowed to make a fair judgement of PF and it’s members as well.

I may agree, to some extent, with my brother Mwaba Mutale on one thing that the UPND has not gained as much support as expected going by the bad economic situation in the country. But I will be quick to mention that the cause of all this is tribal politics, nothing to do with what HH has done or not done.

People like Mwaba can hypocritically see the tribalism in UPND but fail to see the tribalism in PF. Actually what makes PF tick is tribalism. Truth be told, the Northern block has strength in numbers and this is what makes PF strong, nothing else.

One particular set of people are fond of saying UPND is a tribal party but just check who is saying this, If it’s not a northerner it’s an Easterner; why is it so?

The harsh judgement about HH and UPND will never come from Lambas, Lundas, Luvales , Kaondes, Lozis, Lenjes, and the other 70+ Zambian tribes but only ‘ Nyanjas’ and Bembas. Why? Did God give us very different eyes and sense of judgement?

Sata being sworn in

In 2011, Sata won over 90% votes in Muchinga, Luapula and Northern but nobody seems to have noticed the tribalism. But see where the hypocrisy comes in; when HH wins with similar margins in Southern province we see people standing on anthills accusing UPND and Southerners of being tribal. Hypocrites are busy shouting Nega Nega but they can’t even realise that their own Malole results for 2011 were shameful.

Sata went further to implement his tribalism when he formed government. 99% of his appointees were from up North. The list of our current diplomats today is shocking, 95% are from North. How come people didn’t see this tribalism. In just 3 years of Sata’s rule 2 Universities, a big hospital and a college were built in Muchinga, something which was not done in any other province. Yet the same people who call HH a tribalist were busy cheering on Sata.

Why are people blind to their own tribalism?

Today Lungu still enjoys support from Sata’s strongholds because they feel they are protecting Sata’s legacy.

Ask yourselves how many Bembas support HH. The number is negligible. I have many Bemba friends who will agree with me on many things but they will never just agree to support HH.

Truth be told, with the many hardships this country is facing, if HH was either Easterner or Northerner, victory for him was already going to be guaranteed. The rejection of HH is purely tribal. We hear a lot of our friends from East and North agreeing in private that the economy has been mismanaged by Lungu and his administration but their hate for HH’s tribe is too much for them to accept him.

Check the attacks on HH’s person on Facebook and you will find that more than 70% come from the North. The likes of Chilufya Tayali , Mwaba Mutale, Sunday Chanda, Davies Chama , Frank Bwalya and others. Even Easteners who are Lungu’s kinsmen do not seem to hate HH as much as Bembas do. DON’T GET ME WRONG; THERE ARE SOME BEMBAS, A FEW WHO HAVE COME TO THEIR SENSES AND REALISED THAT HATING HH ON TRIBAL LINES DOES NOT HELP, THAT IT’S PETTY AND SELFISH, BUT THEY ARE QUITE FEW.

Whether you want to hear this or not , I will put it to you that PF is more tribal and regional than UPND. PF was mainly a Bemba party until Lungu became president and now we have northerners and Easteners grouping up to fight HH.

I can assure you that the unity of this country will be killed for good should HH lose the 2016 elections. People should not be this evil. Why are people so petty and selfish?