THE 2016 MEMORIAL OF DR FREDERICK JACOB TITUS CHILUBA
[By Brig Gen Godfrey Miyanda – 17th July 2016]
Some pressing family issues, including a bereavement, made it inopportune for me to promptly correct the misrepresentation by the Daily Nation (carried by the online Lusaka Times – LT news outlet) of my statement during the memorial of the late former President Dr Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba. A different message was conveyed, which exposed me to unwarranted online hate messages, insults and offside innuendo. I do not blame LT for publishing the story which they lifted verbatim from the Daily Nation; but that article manipulated my message by withholding the heart of my message, namely that for Christians who are celebrating the Declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation to continue to consciously and deliberately avoid mentioning the name of Dr Chiluba regarding that Declaration is not only hypocrisy but is peddling a false history. I publish this article to reiterate my side of the story but not to quarrel with anybody.
As a family we are not ashamed to have attended the Memorial, which event had no political motives. We joined Mrs Regina Chiluba and her family to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the passing of the former President. My brief statement was primarily intended to console and encourage Mrs Chiluba and her immediate family present at the small but warm gathering of sympathisers, who included Dr Kangwa, Mr Ndove and brother Fortune, a gospel evangelist, who lit up the occasion. The message was also directed at Christians who seem to be ashamed to be associated with or to mention the name of the person who officially and publicly declared Zambia a Christian Nation. Although Mr Richard Sakala and Mr Faustin Kabwe were not present I discovered that they had earlier on in the day laid the two flowers that we found laid on the tomb.
I was called upon to say a prayer before the formalities of the event, which I gladly did. After the laying of flowers I made a few remarks. I was NOT aware then that there was a news reporter until after the ceremony. As we were departing a man thrust a recording device in my face and asked me to repeat what I had said as he had not taken down anything. Initially I declined but he explained that he wanted to quote me correctly so I acceded.
First let me state what I did NOT discuss. I did not discuss the late Mr Arthur Wina; I did not discuss the MMD neither did I claim that Dr Chiluba founded the MMD; and I did not discuss Dr Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika or Dr Chitala (even though I have previously publicly acknowledged the two via a USA Blog Radio live interview as the architects and vision carriers of the MMD). Thus the hate messages were uncalled for and not justified.
What I criticised was the false history being ferociously peddled by those who are using the Declaration as a campaign slogan in their political messages; false because they have so far deliberately and consciously avoided mentioning the name of Dr Chiluba as the person who declared Zambia as a Christian Nation. I wondered why those Christians who gathered at the Lusaka Show Grounds last year, including the President, DID NOT mention or acknowledge Dr Chiluba, though after the article Dr Chiluba has been “honoured” by President Lungu! But no matter how many times the name Chiluba is ignored regarding that Declaration this will not change that historical fact! It is hypocritical for any Christian, particularly those who were witnesses, to pretend that someone else did so. Why be ashamed of the messenger but be proud of and use the Declaration to get votes? Ever heard of Eve or King David with his scandals? Remember King Nebuchadnezzar who put God’s people in the lion’s den? What of St Paul who has on occasions been described as an assassin of the followers of Christ? These names are permanently etched in the Bible and may be used for rebuking, teaching and even as examples of how to and how not to!
The world has the film of the Celebration of the Declaration on the steps of State House, where President Lungu now resides. From those steps Dr Chiluba made a solemn promise on our behalf emphasising, inter alia, that from that moment corruption would be a thing of the past. What a wonderful and appropriate message, even today; what a lasting memorable legacy of Dr Chiluba’s tour of duty, though not yet realised. That pronouncement was a declaration of a standard, a high standard that we must all strive for. Upon that declaration we can today confidently point a finger at anyone, including President Lungu and his ministers, to live up to that standard. Using the Declaration, even after the passing on of Dr Chiluba, we must continue to challenge and demand and ask those in high offices, “how did you suddenly get those billions, those properties and too much loose change to spare?”
Fellow Christians, you may kill the messenger, but please take care NOT to kill the Message instead preserve it, protect it and above all practice what it declares! But for some prominent Christians to consciously ignore Dr Chiluba and/or manipulate the Declaration date from 29th December to another date is simply to lie and to continue peddling that false history. This was my memorial message on that special day, not a ‘treatise’ on the MMD!
GODFREY MIYANDA,
BRIGADIER GENERAL,
A CONCERNED WITNESS
[17TH JULY 2016]
POSTSCRIPT:
Although I did not discuss the MMD I hold the view that Dr Chiluba may have not been the founder of the MMD but he played a strategic role in the emancipation of Zambians and helped to move forward the MMD dream. Those who went to look for him and other eminent citizens did so to strengthen the MMD leadership and to attract more numbers to their project which had become a national project.
No single person can claim the historic triumph of the MMD, which literary “killed the One Party Scheme”, and which Zambians must NOT allow to rear its ugly head ever, not even by using the Referendum ruse as a device once again to take us back on that perilous route. GM///
VIVA UPND,VIVA HH 2016
ABASH UPND, ABASH HH & GBM 2016…loosers can never take the country forward. ABASH UPND, ABASH!!!!!
The General fails to realise the resentment attributed to Chiluba’s political engineering.
Chiluba may have killed the one party state but his policies killed a lot more people most of whom where of loaded to the streets(some of whom have never been paid benefits to date ) He sometimes championed issues whose outcome he never envisioned. The demise of UBZ and the allowing importation of any bus on four wheels and left to the supervision of the chaotic UTTA is partly to blame for the many accidents today.
Yes he declared a christian nation but he oversaw one of the most corrupt governments in our history not to mention his own matrix. It was all duplicity. What exactly can we show for Zambia as a christian nation? Its this sense of taking people for a ride by Chiluba that leaves a…
a bad taste in many people that evokes a lot of resentment for this man. Let FTJ rest in peace but don’t push it General! just don’t!
Narcissists like Miyanda are always bothered by the slightest criticism because they believe that what they do is always right. First the MMD would have succeeded if the likes of him had stood KK’s wrath and created a “Young Turks” cabinet. Miyanda, who had absolutely nothing to do with the formation of the MMD became part of the group that hijacked the MMD and got rid of many of its founders. Here is food for thought. It was during his Veepiship that some of the budding politicians perished. Just a thought. The FTJ – Miyanda team was not only toxic by deadly. This is partly the reason FTJ has fallen out of grace. The attacks Miyanda received last time were testimony that people have not forgotten.
The declaration should not be about personalities.
Brigadier General of POOP!
Chiluba was found accused, prosecuted and found guilty by the Post Newspaper (now in the past, thank God), Mutembo Nchito and Levy Mwanawasa. They threw away the basic right of innocent until proved guilty which is a Constitutional right. If Hitler had been found alive he would have been treated better by the world in terms of criminal justice unlike what we Zambians did to Chiluba. The court rightly found him innocent. The State failed to prove its case in court beyond reasonable doubt but to simple minds who believe in the GOSPEL of the Post Chiluba was guilty. Go read the Court Proceedings they are for public consumption and make your own informed judgement.
MIYANNA KUWAYAWAYA FYE. Are you gona be replying to anything on the blog. am officially opening a #bringbackheritageparty# that party of the nedson nzowa and Gladys Nyirongo…..I voted for heritage party in 2001 mind you. You have lost touch nomba nipa ma blog fye..
Miyanda makes sense kwena mwe.
WHAT SENSE IS GENERAL MIYANDA MAKING IN THIS? THERE IS NO SENSE. WHAT VALUE DID THE DECLARATION ADD TO ZAMBIA? DID ZAMBIA BECOME MORE CHRISTIAN AFTER THE DECLARATION OR IT BECAME MORE EVIL? TODAY THE PERSON CLAIMING TO BE A HUMBLE CHRISTIAN IS THE ONE ORDERING THE POLICE TO SHOOT INNOCENT CITIZENS. THE PERSON WHO HAD MADE THE DECLARATION WAS THE FIRST ONE TO BREAK THE CHRISTIAN RULES. REGINA WAS SOME ONE’S WIFE WHEN CHILUBA STARTED COMMITING ADULTERY WITH HER AND EVENTUALLY MARRIED HER AFTER CHASING HIS LAWFUL WIFE. CHILUBA, AS OTHERS HAVE ALREADY POINTED OUT PRESIDED OVER A CORRUPT, INEPT AND DISTRUCTIVE REGIME. THE GENERAL IS NOT HELPING TO PROMOTE CHRISTIANITY BY GLORIFYING CHILUBA’S DECLARATION THAT HAS CONTINUED TO BE ABUSED.
DOES GENERAL MIYANDA THINK THAT IF JESUS CHRIST HAD LIVED AN HYPOCRITICAL LIFE AS CHILUBA HAD DID CHRISTIANITY COULD HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME WITH PEOPLE DYING FOR JESUS AND CHRISTIANITY? LET US CALL A SPADE A SPADE: CHILUBA LIVED AN OPEN SINFUL LIFE. HE DIED LIVING IN ADULTERY WITH SOME ONE’S WIFE. REGINA WAS MWANZA’S WIFE WHILE CHILUBA WAS VERA’S HUSBAND. HE NEVER LIVED A MODEL LIFE. PLEASE DON’T TAKE US FOR F00LS. GEN. MIYANDA IS NOT ADDING VALUE TO CHRISTIANITY JUST LIKE THE CHRISTIANS FOR LUNGU ARE NOT DOING JUSTICE TO CHRISTIANITY.
@ manomambulwa. The declaration has added value to Zambia spiritually. We focus more on physical things because that’s all the eyes can see. What we see is just the tip of the iceberg. We fight not against flesh and blood.
Our problems in this Christian Nation are expected. There is just no was the devil can just fold his arms and see us prosper. He has to make things harder so that many doubt the merit of being called nation of Christ. True Christians live by faith,not by sight. Don’t doubt, the battle belong to the Lord and that is where Chiluba rightly took it in all his weaknesses.
well said sir !
General Miyanda is very sensible but people continue insulting him for no reason at all. It is grossly unfair.
people insult General Miyanda because they dont understand wht he says in his wiritings,what he says is very simple,you might not like FTJ for whatever reason but he declared Zambia a christian nation period…..
Politics is not for people who say sensible things but for demagogues such as Donald Trump. Despite the ridiculous things he says he has a huge following. A woman has just come out of the woodwork that Trump raped her but I doubt if she will be believed. There is only one person who said sensible things and he has a large following and that person is Jesus Christ. Some religions have large followings based on sleeping with virgins.
100% right…politics stink…SA replaced a more intelligent president (Mbeki) with Morale booster (Zuma).
Chiluba may have made some mistakes but certainly there are some positive things that he contributed to the this Country. You were just led by Membe in his hate Chiluba propaganda. Mulenasha ulpata, you are Christians..
I think ba general is trying to remain relevant in this fast moving political scenario.Am sorry ba general you missed the train.it has moved.In any case who cares .David introduced Christianity to Zambia not Chiluba.
Go on General; TELL THEM OFF! They were NOT there when you and me (in my Rhodes Park flat) including my late Dad, the late speaker of our Parliament Mr Nabulyato and others were discussing how the new Party MMD should be run and organised. Today’s Politicians are not only corrupt but a bunch of thieves that want to steal from the general populous by pretending to be real.
The General is insulted because his messages are too plain to be understood by clogged up minds.
“I was NOT aware then that there was a news reporter until after the ceremony.”
Really laughable..you mean a memorial of a former president they can not be any pressmen in attendance…nowadays pressmen are everywhere one merely has turn on the mic on their phone.
Ba Miyanda is living in the past, anyone is a reporter in this ‘age’.
Miyanda is a dull and bored man, a dangerous combination of characters. And this christianity nonsense, rather leave it personal and don’t force it on other people. The first thing I will do when i become president is to remove the stupid and senseless preamble from our constitution and replace it with ‘Religion Clouds Your Mind and Judgements’
When people talk about the suffering after privatization, they forget about the long term benefits of the same. I think it is being narrow minded to throw away dirty water with the baby. Those days all the shops in town were owned by Indians, today some Zambians who lost jobs are running those shops. UBZ employed limited number of people and travelling long distance was a nightmare, honestly, removing a company running on tax payers money due to mismanagement with opening up to many Zambians for empowerment becomes a crime. From Mwanawasa my personal next best President is Dr Chiluba even with all the wrong things He did, He provided leadership into a new error that shaped and changed the mindsets of alert Zambians. Zambia has had only two significant eras, Kaunda and Chiluba eras, of the…
meant new era
I total agree with you. Theres no sweet without sacrifice. Zambians were under oppression during Kaunda. Most of the people know Chiluba through the Post Newspaper. Yes he was not a perfect man but at the time he became president the decision of privatization was the only way out. What failed us is the intellectuals who benefited from selling these companies, instead of helping form cooperatives to run some businesses they were only focused on what to get. Under Kaunda it was normal to move with magamba, all these phones you are showing off today before Chiluba became president you wiouldn’t try it without proper explanation. The so called architects of MMD feared for their lives to face Kaunda in case of losing elections. Chiluba put his life on the line for our freedom from the…
I agree Bululu, FTJ brought a new era not ba mukukulu ba PF.
The people who said Chiluba stole have failed up to date to show Zambians that loot. Instead all we hear is that the assets were exchanged with legal fees the task force lawyers charged. The popular London judgement failed to find anything against chiluba except with the case of fiduciary duties. We should read the judgment before we echoe the thief tag Post put on Chiluba. Not even the brave Michael Sata could face Kaunda those days. Yes there have been a lot of casualties through the liberalized economy but we were worse than Zimbabwe is today under the last years of Kaunda. Shortages of food were the order of the day. To buy meali meal,sugar or cooking oil you have to wake up at 03 hrs or sleep on a queue not to talk of bread .
For me my best president is Chiluba. Mwanawasa just thrived on Chiluba’s labours and suffering and carried out a lot of vengeance and tribal hatred on top of his selective corruption fight. His hatred against other tribes has earned title of best president– not for me
What is the problem now ba general? You seem to have issues all the time. When are you ever going going to ride with the tide and enjoy your being? I pity my sister Angela, I hope she keeps all the letters and treatises explaining what you meant and what you did not mean when you say ‘good morning dear’ to her. Some things are just not worth the trouble, like this topic, surely the whole of Zambia had forgotten about this or ever did worry about what you said or meant or whatever, duh!
Whilst change will always occur we agree but responsible leaders need to help people cope with change look at all the privatised companies if you investigate carefully you will discover a disturbing pattern when FTJ and his friends and ministers shared a lot of the assets.
Some of the privatised companies were quite profitable.
When he allowed salaula it killed the textile industry don’t just follow issues blindly bane tule tontokanya limo limo.
Ati Christian nation when pastors are telling you to bring all to church he has a private jet iwe wendafye 1-2-1.
I appreciate Dr Chiluba for having sold a house to us. My parents were beneficiaries of the sitting tenant policy. So even though my father lost his job, at east we didn’t end up on the streets. So for that, I will forever be grateful.
But now the council have no revenue stream to clean the street.
Miyanda is good person but the only problem is that he likes working in isolation and being a bit difficult. Which has made him to lose opportunities to serve the people of Zambia. Every day ine fi shilefwaya. He is suppose to be now or that time to be MMD president not Mwanawasa. Even being FDD president after Gen Tembo. Anyway I feel pit for you being a good person but not ruling this country. Work with any party to serve the nation. How many former vice presidents, ministers adding value to politics. You can still even help people choose the right candidate by just endorsing someone of course after carefuly scrutinizing them, that is also serving people.
The biggest problem in Zambia is we accept whatever we hear on the radio or read from papers without having independent and critical minds. SAP was not the best but the only way for Zambia then. Its up to you and me to fight our way out of poverty not blaming the dead forever. Wise people used to opportunity Chiluba created but those whose believed in communism and coupons still want to receive free things. Zambia as a nation is moving in the right direction regardless of who a president is. The way of change is on and there is nothing to stop it. Not HH not Lungu.
Well said, sir. My advice: don’t listen and react to everything people say. Some have absolutely no idea why they say what they say. To them, this is the only platform they will ever have for free speech; so they take it for granted!
WE NEED TO HONOR LATE JTF CHILUBA. HE WAS A MODEL EVEN WHEN THINGS WERE TOUGH HE NEVER RETALIATED NEGATIVELY. I STILL REMEMBER WHEN HE HOLD A RALLY IN ROAN (LUANSHYA) WHEN THEY WANTED TO STONE HIM WITH ABENA SATA, HE STOOD UP AND SAID, ” NIMWEBATUBIKILE PAMUPANDO UNO KABILI NIMWE MUFWILE MWATUFUMYAPO NGA TATULEBOMBA. KUTI MWATU POLAULA AMABWE PANTU NAMUKWATA INSAMBU …” WITH HIS DIPLOMACY, HE WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH PEOPLE AND CALM THE SITUATION AND NOT LUNGU WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CANNING SPEACH.
I concur with the general, his 100 percent rite. Honestly soon early will you forget all the good did’s Chiluba made and only get stuck with the wrongs he did! Mind you there will never ever be a perfect person in life on planet earth? Only Jesus was and is todate. Please have respect for the departed and let them rest in peace.
DR Chiluba did a lot for this country, I tend to think most people never ran after the Suoa loaf truck every morning just to try to get a loaf of bread. For us in Kitwe we would run after it in Chimwemwe, Mindolo, Buch!! everyday. Today it might like a Joke. Had not been for the privatization there would have been no base for economic growth which started under his reign and accelerated by Great Mwanawansa who chose to make economic decisions and not political machinations. Economic growth maintained by RB and drastically reduced by current GRZ to less than 1.8% as per latest WORLDBANK report. Who is better the one who moved you from negative percentage to 1.8% or moved you from 9% to 1.8% ?
tell them.
God has a way of dealing with plunderers. Let his fellow plunderers and kids mourn him.
Miyanda should just shut his god damn mouth and save us all from masalamusi a Chiluba. To date, we continue being exposed to ridicule because of this most foolish declaration of Zambia as the world’s one and only christian nation! The chap used this to plunder state coffers, steal other people’s wieves, gun-running for diamonds in Angola leading to the death of millions, supporting the Katebe Katoto insurgency in Zaire leading to the death of thousands and the list goes on. For Miyanda to claim Zambians must celebrate such a vile lumpenizing i.diot is insulting to our intelligence, very insulting. If I were this failed soldier and damn politician, I would just shut up lest someone shoots him in his gurumutu to teach him a lesson KK failed to administer.
Congratulation Genral miyanda for principled stand.I wish you had with Dr. Chiluba until his death like what Emmanuel Mwamba did.
Many people don.t appreciate what Dr. Chilube did to turn around the way the economy is ran in Zambia today with his Fiance Minster Penza.Without that decision. the shopping malls mash rooming today wouldn’t have been here.he started building up the Middle class which mwaqnawasa destroyed when he took over.I totally agree with sentiments by some contributors that post newspaper , mwanawasa and nchito arrested, prosecuted and sentenced Dr. Chiluba to death.Development stalled as mwanawasa was busy persecuting the person who gave him the chance to be president and at the same time acquiring shares in petroda.The workers were suppressed,employers were given…
I LLOVE DR CHILUBA, BRAVE MAN TO WRESTLE POWER FROM THE MIGHTY KK. HE IS THE ARCTECT OF THE FREE MARKET ECOCONOMY WE BOAST OF TODAY. HE WAS CRUCIFIED BY THE LATE POST NEWSPAPER. WE THANK ECL FOR THE DEMISE OF THE POST.