By Nevers Mumba
We wish to offer our opinion on the spirited submission my dear brother and colleague Fred Mmembe has made concerning the Honors given to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Elen Sirleaf Johnson and Ernest BAI Koroma.
First of all I wish to state that in a democracy like ours, the views of Socialist party President Fred Mmembe are respected and welcome. My interest in responding, however, is because I also wish to use my constitutional liberties to comment, not necessarily on Mr Mmembe’s views but on the Investiture event of July 14th 2022 itself.
Let me start by answering some specific questions:
Did President Hichilema break any law in conferring this honor on the three?
Statutory instrument No. 3 of 2003 reads in part:
“NOW, THEREFORE, I, LEVY PATRICK MWANAWASA, SC, President of the Republic of Zambia, do hereby declare and proclaim that- (a) the First Division of the Order of the Eagle of Zambia shall be awarded to ZAMBIAN and FOREIGN HEADS OF STATE and FORMER HEADS OF STATE..”
This law therefore confirms that a president has power to endow such an honor on any former head of state from any where. Just as our own late Kenneth Kaunda was honored in various countries like Namibia to mention, but one.
The next consideration is to whether the honored three deserve what they received. Again this, is the prerogative of the President. However, it is a known fact that both Presidents Obasanjo and Koroma have played a role in Zambia’s smooth transition of power and together with President Elen Jonson stand out as champions of democracy globally. These have not only been honored in Zambia but in many other countries of the world.
The fact that they are board members of Brenthurst Foundation does not diminish their vast contributions to humanity. It’s the three that were honored and not Brenthurst Foundation.
But let us also discuss the accusation that The Brenthurst Foundation is a neo colonial organization wanting to exploit the mineral resources of Zambia, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone. First I wish to declare my interest here. Although I am not a board member of Brenthurst Foundation, both Jonathan Oppenheimer and Greg Mills are good friends and colleagues of mine and I have great respect for them. My interaction with them suggests, and remains on the basis that they remain committed to helping Africa maintain working economies. This does not mean they do not have any side which may not be acceptable to some individuals. There is no perfect human being, just as there is no perfect human institution.
What is at play here is an ideological battle.
The UNIP government espoused a mixed economy and a non aligned policy. They dealt equally with both the East and the West during the Cold War. MMD moved more to the West, while PF moved to the East and embraced China as the closest partner. The UPND has warmed up to the West like MMD but still maintaining healthy relations with the East. To accuse any of the administrations of being puppets would be unfair and an insult to our dignity and intelligence as a people. To trade and do business with any block does not make you a puppet. This is where I differ with my brother Fred. Zambia is both old and intelligent enough to work with the West in order to serve our national interests. We didn’t call PF puppets of China, but we believed that China could support our infrastructural projects, and they did. UPND as the new government has continued to commission all the Chinese projects. It would be unpatriotic for UPND to say they will destroy all the projects done by Chinese “puppets.”
This week President Biden is visiting Saudi Arabia, a country that US has publicly condemned for abuse of human rights, but American interests have made this trip possible. That’s how the world works. It’s through networking and friendships created on the back of our national interests that drive global governance.
While the 2021 UPND victory falls squarely on the resolve and resilience of ZAMBIANS themselves, it is also a fact that the journey and the struggles of being in the opposition in the African set up takes you through some of the most challenging paths. Sometimes it is only on the back of similar minded friends from outside the country that you can navigate the darkest of days.
Here is the truth. Whether Brenthurst Foundation helped sponsor the UPND campaign or not, we don’t know, but what we do know is that President Hichilema knows who voted for him and his responsibility is first to the Zambian people. If he can squeeze any benefit from his relationship with the Brenthurst Foundation for Zambians, he would have served the Zambian people well. If the Brenthurst foundation chooses to invest in Zambia as a result of their connection to President Hichilema, even this will be a plus to the Zambian people. We cannot demonize investors based on our ideological differences.
President Fred Mmembe is a socialist. Socialist states will support his run for President when that time comes. If he were to win the Presidency, Socialist groups and organizations will fill Zambian Hotels. That’s how it works.
The goal should never be to undo what non- Socialist governments achieved. Successive governments must build on the gains of previous governments. That’s how you build nations.
No, there was nothing wrong in honoring the three revered former Presidents.
No, there was nothing wrong in welcoming Brenthurst Foundation to State House.
No, there was nothing wrong with President Mmembe giving solidarity to the Russians and collaborating with Socialist Countries.
We all have friends and we all have leanings. No one has a right to dictate to another their choice of friends.
Thanks a lot Pastor Mumba for giving a sober and intelligent reply to Fred M’membe. The problem with Fred is that he always wants to be confrontational. Can he now respond to this in a sober manner.
Pastor Mumba says Oppenheimer and Mills are his colleagues. Where? In what profession?
He also states that Fred is my dear brother and colleague
Are the two brothers? Or relatives?
The most profound feeling amongst Zambians is that Dr. Nevers Mumba only speaks from an Empty Stomach. The contents of his response to Fred are directed at attracting financial support from one HH. Almost all his comments when defending sitting governments are bizarre and far-fetched. This is called the Hyena gimmicks, “Apapya walya”.
Who has time to read or listen to this upnd cadre haha. Mmd made the biggest mistake accepting this useless pastor to take the reigns. He is now after a job from the usless upnd govt
umufyashi uwaluba,,,You tell if his coming or going
I agreed with Fred that those awards were not in good taste but I strongly disagreed with his intentions to withdraw them. African leaders expend their time and resources trying to undo what their predecessors did and HH is no exception. This is retrogressive. I’d like to differ with Nervers because ideologies make who you are. I hope that as a Pastor and politician he won’t accept sponsorship from gay institutions
You’ve made sense in your analysis Dr – Pastor Mumba. Some people, including me, care less about what or who is conferred and from what organisation because it doesn’t add any quantifiable value to my life. However, friends or not, we need to address the elephant in the room. The mining tax!!! How is that benefiting Zambian? The fact that Brenthurst Foundation has interests in mining and their friend, HH, comes up with mining tax that does not add value to Zambians but his friends in the mining sector should be a much larger concern than the so called ‘useless’ recognitions. Now is not a time to start rewarding friends when the country is on oxygen. Would make sense to first put the interests of Zambia first and perhaps reward your friends in your second term if you survive the first…
Nevers Mumba is a thief he stole Embassy furniture at the Zambian Embassy in Canada and Mwanawasa fired him for insubordination and corruption…ZAMBIANS DONT WANT NEVERS MUMBA ANYWHERE NEAR POLITICS
did you see him stealing or you are relying on rumors?
Nevers Mumba’s praise of UPND is to be expected, in the same way that Sean Tembo’s criticism of the UPND is expected.
Neither of them are objective in their analysis.
Mumba disqualifies himself when he professes friendship with Greg Mills and Joseph Oppenheimer. Mumba is always proclaiming friendship with anyone who appears successful, he previously claimed friendship with J Ndambo and also Malawian President Chakwera when the latter was elected.
Mumba’s analysis conveniently leaves out our concerns as resource owners.
Nevers Mumba’s praise of UPND is to be expected, in the same way that Sean Tembo’s criticism of the UPND is expected.
Neither of them are objective in their analysis.
Mumba disqualifies himself when he professes friendship with Greg Mills and Joseph Oppenheimer.
Every goverment choses who to aline them selves with who they see right ,……….
As long as there is no criminality involved…
Some of these people see shadows in every white person………..they have an inferiority complex of the highest order……….
Pay them no mind……….
This is the most useless GMO-mis-transformed Pastor; He killed his Church, killed the MMD, linked to the Brenthurst Foundation; and now seeking refugee status in UPND corridors. He should learn to cultivate tomatoes to earn a descent living.
SOME ON HERE AS WELL NEED TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES
ON CO EXISTANCE BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL
INSTEAD OD BLOGGING A LOT OF *CRA*P
Why are we reading this b4llsh!t? Both Mumba and M’membe didn’t even get 0.00001% of the votes last year, and both consequently are not in parliament. Don’t waste your time reading this nonsense no
Nicky Oppenheimer was awarded the Presidential Order of Honor in 2004 by President of Botswana, Festus Mogae, This was in recognition of the tremendous role played by De Beers (formed by Cecil Rhodes) in lifting Botswana from being one of the poorest countries in Africa to a middle income nation in the world.
Botswana now has a GDP per capita of $7,900 ( compared to Zambia $1,335) .
So its in order for HH to mix with successful people.
This is how leaders with proper discernment of issues debate.
This is what hunger can do….Nevers Mumba has finally joined Lumbani madoda praise singers….he knows he stands no chance of winning any election because of his history of being a kelenka kawalala…now he will be picking bread crumbs falling from HH’s table…..he is known for getting brown envelopes and enabling corruption…..Mwanawasa couldn’t stand him
It’s true to say “We all have friends and we all have leanings. No one has a right to dictate to another their choice of friends.”
However one’s personal friends should not be imposed on the nation. The Presidency is not for practicing nepotism
“These have not only been honored in Zambia but in many other countries of the world.”
Ba Pastor, you forgot to tell us the other countries that have honored the three. Pleas let us know. Twalumba.