Fred M’membe is missing the point; President Hichilema is trying hard to reunite this nation
Whenever most politicians write or make certain pronouncements, they lamentably fail to raise issues of substance other than goading the President into confrontation, notable among them, Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe, once a capitalist running a thriving business empire spanning from newspaper publication, courier services, trucking business and real estate’s, among others.
For instance, commenting on the press briefing hosted by the President at State House the other day to address a number of burning issues where he took time to warn that issuing careless tribal remarks shall soon be a non-bailable offence attracting a lengthy jail term; M’membe woke up with the following observations, “The problem of tribalism cannot be simply looked at as a problem of speech (tribal hate speech). There’s a need to look at the practices (tribal practices) that trigger the tribal talk. An audit of Mr. Hichilema’s appointments to various positions in state and government institutions will reveal very serious tribal biases.”
M’membe knows deep down the pit of his heart that he’s being economical with the truth. It is common knowledge that this former capitalist-turned-politician has always harboured corrosive hatred for President Hichilema since taking over from the late founding leader of UPND, Anderson Mazoka. Before former President Edgar Lungu ‘obliterated’ his, The Post Newspapers, he effectively used it as a weapon to demonise, scandalise and humiliate the party to such an extent of lampooning it as a “Bantustan!”
In our book, One Zambia One Nation; how various Presidents have navigated around the issue since Independence, we present empirical evidence of how our respective Presidents have tried to help reunite the nation by embracing every ethnic grouping in their governments or not. In the interest of space though, we shall restrict ourselves to NOMINATED MPs. There may have been two compelling reasons why our forefathers saw it befitting to introduce the aspect of nominated MPs: (1) in the case of the appointing authority hunting for individuals with exceptional abilities or capabilities to sit in their cabinet and such isn’t readily available in parliament, they may extend the search outside the August house and (2) in the event of a winning political party failing to secure parliamentary seats in certain parts of the country, a president may nominate individuals from those particular regions for the sake of enhancing national unity.
As they say, figures don’t lie; we shall leave up to the readers to conclude for themselves which Presidents have always gone an extra mile putting our “One Zambia One Nation” motto into practice as of course envisaged by our forefathers. Please refer to the tables hereunder:
Kaunda’s nominated MPs (1988 – 1991)
| Name | Region of origin | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pickson Chitambala | Central |
| 2 | Frederick Chomba | Northern |
| 3 | Lameck Goma | Eastern |
| 4 | Malimba Masheke | Western |
| 5 | Benjamin Mibenge | Northern |
| 6 | Alex Shapi | Luapula |
| 7 | Lazarous Tembo | Eastern |
| 8 | Alina Nyikosa | North western |
NB: Although he was born of Malawian heritage, Kaunda obviously chose to identify himself as a Northerner. You can see from the above that he tried to distribute the nominations fairly across all the regions.
Chiluba’s nominated MPs
| Name | Region of origin | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Harrington | Minority |
| 2 | Katele Kalumba | Luapula |
| 3 | Kabunda Kayongo | Western |
| 4 | Mwami Maunga | Eastern |
| 5 | Godfrey Miyanda | Eastern |
| 6 | Zilole Maunga | Eastern |
| 7 | Hosea Soko | Eastern |
NB: Chiluba was literally rejected in the entire Eastern province as they overwhelmingly voted for UNIP. Instead of sidelining people from the said province as some sort of punishment, he went ahead and nominated a majority of individuals from the province as MPs.
Mwanawasa’s nominated MPs
| Name | Region of origin | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enock Kavindele | North western |
| 2 | Emmanuel Kasonde | Northern |
| 3 | Mundia Sikatana | Western |
| 4 | George Kunda | Central |
| 5 | Kalombo Mwansa | Luapula |
| 6 | Ben Kapita | Luapula |
| 7 | Vernon Mwaanga | Southern |
NB: Mwanawasa never left out anyone in his appointments of nominated MPs, including those from the northern parts of the country where he was literally rejected.
Banda’s nominated MPs
| Name | Region of origin | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Kunda | Central |
| 2 | Kalombo Mwansa | Luapula |
| 3 | Situmbeko Musokotwane | Western |
| 4 | Chileshe Kapwepwe | Northern |
| 5 | Boniface Kawimbe | Luapula |
| 6 | Daniel Munkombwe | Southern |
NB: Just when everyone thought Banda would reinforce the “Umodzi Kumawa” syndrome by solely nominating his kith and kin as MPs, he broke the ranks and extended his search beyond his province of origin.
Sata’s nominated MPs
| Name | Region of origin | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Chikwanda | Northern |
| 2 | Sebastian Zulu | Eastern |
| 3 | Ngosa Simbyakula | Northern |
| 4 | Robert Sichinga | Northern |
| 5 | John Phiri | Eastern |
| 6 | Joseph Kasonde | Northern |
| 7 | Solomon Mbuzi | Eastern |
| 8 | Panji Kaunda | Northern |
NB: Sata was unashamedly tribal in his appointments! It’s a national scandal; out of our 10 provinces, how come he was only able to see caliber in individuals from two particular regions – Northern and Eastern provinces? This mustn’t be allowed to happen at all moving forward.
Lungu’s nominated MPs
| Name | Region of origin | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davis Chama | Northern |
| 2 | Edify Hamukale | Southern |
| 3 | Nathaniel Mubukwanu | Western |
| 4 | Raphael Nakachinda | Southern |
| 5 | Bwalya Ngandu | Northern |
| 6 | Joyce N. Simukoko | Northern |
| 7 | Godfridah Sumaili | Northern |
| 8 | Richard Kapita | North western |
NB: Although Lungu largely ‘populated’ his nominations with people from one particularly region just like his predecessor, at least he was decent enough to rope-in a few individuals from the so-called Zambezi provinces as colouring flowers.
Hichilema’s Nominated MPs
| Name | Region of origin | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Felix Mutati | Northern |
| 2 | Charles Milupi | Western |
| 3 | Doreen Mwamba | Northern |
| 4 | Peter Kapala | Luapula |
| 5 | Lukando Mufalali | Western |
| 6 | Elias Mubanga | Muchinga |
| 7 | Mutinta Mazoka | Southern |
| 8 | Elias Matambo | Copperbelt |
NB: Although Hichilema was given votes in the northern parts of the country as President, he was unfortunately denied MPs. Has he given them a cold shoulder? Zero! He has gone ahead and apportioned 50% of his nominations to the very regions that never gave him MPs
Thanks for a piece of useful information for our presidents’ appointee
Useful? Yayi, Its largely a useless piece of propaganda perhaps written by Kapinga. The author presents us with what he calls “facts” just so he can twist them into his own argument. Some statements he makes are so sweeping he sounds ridiculous; like “Mwanawasa never left out anyone in his appointments…” That’s not possible! The reality is that you cant include everyone.
This is propaganda dressed as facts. Lets ask Why does he choose to identify William Harrington as a minority? To suit the view that Western Province was left out? However, Harrington always identifies himself as a Lozi and has a home in Western Province.
Panji Kaunda is identified as a Northerner yet he lives in Chadiza, That way the author can sell the argument that appointments leaned towards Northern Province.
I will go further to state that his is a narrowminded assessment. To conclude about the President’s tribal or non-tribalness, the author focuses only on the appointments he makes into parliament. He conveniently forgets that the president makes numerous other appointments at state owned firms. And in top Public service positions such as Permanent Secretaries, judges and Directors. These 40 plus firms include ZESCO, INDENI, Zamtel, ZNBC. Zambia Daily Mail, Zambia Railways, Milling Companies etc. Don’t these appointees come from tribes?
Lets randomly pick on Sata’s appointments: As a Business student I recall that during Sata’s time ZESCO had Zyambo as Board chair, The CEO was Rodney Sisala, succeeded by Cyprian Chitundu also succeded by Mundende. ZCCM was headed by Muyunda succeeded by Pius Kasolo
BOZ was led by Michael Gondwe then Denny Kalyalya
ZNBC was headed by Salasini then Chibamba Kanyama who was succeeded by Richard Mwanza
Zambia railways was run by Knox Karima who was succeeded by Prof Clive Chirwa then Prof Muyenga Atanga. Give us the names of CEOs in parastatals now and Iam sure you will see a bias towards Southern Province
How interesting when faced with facts, to see people who advocate tribalism twisting in the wind.
Present Chairperson of some commission, local government I think, was quoted as saying only a Tonga can lead UPND.
What is “Region of origin”? Silly I think. Are Where and when factored in? Where one was born or where his father was born? Or where his mother was born? Or perhaps where his ancestors were born? Mine came from Luba lunda kingdom in DRC, my wife’s from Kola in Angola. Why should nt that count?
Living in the past serves no purpose
Who cares where MP’s etc come from as long as they preform well
Our problem is getting rid of dinosuers and dead wood
ZESCO ????????
Who’s this nameless numbskull. HH likes play the victim card…..he ensured that the Southern Province didn’t cooperate with the PF Edgar Lungu government.
I have a lot to say on this but we leave it here.
It must be Kapinga
Satan and Chipuba engineered the deaths of 2 million cows in Southern Province. They destroyed the agricultural base of the province, sold the Tonga farmland to white Boers from South Africa; sold the coal of the Tonga people to the Indians, kicked all the Tongas out of the army, police and civil service, and tried to steal the two districts that produce electricity from Southern Province (something which you, Dejavu, support by the way), and you think we Tonga should vote for you? You have forgotten that We, Tonga, paid for Kaunda to go the UK to negotiate for independence. You forget that we Tonga are the ones who gave UNIP the 10% it needed to form government in 1963. Today you say the tribalism by Chipuba, Satan and Lungu against us is our fault
If this is trying hard then President Mohammed Siad-Barre of Somalia can come and take over.
Very true Michael Sata was a cold hearted shameless tribalist .Look at his shameless list and you’ll conclude Sata had some psychopathic tendencies .
Its largely a useless piece of propaganda perhaps written by Kapinga. The author presents us with what he calls “facts” just so he can twist them into his own argument. Some statements he makes are so sweeping he sounds ridiculous; like “Mwanawasa never left out anyone in his appointments…” That’s not possible! The reality is that you cant include everyone.
This is propaganda dressed as facts. Lets ask Why does he choose to identify William Harrington as a minority? To suit the view that Western Province was left out? However, Harrington always identifies himself as a Lozi and has a home in Western Province.
In opposition the UPND under HH punished whoever accepted any appointment from government and Howard Sikwela was one of the casualties. There are still audios were HH himself admonished Chieftainess Mweenda of Chikakanta and Chief Chikanta of Kalomo for merely attending a meeting addressed by ECL as President in their chiefdoms. Give us a list of appointees to foreign missions, PSs, Parastatals etc. Their tribalism has come back to haunt them
Unfortunately his supporters won’t reason on this. And is stopping opposition rallies another way of uniting the nation?
UPND is a political party, it is not a tribe or a region. If members of UPND were not allowed to join the government of Satan or Lungu, there was nothing preventing the appointment of Tonga, Lozi or Luvale who were non-UPND members. Why should a political party allow someone to steal its members with cheap political appointments, especially if the party trying to recruit them is going to sully their reputations with corruption?
Really? Since when have we had tribal division? When they took power finish & klar. They are so desperate to be relevant. You chaps would have no challengers had you embarked on infrastructure development & economic upliftment. Pipo loved you but you had no idea how to govern
HH was more fair and sensitive to regional representation. For example, to increase the Northern block presence in his government, he left out red hot intelligent good material and capable Tongas like Wynter Kabimba, Edify Hamukale, Wilbur Simuusa, Jonas shakafuswa, Mizinga Melu, etc to appoint inexperienced, illiterate and cheap minded people like Chelah Tukuta from the north of Zambia.
Malabishi! The UPND told Wilbur Simuusa that his father was turning in his grave because he’d aligned himself with the PF, a Bemba Party! HH just likes surrounding himself with idyotis. At MoH how has he left out Christopher Kalila in preference to Beijing Jeep Masebo? He doesn’t like independent thinkers. To work with him you must stop thinking like Mutati
Even Mrs Inonge Wina faced a lot of ridicule and hostility for working with a so called Bemba party. …. these guys dug a lot of graves which they now want refute and use them against the so-called North Eastern people.
UPND is a political party, it is not a tribe or a region. If members of UPND were not allowed to join the government of Satan or Lungu, there was nothing preventing the appointment of Tonga, Lozi or Luvale who were non-UPND members. Why should a political party allow someone to steal its members with cheap political appointments, especially if the party trying to recruit them is going to sully their reputations with corruption?
Who is fooling who?
Why is the author scared of identitying the origins as Provinces?
Regions?
This article has no author name. It’s probably Muntu Wabufi himself who wrote it himself. The desperate levels he has reached are quite alarming
The most useless article. If HH wrote this, he probably has realized that he has divided the country on tribal basis worse than they did in Rwanda. Only that Zambians are patient and in their patience are docile, naive, and gullible. The nation is sitting on a very serious tribal time bomb. HH was not ready to be president hence he turned to tribalism to gunner support from the 3 provinces that he thinks can help him dictate his way through. Useless article and a worst of space and our time.