
SEVEN headmen and some residents of Mbeza in Namwala say they are disgusted with UPND president Hakainde Hichilema for his alleged verbal attacks and violence directed at Namwala Member of Parliament Robbie Chizhyuka.
The headmen have charged that Mr Hichilema has allegedly been sending youths to harm Major Chizhyuka
Headman Nakamboma said Mr Hichilema is pushing Major Chizhyuka to respond to his continued attacks, saying time has come for the people of Mbeza and Namwala to defend their son.
He sounded the warning in Mbeza when a team of headmen and residents summoned Major Chizhyuka to brief the people on his relationship with the UPND President.
The visibly annoyed traditional leader warned that it is time Mr Hichilema stopped hiring youths to allegedly harm Major Chizhyuka, saying the family and people of Mbeza have been observing Mr Hichilema’s provocations.
He pointed out that the people of Namwala and Mbeza in particular do no want the pact and should not be forced to accept it through violence.
Headman Nakamboma warned that any youth sent to hurt Major Chizhyuka by Mr Hichilema should expect brutal reteliation.
“Some people are not grateful. It is Major Chizhyuka who introduced Hichilema to the people of Namwala. Major Chizhyuka talked well about Hichilema so much that we liked him,” he said.
He said if Mr Hichilema really wants to get some votes in Namwala, he should not rubbish Major Chizhyuka.
The traditional leader noted that in most cases, nothing tangible comes out of pact arrangements, especially those entered into with wrong people.
Headman Nakamboma cited the Choma declaration and the UDA as such pact arrangements which never yielded any fruits.
Meanwhile, a senior representative for headman Shalupumbu, Charles Chiboola, said it is sad that some educated people fail to understand politics and are putting their people in problems.
Mr Chiboola warned that he will deal with anyone who will visit his house to talk about the pact.
“We already have a good MP who has fought for improved lives for his people even way back before politics. What else would we want? We shall go wherever he goes, but not into this pact,” he vowed.
He said it will be difficult for Mr Hichilema to get back to the people in Namwala to ask for a vote when he has forsaken the person who introduced him to the people of Namwala.
“We have already benefitted from Major Chizhyuka’s good works. He has worked well with government to bring us the Choma-Namwala road, a girls’ high school and a basic school in Namwala boma. He worked hard to improve the Monze Nieko-Road,” he said.
Namwala District Indigenous People Rights Association chairman Dominic Shingalwe said Mr Hichilema should understand that Major Chizhyuka has relatives and friends who will not sit back and watch while other people hurt him.
“What wrong has Robbie done? Let Hichilema not start a war he will fail to stop,” he said.
Mr Shingalwe, who was the first district chairman for the African National Congress party, said Major Chizhyuka is an innocent man who is merely expressing his democratic right to oppose the pact.
Mr Shingalwe said Mr Hichilema will regret his move to partner with the PF, saying as a senior citizen who worked close with the late Mungoni Liso and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, he has a clear understanding of how the Tonga people have been cheated into forming pacts
ZANIS