Culture of insults
THE Zambian political space has been polluted with a choking political stench from some leaders whose covert scheme to ascend to the country’s Presidency is slowly proving a nightmare.
Realising that the political ladder is not a walk in the park, some political leaders now on the opposite divide are heaving with anger and frustration. They know too well that their chances of occupying the highest office in the land are extremely dim.
They have fallen into a political abyss.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) shadow president, posing as a party consultant, Chishimba Kambwili stands out as one leader choking with envy after reality dawned on him that his long-standing ambition of becoming Head of State is in fact far-fetched.
The man now openly displays his innermost frustration through insults towards President Edgar Lungu and other leaders in the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).
His daily political discourse is laced with offensive language towards leaders in the ruling party with whom he shared pleasantries not too long ago.
For a long time, Mr Kambwili has been known to be too combatant, a characteristic that has now degenerated into political paranoia
During his traditional media briefings at his residence in Lusaka, Mr Kambwili is always highly-charged, speaking ill of the Presidency in a manner that does not befit a dependable opposition leader.
He has tied well in his political comedy with his general secretary, Mwenya Musenge, who tumbled disastrously in the 2016 general elections in Kitwe’s Chimwemwe parliamentary constituency – a PF stronghold.
It is not too late for Mr Kambwili to tone down so that the citizens can give him a proper audience he desperately needs.
The Roan Parliamentarian has had his presidential ambition for a long time and had less time to concentrate on his ministerial functions when he was still in Government. This was particularly so after the death of President Michael Sata.
Lest he has forgotten, Mr Kambwili darted from one camp to the other in 2014 during the run-up to the PF national conference at Mulungushi Rock of Authority in Kabwe.
The gentleman was completely off balance! Initially, he stood firm with then Republican Vice President Guy Scott who was personally against President Lungu’s candidature for the PF presidency position. At the Rock of Authority, Mr Kambwili failed lamentably to get to the PF top position.
As usual, he realised late that Dr Scott’s stunt was a failed project and dramatically rushed to a rally addressed by Mr Lungu in Kitwe at Freedom Park, pretending to be a firm supporter a few weeks after he had expressed outrage.
His criss-crossing exposed his true colours. People still remember that before the PF national conference in Kabwe, Mr Kambwili had viciously confronted a member of Mr Lungu’s media team in Lusaka accusing him of being an accomplice to an alleged treasonable offence.
Thus his manoeuvres started a long time ago.
The man fails to tame his tongue because even when he was appointed to Cabinet, he publicly disparaged the persona of some MMD members who were appointed to Government positions.
This was uncharacteristic of a person who equally was invited to serve in Government despite having been in the camp of leaders who strongly and viciously fought the current Head of State in the PF succession process after Mr Sata’s death.
The culture of sustained insults will just throw the outspoken MP into political oblivion.
He attempts in vain to emulate late Mr Sata’s strategy of speaking strongly against political opponents. It cannot work.
Mr Sata was a seasoned and shrewd politician, who conducted research meticulously before taking on any political opponents. He was firm and never insulted political opponents but spoke firmly on issues he was well-versed with.
Alas, Mr Kambwili goes full-throttle vilely attacking his opponents instead of bringing issues to the table soberly and with due level-headedness.
He is not short of inconsistencies that have worked to scar his political ranking.