Freedom fighter Walamba counsels critics

VETERAN Kitwe based freedom fighter Timothy Walamba has advised the opposition to desist from gaining political mileage by misinterpreting President Lungu’s statements made in good faith.

In an interview, Mr. Walamba said the politicians in question deliberately misinterpreted Mr. Lungu’s statements for them to succeed in inciting people to rise against the government.

He was disappointed that some opposition leaders, who were expected to be objective and genuine in their criticism of the ruling party, had decided to become petty to the extent of misinterpreting whatever President Lungu said to gain political mileage.

Mr Walamba, a PF Member of Central Committee, was reacting to the ongoing debate on claims that President Lungu encouraged ruling party members to steal by using a Bemba idiom which states that “a field worker eats in the field.”

He said those accusing Mr. Lungu of authorising the PF cadres to steal were petty and desperate to gain political mileage.

“I will not mention anybody's name, but I want to say it is sad that, because of desperation for power, some opposition leaders and their sympathizers have become so petty that they would use anything to gain political mileage and create a bad impression about President Lungu.

“Ubomba mwibala alya mwibala Bemba idiom does not encourage stealing. It actually tells you that you can only benefit where you work. If you work for Zesco, surely, you cannot go and get paid at Zamtel. This kind of politics where you want to misinterpret everything to gain political mileage is immature and petty.

“We expect our politicians to be mature and objective, but it is sad that our politics in Zambia has continued to be full of hatred,” Mr. Walamba said.

He observed that at the same meeting, where President Lungu uttered the idiom, the Head of State even warned against corruption and theft of public funds.

“It would have been better to find out from Bembas what that idiom means but because some people have a hidden agenda, they decided to misinterpret whatever the President said and meant,” he said.