Stop peddling tribalism for political expediency –Kambwili told
FORMER Lusaka mayor Fisho Mwale says had it been that Zambian politics had honour and principles, he would have asked embattled NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili to apologise to the Zambian people for his inflammatory tribal and retrogressive statement.
Mr. Kambwili has come under pressure after he said President Edgar Lungu and Rupiah Banda don’t want Kalusha Bwalya to represent Zambia at CAF because he was not an Easterner.
Commenting on the issue on his Facebook, Mr. Mwale said he is upset that Zambians are being subjected to such uncouthness adding that Mr. Kambwili's statement was divisive and corrosive.
“I realised that politics we have in Zambia has little honour, hardly any principles, no decorum and rarely any remorse and humility to accept that we are humans and we at times error in both word and deed.
He said Mr. Kambwili's suggestion that President Lungu is being tribal by not intervening in the ongoing standoff between FAZ President Andrew Kamanga and Kalusha Bwalya, should be treated with the contempt it deserves.
Mr. Mwale said Football is administered under strict FIFA statutes and political interference is not tolerated and Mr Kambwili’s intervention is Political interference which will hurt Kalusha’s cause more.
He said on many occasions Kalusha Bwalya as President of FAZ used this effectively, when he refused to meet late President Mwanawasa, President Banda when summoned adding that Mr Kambwili as former Minister of Sport is very well aware of this and so he should not politicize the matter.
“First and foremost Kalusha is a football icon in Zambia. We have many others in the world such as Eto’o, Pele, Drogba, Roger Milla and Maradona etc some of whom have achieved more than our Kalu but it does not follow that their Iconic stature demands a right of passage to serve on FIFA, CAF or COSAFA,"
He said as current President of FAZ, Andrew Kamanga has incumbency advantages and opportunities to other positions in the football hierarchy be it at Regional, Continental and at World stage.
Mr Mwale further said former President Rupiah Banda is not and had never been a tribalist but a passionate football fan, who at one time was Vice President of FAZ and was instrumental in sending Kalusha Bwalya and Musonda to Belgium.
He said the Banda family had created opportunities for many young Zambians in football abroad and locally through their Chiparamba Football Academy.
Mr Mwale said in football, Just like in politics, idolisation of people must not be allowed. He said Zambia has many unsung football icons both on the pitch and at Administrative levels such as Alderman Tom Mtine, Late Justice David Lewanika, David Phiri, late Mwape Kasunga, Godfrey Ucar Chitalu and Samuel Zoom Ndhlovu who were highly successful and professionals of high repute. Charlie