‘Reject tribal politicians’

ZAMBIANS should reject politicians and political parties that promote tribalism and hate speech ahead of the 2021 general elections, PF Muchinga province Chairperson Alex Simuwelu has said.

Mr Simuwelu told the Daily Nation in an interview that all 72 tribes in Zambia have coexisted since independence and therefore politicians riding on tribalism should be rejected.

He said it was disappointing that some opposition leaders in the country had continued to divide people based on tribe to ascend to power.

Zambians, he said, should reject such political leaders and ensure that they did not get anywhere near the corridors of power.

"Tribalism is a cancer that we should never tolerate as Zambians. Therefore, political parties and politicians promoting tribal agendas should be rejected to safeguard the peace and co-existence among all tribes in Zambia," Mr Simuwelu said.

Mr Simuwelu said Zambians should not allow disgruntled politicians to divide them based on tribal lines.

"What is worrying is that we have never seen some of these opposition leaders condemning tribal politics like what Republican President his excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu has done on several occasions," he added.

Mr Simuwelu said there was need for Zambians to safeguard peace the country had enjoyed by rejecting tribal politics.

He said Zambia was a unitary Christian nation and those promoting divisions and foreign cultures should not be entertained.

He said politicians should instead sell their manifestoes and agendas for the nation as opposed to campaigning on tribal lines.

Mr Simuwelu also advised the opposition against hate speech and character assassination ahead 2021 elections.

The PF provincial boss observed that tribalism, hate speech and character assassination had been the major cause of electoral violence.