RESPECT LITUNGA, MUNDUBILE ADVISES HH
…contends that President Hichilema’s decision to send Nelly Mutti and Mwangala Zaloumis who are the subjects of the Litunga as messengers was an act of disrespect
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has exhibited grand disrespect against the Litunga of Barotseland by delegating his subjects in the name of Nelly Mutti and Mwangala Zaloumis as messengers to the Kuta for dialogue over Barotseland which the head of State has dismissed its existence, Brian Mundubile has said.
And Mr Mundubile, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament has said the UPND government has been tormenting, torturing and subjecting ailing Chishimba Kambwili to both mental and physical anguish over tribal vitriols when in fact it was a campaign gimmick that was sanctioned by the ruling party to win the 2021 general elections. Mr Mundubile has advised President Hichilema to gather the courage and take a trip to the Kuta in Western Province and personally engage the Litunga instead of sending subjects to talk to the King over a matter they did not ignite.
Mr Mundubile, the Patriotic Front (PF) Mporokoso lawmaker said the people of Barotseland deserved respect and that it was therefore imprudent for the head of State to have sent Ms Mutti who is the Speaker of the National Assembly and Ms Zaloumis, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) as his emissaries to the Kuta.
“President Hichilema sparked the debate on the Barotseland issue and categorically dismissed its existence. And here comes his minister of Information Cornelius Mweetwa who rules his own boss out of order and declares that in fact Barotseland exists.
The people of Barotseland deserve respect and any attempts to sooth the growing tension is an insult to the collective intelligence of the people of Barotseland,” Mr Mundubile said.
He said the government should be sincere and genuine in dealing with the people of Western Province and that sending the Litunga’s subjects as emissaries was not going to work.
“It will not help to send surrogates who are the subjects of the Litunga to the Kuta over a matter that was sparked by President Hichilema. Can the UPND immediately stop using surrogates on the Barotse issue and begin to engage in genuine dialogue.
The person who made the statement that there is no country called Barotseland is President Hichilema. Let him take responsibility and if he has to apologise, let the President do it himself instead of sending other people,” Mr Mundubile said.