MPEZENI FAILED TO UNITE HH AND ECL
IT brought sad reading to many of us that believe in peace and unity after Patriotic Front Members of Parliament led by Leader of Opposition in Parliament Hon Brian Muntayalwa Mundubile announced to the nation that, they plus other senior PF members were not going to attend the Ncuala ceremony because former President and PF Leader Edgar Chagwa Lungu was denied attendance by the Ncuala organizing committee.
While we acknowledge the rights of the Ngoni's in choosing who should attend their ceremony, we find it disheartening that these people can deny their own son and only surviving former President chance to be part of his cultural heritage. We are a one people yes but there's a reason why our National Registration Card has got a provision for a district and chiefdom where we hail from. If Paramount Mpezeni tells us that Edgar Lungu does not belong to the Ngoni's, then we can understand this position but if he does, then the decision was prematurely reached because Lungu could have been allowed to participate as an ordinary ngoni since they seem not to be proud of his title of former President.
Mpezeni and his organizing committee had an opportunity to show a purpose of unity by bringing current President Hakainde Hichilema and former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu
under one roof and tell them, they are all their children. Traditional ceremonies just like Religious functions are apolitical in nature and are the only avenues citizens believe can bring political leaders together but if Father figures like Mpezeni are failing to bring unity among politicians then we are doomed.
Paramount Mpezeni shouldn't be categorized among
ba mutasha kalimwitobo (those who appreciate because the food is in the mouth), there's need to realize that political positions are temporal while chieftaincy is permanent. It's a big mistake for traditional leaders to put all their trust in those governing and overlook the opposition, because they both make part of governance and complete the body of democracy.
Former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu might be voted back to power in 2026 or indeed any other leader of the opposition, it will be shameful on the part of Mpezeni to only recognize and invite President ECL while leaving former President HH to attend the ceremony. Mpezeni and other traditional leaders should take a leaf from Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people who instead chose to invite the King of Barotseland to be guest of honor at last year's Ukusefya pa Ng'wena: Bemba Cultural Identity , you can't imagine the peace and unity that gesture has brought between the Bemba speaking people and the Lozi speaking people, breaking the myth that Bembas and Lozi's don't corporate, from then I call Barotseland my second home.
The fact that former president ECL came back into active politics can't be a reason to isolate him from such functions especially from his home Eastern province, it's his democratic right to participate in politics and he shall still remain with the title of former president till death.
Unity only preached and not practiced is useless.
Asanteni Sana,
Abarike Zambia
Mungu
SAMPA MWAUME - THE CHINSALIAN
Kwitonta Ukushuma Lubanga