DON’T GATE-CRASH KUOMBOKA, HH TOLD
…Lucky Mulusa, the UKA secretary general says the BRE has made it abundantly clear that President Hichilema remains uninvited and should therefore save himself from embarrassment by staying away
THE United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) has urged President Hakainde Hichilema to resist the temptation of gate crashing at the Kuomboka traditional ceremony where Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba has been invited as guest of honour.
Lucky Mulusa, the UKA secretary general said in a statement yesterday that President Hichilema should uphold the dignity of the presidency and not down grade it by going as “citizen number one,” to an event without even being invited.
“President Hichilema should realise that the presidency is the people’s apex personification of their chosen governance system and must not be subjected to ridicule through an insatiable appetite to score political mileage or unwisely settle self-created political disputes,” Mr Mulusa said.
He said it was during President Edgar Lungu’s tenure that it was decided and agreed that government officials were no longer required to grace traditional ceremonies but that such ceremonies would be graced by chiefs themselves.
Mr Mulusa said President Hichilema had created the unnecessary tension between himself and the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) through uncalled for comments on the Barotse matter and was now extending tension to the people of Northern Province by attempting to unseat Paramount Chief Chitimukulu as the guest of honour.
“It therefore follows that whether there is tension between President Hichilema and the BRE or not, the BRE is in order and is on firm ground to choose their preferred guest of honour at the Kuomboka ceremony,” he said.
Mr Mulusa said the message from the Kuta and from the Barotse Youth Alliance was loud and clear and so Mr Hichilema should uphold the dignity of the presidency by simply staying away.
“Zambians expect nothing less than the president respecting and upholding the apex of the epitome of their chosen governance system. Looking at the militancy with which both the Kuta and the Barotse Youth Alliance are expressing their disapproval of the President’s uninvited presence, the situation is most likely to escalate into possible chaos that might lead to violence,” he said.
Mr Mulusa said President Hichilema should not turn the Kuomboka ceremony into a theatrical spectre to score political mileage like he did in 2017.
“Zambians will hold President Hichilema responsible for any risks posed to people’s lives. He did it before save for the wisdom of President Lungu and he wants to do it again in another format and that’s why UKA dare says, don’t do it!” he said.